World-class pianist plays for Syrian refugees
mainThe sought-after pianist Igor Levitt is giving a concert tomorrow (Saturday) night in his home town Hannover for 150 Syrian refugees, invited from a nearby camp. Levit, 28, came to Germany as a child from the former Soviet Union.
‘We came to Germany in 1995 as a Jewish family on the refugee quota, but by plane and with a permanent residence permit,’ says Igor. ‘We did not go thousands of kilometers on foot, or take a boat across the Mediterranean.’
The Syrians, he adds, ‘have been forced through no fault of their own to give up their freedom, their lives, their homes, their belongings.’
Tomorrow’s cncert will include Saint-Saens Carnaval des Animaux, for kids from the camp.
Good man.
Typo: skip one t in the name.
‘We came to Germany in 1995 as a Jewish family on the refugee quota, but by plane and with a permanent residence permit,’ says Igor. Unlike the hundreds of thousands illegally crossing Europe right now, many of whom not being genuine asylum seekers at all.
Yeah, just like these pesky Jews who were seeking asylum in the US after 1938 from war and threat of extinction, illegal and without a proper immigrant visa.
Forgive me my deadly sarcasm.
These savages are passing through numerous European countries that are completely safe. It is clear that their focus is not on safety, but on the financial benefits they can obtain by reaching certain countries. Stop being so naive.
You are quite repulsive, John and I sincerely hope that one day, you find yourself in a similar situation as these refugees so you disgustingly despise.
Why do you feel and express such dehumanizing hatred for refugees from a war zone?
It is ironic to see, yet again, the supposedly ‘tolerant’ being the first to resort to name-calling and wishing pain on others.
However you put it, it is obvious these people are not fleeing for their lives. If they were, they would claim asylum as soon as they leave Syria. Instead, they are taking advantage of the system and swarming through Europe. Remember Aylan Kurdi? His family lived safely and comfortably in Istanbul for two years. That was not good enough for them, so they tried to come illegally to a rich European country: their greed resulted in their deaths.
Funnily, those who succeed on their quest are living cushy lives paid for by the taxpayer. I know I would not mind being paid to give up work and having a private recital by Levit, so perhaps being in a similar situation to these ‘refugees’ would not be much of a punishment at all!
Mr Safford, it is the hatred of how the system is being abused by those who do not deserve asylum. Those who pass through safe European countries in search of even wealthier ones are clearly focused on more than safety.
If that is not how you want to present yourself to the world, then why did you post what you did?
Who are you to know who does and does not deserve asylum?
‘Who are you to know who does and does not deserve asylum?’
This is very simple! If someone claiming to be fleeing for his life does not seek asylum when he is safe and instead tries to move illegally through Europe for financial gain, then he does not deserve asylum. Asylum is for those whose lives are in immediate danger.
It is a blessing for all involved that you are not in charge.
Here is the latest news from the ground:
‘Clashes between riot police and migrants angry at being prevented from entering Macedonia from Greece have left up to 40 people injured. … Dozens of migrants, stuck in Greece after Balkan countries imposed tougher entry conditions, threw stones.’
So these people, who are supposedly fleeing for their lives, have passed through the safe countries of Turkey and Greece, yet are desperate for more. Can you not see the problem?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34954127
Of course we can see the problems.
Bigotry such as yours merely gets in the way of solving the problems.
Savages, indeed. Thank you for telling it like it is, John !
Actually, mein Lieber, the war started in 1939, not in 1938. Not for the ole US of A, of course: they didn’t join in until 11 December 1941.
Oy vey, 1938 was Reichskristallnacht, you idiot.
Oy vey, Sie armer Schnorrer, those who could afford to do so began leaving Germany well before Reichskristallnacht in 1938.Do some research.
It is ironic to see, yet again, the supposedly ‘tolerant’ being the first to resort to name-calling and wishing pain on others.
However you put it, it is obvious these people are not fleeing for their lives. If they were, they would claim asylum as soon as they leave Syria. Instead, they are taking advantage of the system and swarming through Europe. Remember Aylan Kurdi? His family lived safely and comfortably in Istanbul for two years. That was not good enough for them, so they tried to come illegally to a rich European country: their greed resulted in their deaths.
Funnily, those who succeed on their quest are living cushy lives paid for by the taxpayer. I know I would not mind being paid to give up work and having a private recital by Levit, so perhaps being in a similar situation to these ‘refugees’ would not be much of a punishment at all!
“These savages”
Wrote the repulsive racist who accused us of resorting to “name-calling”.
Pot, kettle?
“wishing pain on others.”
I thought they were not real refuguees and therefore were not suffering… So, tell us, John: are they in pain or not?
Seriously, John, keep your nonsense for fox “news”. You’ll find an audience just like you.
‘Repulsive racist’: what those on the ‘tolerant left’ call those who disagree with them.
You must be quite stupid not to understand what was meant. You seems to believe that these so-called ‘refugees’ lead a tough life: your comment was clearly a hope that I would feel pain or some other unfortunate affliction. My response was that these people are not suffering. This does not change the intended meaning of your comment or my criticism of it.
Do not belittle me with your final snide remark. I think you will find that a large majority of British subjects do not wish to have this infiltration of fake refugees into Europe. The problem is that those who speak up are bombarded with people like you: people who are too self-righteous to accept any other opinion.
You know nothing but have a huge opinion. You must be US-American.
Do you realise how racist that comment is? And to think you accuse me of being racist! I am actually British.
Since when is “US-American” or “British” a race?
And you do not like to be treated verbally like you treat others verbally? What comes around, goes around.
What’s wrong with Fox News? At least they are not antisemitic like the “independent”, guardian and the rest of the bunch.
One wonders if Mr. Levitt mentioned his Jewish origins to the refugees for whom he played, and, if he did, what their reaction was …
Very good point. Muslim immigrants not only have a huge problem with adapting to the countries they join but also have a deep hatred of Jews. Of course, the predictable groups of people will pretend this is made up and not a concern…
Do Jews always adapt to the countries they immigrate into? In a truly free society, people do NOT have to adapt to a mainstream culture, as long as they respect and obey the constitutional order.
Also, since you are apparently clueless about the real world: Most of the Syrian refugees come from a secular country and are relatively well educated. Now that the US is removing all the secular regimes in the region by open and covert means of warfare, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, countries with emerging women’s rights and other progressive achievements of civilization, and replaces them with medieval anarchies, that is the travesty and crime against humanity of our times.
If you look at what is happening in Britain, many Muslim immigrants do not respect and obey the constitutional order. Polls show large amounts of them call for Shariah law and have sympathy for Islamic terrorism. They call for my country to be tailored to fit their needs instead of adapting to the country that has taken them.
Surely there is a problem. Maybe history repeats itself. How much did the British colonial masters adapt to the customs of the countries they conquered?
I mean, did they lead by example?
I don’t think I’ve read such a lorry-load of shyte in all my years. The left becomes abusive as a default position because their infantile stances are soon called out.
This John character is text book study material for hate speech.
John, where do you live actually?
Thankfully, in the US we have the First Amendment. The “enlightened” Europeans cannot tolerate anybody expressing views not in line with the liberal orthodoxy.
LOL. You think free speech is limited to the US?
Anyway, freedom ends, where humanity and the freedom of others is under attack.
Actually the US is far away from freedom, its a travesty of freedom, because its “freedom” is based on subjugating others.
John is free to bad mouth traumatized war refugees as “savages”, but I don’t have to reply to him “nice use of the first amendment.” under the same principle. Disgusting, you two.
I am British, actually.
Yes, freedom of speech these days is pretty much limited to the US. If this (obviously repulsive) French comedian Dudonne Mumbo-Jumbo (or whatever his silly name is) gets prison time for all the nonsense he says, this is the death of any freedom of expression. Freedom of speech, my dear piece of liberal Euro-trash, means the freedom to say anything that is not an actual call to immediate violence. People who feel that their “humanity” is under attack will have to develop a thicker skin and/or reply with the speech of their own. And may the best ideas win in the FREE marketplace of ideas.
Also, re: your silly comment about the Jews above – yes, the Jews have eagerly adopted the customs of the people among whom they lived & have made enormous contributions to civilization. The invading Muslims will not produce a Kafka, a Proust, an Einstein or a Mendelssohn – just paupers and terrorists.
Are you for real? I withdraw. This is troll territory.
Oh, please don’t take your dolly and go home. We are just beginning to have fun 😉
“The most dangerous worldview is the worldview of those who have not viewed the world”
A. v. Humboldt
Did really Levit and his family to Germany on a “refugee quota”? What did they flee from?
Soviet (and the traditional Russian) anti-Semitism – look it up
Anti-semitism in Russia in the 90s was never a criteria for getting asylum in Western Europe. So the family wanted a better life – fair enough – and something they have in common with most of the people who arrive in Europe these days. (We know that 40% of all asylum seekers in Germany come from Balkan countries, so a wise decision by mister Levit to only invite Syrians, as we know they, unlike most others of those who arrive, have good reasons for doing so.)
What a pity that so many of your correspondents are unable to display the same generosity as Igor Levit.