July 19, 2018
Since it has cooled down a bit today I can safely introduce you to something, no, someone really hot.
Meet Inge Ginsberg, 96-year old Holocaust survivor, who calls herself the oldest rapper in history, also known as the death-metal-grandma. Before you wonder, check out the clip below which gives you a 10 minute documentary on a remarkable woman.
https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000005990284/death-metal-grandma
She fled the Nazis, escaping through the mountains to Switzerland, almost freezing to death. She and her husband eventually emigrated to the States where they were writers and composers of music in Hollywood for a while, known for songs performed by Dean Martin, Doris Day and others.
She left Hollywood after it struck her as fake, started writing poetry and, in somewhat advanced age, performing in competitions and public places so her wisdom would be heard, aphorisms like “Don’t destroy what you can’t replace,” or “Wake up and stop acting like sheep – see what’s going on around you.” (Which reminds me: have you heard about the newest Austrian #FPÖ legislative proposal to register Jews? To be able to buy kosher meat you have to register a n d prove that you are running a kosher household. How about something on your coat lapel to prove that you are registered when you enter the butcher shop? And while we’re at it, why not for halal meat buyers as well? Yellow for one, green for the other?) Let’s stop acting like sheep….
In any event, Ginsberg, dividing her time between NYC and Switzerland, truly lives by her own concept of heaven and hell: “If at the moment of your death you decide your life was good and full, that is heaven. If you feel you should have done this or that and didn’t, that is hell.” (I am happy to announce that, if I keeled over in 5 minutes, I’d see heaven….)
She surely leaves nothing out – the latest was an attempt to participate in America has Talent – unfortunately she forgot all the words to her rap song at the audition – but she tried. LET US ALL BE THAT TOUGH IN OUR 90S!!!!!!!
Here is her take on it all, unfortunately in German: https://www.revolvermag.com/culture/watch-new-doc-96-year-old-holocaust-survivor-turned-death-metal-grandma
Portraits today are of women photographed at Dragon Boat races and festivals, all appearing to me as potential soul sisters to Ms Ginsberg.
Deb
I loved her definition of heaven & hell. This was wonderful, thanks for sharing!
steve t.
She’s great! What a life. My version, Hell is that some people will repeat the ugliest behavior of humankind; witness our current political madness. Heaven is when others rise up and stop it, even though some people will do it again.