The Rosenblat Ripple Effect Rolls On
The fallout continues from the Angel at the Fence hoax, with the author apologizing (“I wanted to bring happiness to people… I brought good feelings to a lot of people and I brought hope to many. My motivation was to make good in this world.”) and condemnation from his son (“I didn’t want anything to do with it. I tried to just stay away from it.”).
But, aside from the cancellation of the book itself, two other IP’s are drowning in the mire. The film being made based on the now-debunked story is being re-labeled as fiction (if it even gets made):
Producer Harris Salomon said he was going forward with his film based on Rosenblat’s book, simply labeling it fiction and donating all proceeds to Holocaust survivor charities. Meh, we’ll see how long that plan lasts. Good luck keeping the investors together.
Also caught up in the disgrace is Laurie Friedman’s children’s book based on the tale, Angel Girl:
Upon learning that the widely publicized Holocaust love story of Herman and Roma Rosenblat, which inspired the picture book Angel Girl, is not entirely true, Lerner Publishing Group announced yesterday that it would pull the book from shelves. Lerner imprint Carolhroda Books published Angel Girl by Laurie Friedman in September 2008. The house has canceled all pending reprints and is issuing refunds on all returned books. The company is no longer offering the book for sale and is recalling the book from the market.
Way to bring all that happiness and hope, Herman.
AuthorScoop
December 30th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Well, that was the shortest 15 minutes of fame that I ever saw.
Wlecome to the lifetime of infamy that follows.
With just a few extra words this would have never happened- “a heartwarming fairy tale rescued from the horror of the Holocaust, inspired by my own true life love story and the indomitable spirit to survive”.
Well, at least herman Rosenblat gets an epitaph out of this:
‘Husband, father, asshole.’
(And that movie is D.O.A.).
December 30th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
“(And that movie is D.O.A.).”
have to agree. it’s box office poison in an industry that cares for nothing else but ticket sales.
December 30th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
This hoax is a tragedy. The Rosenblats have hurt Jews all over and given support to those who deny the holocaust. I don’t understand why Atlantic Pictures is still proceeding to make a film based on a lie. I also don’t understand how Oprah could have publicized this story, especially after James Frey and given that many bloggers like Deborah Lipstadt said in 2007 that the Rosenblat’s story couldn’t be true.
There are so many other worthwhile projects based on genuine love stories from the Holocaust. My favorite is the one about Dina Gottliebova Babbitt - the beautiful young art student who painted Snow White and the Seven Dwarves on the children’s barracks at Auschwitz. This painting became the reason Dina and her Mother survived Auschwitz. After the end of the war, Dina applied for an art job in Paris. Unbeknownst to Dina, her interviewer was the lead animator on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. They fell in love and got married. Now that’s a romantic love story! I also admire Dina for her tremendous courage to paint the mural in the first place. Painting the mural for the children caused her to be taken to Dr. Mengele, the Angel of Death. She thought she was going to be gassed, but bravely she stood up to Mengele and he made her his portrait painter, saving herself and her mother from the gas chamber.
Also, Dina’s story has been verified as true. Some of the paintings she did for Mengele in Auschwitz survived the war and are at the Auschwitz Birkenau Museum. The story of her painting the mural of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on the children’s barrack has been corroborated by many other Auschwitz prisoners, and of course her love and marriage to the animator of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs the Disney movie after the war in Paris is also documented.
Why wasn’t the Rosenblatt’s story checked out before it was published and picked up to have the movie made?? I would like to see true and wonderful stories like Dina’s be publicized, not these hoax tales that destroy credibility and trust.
December 30th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
thanks for your comments and for visiting, loretta.