Fred Antman
Author: Fred Antman
Publisher: Makor Jewish Community Library
Place of publication: Melbourne, Australia
Year of Publication: 2011
Location of Book: LAMM Jewish Library of Australia
Cities/town/camps: Poland – Przemysl, Zbaszyn; Germany – Berlin; China – Shanghai; Australia – Melbourne
A Tale of Three Cities: Berlin, Shanghai, Melbourne is the life story of Fred Antman. The book is divided into three sections – the first section details Fred’s life in Berlin until March 1939 (pages 3-49); the middle part examines life for the Antman family in Shanghai (pages 53-100); the remainder of the book portrays Fred’s journey to Australia and his new life in Melbourne, starting a successful coat business, raising a family and becoming a well-known radio personality (pages 103-211). It is worth noting that the book features an additional 80 pages of photographs and 8 pages of historical documents and news articles.
Fred was born in Berlin on 13 February 1930, the second son of Erna and Samuel Antman. He attended a local primary school, but was forced to leave after a number of anti-Semitic incidents. Fred joined a Jewish day school until the family left Germany in 1939. His most vivid childhood memory is of his father’s arrest and deportation to Zbaszyn and the Kristallnacht pogrom when he witnessed the destruction of a Berlin synagogue from the window of the family’s apartment. After Kristallnacht, Erna decided there was no future for German Jewry and she booked passage for the family on the Conte Biancamano, heading to Shanghai.
In Shanghai, Fred’s father found work as a tailor, while Fred and his brother David took up English language classes. After the bombing of Pearl Harbour on 7 December 1941, Japanese soldiers occupied the city and immigrant Jews were placed in the Hongkew ghetto, which covered an area of approximately one square mile. Living quarters were cramped – one room for four people to cook, work and sleep. There was no water for flushing toilets. Even though conditions were harsh, Jewish life flourished – as the immigrants opened bakeries, cafes, synagogues and even medical centres. It was in Shanghai that Fred met fellow refugee Eva Teicher, who eventually became his wife.
When the war ended, Fred attended the Shanghai Jewish school until the family’s departure for Australia. After five months in Hong Kong, the Antmans arrived in Australia on board the SS Yoochow on 20 November 1946. Fred and his father soon established a successful business in ladies’ coats, suits and rainwear. Fred married Eva in 1953. He worked in the garment industry during the day and on Saturdays and weeknights, Fred presented music programs and became a well-known ABC radio personality. Fred and Eva had three children who attended Mount Scopus Memorial College. One of Fred’s highlights was his twenty-three years spent as President of Elwood Synagogue. Fred ends his memoir with a discussion of his philosophy on life.
Fred’s book is broken up into short chapters and contains numerous anecdotes and philosophical reflections. The positive attitude Fred demonstrated as a young boy permeates the text.