God’s Work Triumphs Over Hitler’s Retreat

“Resort Bids to Balance Past, Future,” July 29: In the years 1959, 1960 and 1961, I was a member of the U.S. Army stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. Twice a year Jewish members of the armed forces stationed in Europe were encouraged to attend a three-day Torah convocation held at the General Walker Hotel, located in Obersalzberg, Berchtesgaden.

The General Walker was formerly the hotel Adolf Hitler built for his visiting Nazi dignitaries. Rabbi Howard Graber, our Frankfurt chaplain, was an Orthodox Jew and responsible for seeing that the kitchen was made kosher for each of these retreats.

Visiting scholars-in-residence were invited for the three days and, on one particular summer retreat, Dr. Julius Mark, rabbi at Temple Emanu-El in New York City, presided. And here is what he said as we were all assembled for a Shabbot service, looking out of these huge picture windows at the magnificent scenery: “You should enjoy this place. The Nazis had nothing to do with what you see around you. This was God’s work; he made the mountains, trees and everything you see out of these windows.” And we prayed. Those words spoken 40 years ago, only 16 years after the Second World War, made an everlasting impression on me.

Josef Lesser

Los Angeles

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