BY PHIL CUSTODIO
Clarkston News Editor
Escaping Hitler’s Nazi regime meant a move to the far east for Berl Falbaum and his family.
“The whole world closed its doors to the Jews,” remembered Falbaum, whose Berlin family faced persecution due to their faith.
“Shanghai was an open port. We didn’t need immigration papers and all the procedures, and so 20,000 Jews escaped to Shanghai, including me and my parents.”
The decade Falbaum, who was born in 1938, spent in a war-torn ghetto in China during and after World War II, journey to the United States, and journalism career in the Detroit area will be amongst many topics at his book talk at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 5, at the Clarkston Independence District Library, 6495 Clarkston Road.
He has written 10 books over the years, including “Shanghai Remembered: Stories of Jews Who Escaped to Shanghai from Nazi Europe,” business guides, histories, biographies, and crime novels. His Clarkston talk will focus on his 10th book, “Recollections and Reflections: From a WWII Shanghai Ghetto to Journalism, Politics and other Journeys along the Way.”
“I think this may be my last book,” he said. “Of all the books, this one is the most important for me. I wanted to save some stories I thought were important to me and I hope others will find them useful as well.”
In the book, he shares stories from his career as a general assignment and political reporter for The Detroit News, including the reaction in Detroit to the assassination of President John Kennedy and the 1967 Detroit riot, as well as corporate public relations and service as administrative aide to Michigan’s lieutenant governor.
He also shares stories from his travels around the world, including watching a bullfight from inside the ring, swimming with dolphins in the open ocean, and his participation as an extra in four operas.
“I kept working on newspapers – I’m still doing it, 65 years now,” said Falbaum, who remembers writing for his intermediate school newspaper. “I’ve always wanted to be a journalist and a writer. I enjoy it. I love seeing my byline and I enjoy the writing.”
For 45 years, Falbaum was also an adjunct faculty member in the journalism department at Wayne State University in Detroit.
Nowadays, he enjoys meeting Clarkston’s own Monday morning geezers coffee group, which meets weekly at Brioni’s to talk about politics and other topics of interest. A West Bloomfield resident, he visits with the group as often as he can.
“It’s a great group with a variety of careers,” he said. “They talk about everything, including of course a lot of politics, so it’s fun.”
Falbaum is donating half of all proceeds from the book to EnPuzzlement, a Toledo, Ohio, non-profit organization that, since 2009, had provided assistance to organizations helping the needy with food, hygiene items, cleaning products, and medical supplies. The proceeds are being made in the name of Allan Marks, Falbaum’s friend of 65 years who died in December 2018.
Hardcover books are available at sdbooksllc@yahoo.com for $24.95. Softcover books and ebooks will be available at Amazon.com.