New chapter added: Annie and The Gorbals of Glasgow

A young Annie Cohen

A new chapter has just been added to the weblog. This page tells the story of the arrival to Glasgow of Betty's sister, my great-grandmother, Annie Cohen in 1904 and gives a brief sketch of Jewish life in Glasgow at that time. To read more please click on "Annie and the Gorbals of Glasgow" or see the list of chapters on the right.

More than 3000 views and time for some thank yous!

Aunty Betty dressed as a geisha

This weblog has now reached more than 3000 views. Of course the weblog viewers are anonymous. However, Blogger gives me stats on where you, the audience, come from. I thought it might be interesting to share this with you.

The top 10 countries are:

Country	Number of page views
United States	1085
Netherlands	657
United Kingdom	210
France	166
Lithuania	91
Germany	84
Russia	75
Canada	71
Taiwan	68
Ukraine	38

Other countries from which readers have viewed include Belgium, Iraq, Poland and Sweden.

After starting this weblog in 2010, by far the most visited page is "Vilna Ghetto and Ponar" which highlights the tragic side of my family's story. I aim however with this blog to also piece together Jewish life in the different countries of the diaspora in which my family lived. After a "sabbatical," as one of my cousins called it, of a year there are new installments on their way. Almost all the present-day photographs used in this weblog come from video material which has been shot in Lithuania, the United States, Scotland, The Netherlands and Namibia. Despite the huge undertaking it is still my intention to craft the material together to make a documentary film, something I expect to take another few years.

My sister, Luisa, and her boyfriend, Scott, interviewed Norman Cohen in 2011. Sadly Norman will not be able to see the end-result as he passed away in September of this year. His invaluable account of the family and his war years is thankfully recorded on video.

So many people have helped me thus far with the project. But why wait for the closing titles of the film? I'd therefore like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who has contributed to this project so far.

First and foremost I'd like to thank my wife, Catelijne, for researching, filming, translating, interpreting, reviewing weblog posts, helping me to develop the general concept of the project and for her eternal and unwavering support.

I'd also like to thank:

Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum, Vilnius, Lithuania

Scottish Jewish Archives Centre, Glasgow, Scotland

for supporting this initiative.

I'd like to thank:

Fania Brancovskaja

Norman and Ethel Cohen

Annie Douglas

Harvey Kaplan

Bernice and Laurie Polli

Carole Riato

for allowing me to interview them.

I'd like to thank:

Scott Driskill and Luisa Riato

for interviewing and filming on location.

I'd like to thank:

Diana and Phillip Kay

Giuseppe Riato

Lynda Spinner

for providing assistance on location.

I'd like to thank:

Sofia Chodzinska-Sillevis

Judita Gliauberzonaitė

Natalia Jegudina
Ruben Verhasselt

for providing translation or interpreting services.

I'd like to thank:

Irina Cerneckaitė
Milda Jakulytė-Vasil

John Steegh

Harrie Teunissen

for helping with historical background information or research queries.

I'd like to thank:

Elaine Grae
Diana Kay

Frances Barnett

Jeffrey Barnett

Bernice Polli

for providing family photo and video material or information.

I'd like to thank:

Ron Woloszczuk

for film imagery advice.

I'd like to thank:

Sandy Dalziel

for technical help with the weblog html.

I'd like to thank:

Frances Barnett

Etan Fisher

Joyce Freeman

Annemarie Haest

Diana and Phillip Kay

Laurie and Bernice Polli

Carole Riato

Giuseppe Riato

Peter Sanderson and Saskia Plompen
Mascha Sillevis

Lynda Spinner

Martine Taylor

Frank and Linda Taylor

Sandy Ziss

for donating to The Aunty Betty Project Fund or providing books or other materials.

I'd like to thank:

The Aunty Betty Project Blogger and Facebook friends and readers.

And last but by no means least I'd like to thank my children, Mila and Dante, for putting up with my "obsession" ;-) for all these years. I dedicate this work to them, their generation and the generations to come.

I thank you all from the bottom of my heart!!