Bertha “Bee” Klug
AN UNWAVERING sense of justice and humanity marked Bertha Klug’s long life. She became a leading figure in both the Anne Frank Trust and Youth Aliyah Child Rescue, reflecting her intention to combat racism and prejudice wherever they occurred. Her beauty, personality and love of vibrant clothes captivated everyone, from government ministers to children.
As one of the three “Pinkerfeld girls” in a Yiddish speaking family, Bee was fond of imparting her personal philosophy in Yiddish. A youthful passion for the theatre led to starring roles in many amateur plays. Having witnessed the Battle of Cable Street in the East End, and subsequently learning about the Holocaust, Bee read Anne Frank’s diary when it was published in English in 1952. This inspired her to write a poem – The Ballad of Anne Frank. It was an unknowing portent of one of Bee’s greatest missions in life.
“My childhood was spent growing up in a period of depression, unemployment, poverty and the rise of fascism in Europe,” Bee wrote. One of only five Jewish children among 35 at her school, the nine year old Bee was greatly upset to hear her teacher make a blatantly antisemitic remark. She told her father, who secured a public apology from the offending teacher. Bee recalled that the incident taught her two major lessons which influenced her life path –“that prejudice and hatred don’t only come from the poor and uneducated, and that when you are confronted with it, you need to deal with it”.
Bee married Isaac “Sid” Klug in March 1941 and was proud that their four children achieved prominent careers in academia, health or social justice. A chance business meeting in London between Sid and Zvi Schloss, husband of Otto Frank’s stepdaughter Eva Geiringer, led to Otto and his second wife Fritzi visiting the Klug home in 1968. There Otto revealed his dream to see an educational organisation in Britain in Anne’s memory to eradicate the evils of hatred and bigotry.
As a result of the Klugs’ sponsorship of the Anne Frank exhibition in Bournemouth, the Anne Frank Educational Trust was launched in 1990, with Bee – despite health problems – as honorary life president. In 2002 Bee was awarded an MBE for her services to the Anne Frank Trust and to the Wessex Healthy Living Foundation, a complementary health charity which she founded in Bournemouth in 1977, offering homeopathic and holistic treatments to thousands, free or at a nominal fee.
In her last years Bee lost her sight, but continued to speak at Anne Frank Trust events, still immaculately dressed and so full of animated conversation that few guests realised she could not see them. Last year, aged 91 and suffering from cancer, she stood in for Education Secretary Michael Gove to present the Anne Frank Poetry Prize at the teachers’ union, NASUWT’s award ceremony. In June she hosted a 20th anniversary reception for the Anne Frank Trust at 11 Downing Street. Days after major surgery she personally greeted the 100 guests.
Bee joined the Committee of the Aid Society for Youth Aliyah Child Rescue more than 40 years ago and eventually became its President, adds Ella Latchman. Over the years she took a keen interest in the welfare of the children in the Youth Aliyah Villages. She was among the first to respond in any crisis – one of which was the devastating fire in the Village of Yemin Orde. She was a person of many facets – a unique personality, charismatic, strong minded and highly principled, always staunchly supported by her husband Sid, who died several years ago.
Bee is survived by her four children, Harold Klug, Professor Brian Klug, Dr Tony Klug and Professor Francesca Klug and four grandchildren.