[weihsien_camp] RE: would love to know the story of Weihsienpaintings.org

Dear Sophia,

Not yet two years old at the end of March 1943 and over four years old when our family leaved Weihsien “forever” in October 1945 and as far as I am concerned this period of my existence is completely rubbed out of my memory. Post-traumatic amnesia they call it. I personally don’t really remember Weihsien except for the day when the Americans came to liberate us on August 17, 1945. I was in a deep-dream for two and a half years.

So, yes … I was in Weihsien Concentration Camp.

Your question is about the website.

Well, … it all started more or less 16 years ago with 10 painting reproductions my father had kept in an old shoe box. I had just bought a new computer and was discovering the miracles of the “Internet” and found this interesting chat-list ― Topica ― created by an ex-prisoner lady of Weihsien Camp. The best way to share pictures ― in those days ― was to make a “blog”. I think that the the word “blog” didn’t even exist then! Somebody sent me more pictures to share and from picture to picture, the blog became a website. The young generation around me helped for the technical side of the venture and so, … I was promoted to: webmaster. There has only been ONE website: www.weihsien-paintings.org. The final is: “ORG” because all the info in the website ― as it is now ― has been given to me virtually and graciously. No money. The website is non-profit and free access and I wish it to stay so.

In the final, I now know what ― I think ― really happened to the 1400 of us, … ex-prisoners of the Japs and of what “could have happened” if the two atom bombs over Japan hadn’t been dropped. I’d not be here to write this.

…
Quite true, Weihsien was not Auschwitz. We were not held behind bars ― in the Alcatraz sense of the term. If you look at the paintings and sketches on the website, the Weihsien Compound was a beautiful place to live in. The kids could run all over the place without ever getting lost. I was one of them. Remember, … we were 1400 crammed in a small area and (very) undernourished. Guarded by armed Japs with rifles, machine guns, floodlights, etc. Two roll-calls a day by all seasons. Surrounded by high brick walls surmounted by electrified barbed wires and behind the walls were deep moats. What for?

I linked the Weihsien website to Mr. Mansell’s website. http://www.mansell.com/pow_resources/Formosa/taiwandocs.html

… I will let you think about it … and of what could have happened to all of us if the Japs had followed those orders.

…
… and now, I am re-writing this entire website because it is not “responsive”. I must make the whole thing readable on smartphones and i-pads. Keeps me busy ….

Best regards,
Leopold Pander.

To:weihsien_camp@yahoogroups.com
Tue, 25 Dec 2018 at 21:19

Re: [weihsien_camp] Xmas

Merry Christmas to All on this list!

Leopold, my eternal thanks to you for this web site and keep on educating yourself on how to keep it relevant to all the current technology. Since I am personally lacking in that department and can barely operate my flip phone, I applaud your efforts!

Terri Stewart

tapol@skynet.be [weihsien_camp]
To:weihsien_camp@yahoogroups.com
Mon, 24 Dec 2018 at 08:13

RE: [weihsien_camp] Xmas

Thanks very much John. There is now a new knot on the rope of things to do for the website..

… all the best,
Leopold

PS. Finished the chapter: James Taylor III yesterday. (… just the first URL that doesn’t work = normal ―> coming later!)

John Hoyte johnhoyte12@gmail.com [weihsien_camp]
To:weihsien_camp@yahoogroups.com
Sun, 23 Dec 2018 at 18:23

Re: [weihsien_camp] Xmas

Hi Leopold:

Thanks for your quick reply. I am so glad that you have my memoir and read the China part. Feel free to use any part of that chapter as a blog. Thanks again for all that you do for us.
John

Mary Previte mtprevite@aol.com [weihsien_camp]
To:weihsien_camp@yahoogroups.com
Sun, 23 Dec 2018 at 13:33

Re: [weihsien_camp] Xmas

What a gift you have given us, Leopold! A thousand thank you’s would not be enough.

Happy Christmas, Everybody.
Mary Taylor Previte

tapol@skynet.be [weihsien_camp]
To:weihsien_camp@yahoogroups.com
Sun, 23 Dec 2018 at 09:01

RE: [weihsien_camp] Xmas

Dear John,
Dear all,

Thanks for your messages … of encouragement 😊

John’s blog is already in the new menu created with the new presentation: go to the TAB - Weihsein/Blogs/JohnHoyte …

Of course, I’d be privileged to add any complementary information you could add to the website … paintings, sketches, documents, diaries, book excerpts (with your permission), letters, … etc. I did get your book thru Amazon-USA (took a long time though) and ― of course ― I enjoyed reading the Weihsien Chapter …

… all the best,
Leopold

PS … nobody mentioned my Chinese spelling of “WeiHsien” so … I shall presume that I got it right.

Dwight W Whipple thewhipples@comcast.net [weihsien_camp]
To:weihsien_camp@yahoogroups.com
Sun, 23 Dec 2018 at 03:53

Re: [weihsien_camp] the new look of the Weihsien site.

Yes, another Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to all.

Weihsien seems a lifetime ago—and it is! But through the site we are still connected. Hard to believe that 75 years have passed since some of us (including our Whipple family) landed in New York at the end of a two month repatriation voyage, September 30th to December 1st, 1943. Still meeting people who share our experience.

Thank you, Leopold!

-Dwight W Whipple

'Sancton' sancton@nbnet.nb.ca [weihsien_camp]
To:weihsien_camp@yahoogroups.com
Sun, 23 Dec 2018 at 03:00

[weihsien_camp] the new look of the Weihsien site.

Dear Leopold: what a lot of work for you to do this.

Thank you for all your dedication to the site for all these sixteen years! It has been such a blessing for us exWeihsieners.

Like you, I was a baby going into Camp, I have learnt so much about those years from this site and it has given me such a connection to this part of my history.

I have met both in person and by email, some of my fellow prisoners, each meeting has been fascinating.

I have enjoyed reading all your memories of those Camp days and I envy those of you who have been able to write of them so eloquently.

Without our Weihsien site I would not have learnt of all these publications, yet another thing to thank you for, Leopold.

All blessings for this festive season and health, happiness and peace in 2019 to all.
Christine Talbot Sancton

Elaine Yau elaineyau2000@gmail.com [weihsien_camp]
To:weihsien_camp@yahoogroups.com
Sun, 23 Dec 2018 at 02:35

Re: [weihsien_camp] Xmas

Dear Leopold,

Thank you so much for all your contribution and dedication to sustaining the treasure of Weihsien Camp!
Wishing you a joyful Christmas and blessed New Year!
With warmest regards,
Elaine

從我的 iPhone 傳送

John Hoyte johnhoyte12@gmail.com [weihsien_camp]
To:weihsien_camp@yahoogroups.com
Sun, 23 Dec 2018 at 00:28
[Attachment(s) from John Hoyte included below]

Re: [weihsien_camp] Xmas [1 Attachment]

Dear Leopold:

I have been enjoying all that you have done for our memories of Weihsien and wonder if you might include my memoir, "Persistence of Light." It just came out this last year and is available on Amazon.

Here attached is the cover and interior text. Check out my web site - johnhoyte.com

All best wishes,
John

Audrey Horton raks732@gmail.com [weihsien_camp]
To:weihsien_camp@yahoogroups.com
Sat, 22 Dec 2018 at 19:40

Re: [weihsien_camp] Xmas

Merry Christmas to all and a gigantic thank you to Leopold for his talented genius which we all benefit from. He has put so many hours into the world knowing all about us=-O

We are a generation unto ourselves--sometimes we see the quandary the youth have of trying to comprehend what we are talking about--as to what is a "cesspool"?

You talk about a prison camp--but where are the bars?

Interestingly my husband and I have friends here in Alabama. She was born to American Japanese prisoners in Arkansas and he was 8 years old when he was imprisoned with his family in Arizona. They do not appear to have any bitterness--so here we are: opposite ends of the spectrum and we compare notes. Life has interesting turns does it not?

We have met others whose grandparents were prisoners of the Canadians because they of Japanese descent.

The Asian people have a tenacity that pushes them to excel and the ones we have met have shown that--they have risen above their circumstances as have we in the Weihsien group. And as to myself--Audrey Nordmo Horton--it is all glory to God Who has helped and Whom we are celebrating at this season and always.

Thank you all for your e-mail friendship and correspondence.
We are a diminishing group--which makes me appreciate all the more the few of us who are left.

Sincerely,
Audrey Nordmo Horton

Were you able to open the link about my sister Kathleen Nordmo Rictor's obituary which Leopold put together with the pictures--so in keeping with the words

tapol@skynet.be [weihsien_camp]
To:weihsien_camp@yahoogroups.com
Sat, 22 Dec 2018 at 17:22

[weihsien_camp] Xmas

Dear Everybody,

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all 😊

Oh! Yes! … by the way,
… the Weihsien-Paintings’ website is already more than 16 years old. Remember, it started with just 10 painting reproductions from Father Verhoeven’s shoe box … Quite a bit has been added since !!!

I recently found out that the website could be read neither on a smartphone nor by a tablet. iPad or iPhone, they call it. Almost the whole world has one of those things and folks are SOOO! concentrated looking at the screens with the two thumbs frenetically moving, that they don’t even notice that you are looking at them!

So, I was told, (and as the Darwin Laws stipulate) … I must adapt or disappear! The website had to be: “responsive”. That is how “they” call it.

I chose to adapt and it is already several months that I am working on it. Did somebody notice the change?

Lucky for me, I received the assistance of the young generation and also bought a few books about the subject. I keep learning. Ha! Ha!

There is even a brand new “menu” and the search engine is accessible almost everywhere.

Could a Chinese speaking friend tell me if my translation for Weihsien is correct and if not, … send me the good spelling?

…
I just finished Norman’s chapter. A big one. Seems to be OK. Please do not hesitate to write for any observations and / or suggestions for the future.

Hope you are all OK so, again, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year …
Bien amicalement
Léopold