Second generation of immigrants from German speaking countries ("Yekkes")

Dany Walter grew up in moshav Sde Warburg, between 1958 and 1963 he learned and worked in kibbutz Ginossar. After serving as paratrooper in the military he bought a farm in Sde Warburg. From 1971 he studied Geography and Israel Sciences in the Kinneret, at a branch of Tel Aviv University. He worked as travel guide - mainly for German groups -, for nature conservation and in adult education. Afterwards he became an author. He married in 1965 and has 3 children. ; As a child DW heard many stories about the past. The families of his parents were rather wealthy in Germany. He tells some childhood memories of his father, his uncle and a friend. His grandmother was very traumatized from the Nazi-era (she fled in 1939) and fought against any kind of xenophobia; he wrote about her story in his first book. He thinks German Jews brought humanistic ideas to Israel, that they were very open-minded and tolerant. His father was very liberal as well. DW and his brother spoke Hebrew together when they were children, but DW often spoke German with his parents. For a long time German was the dominant language in their Yekkish moshav. He recalls there were many uncomplicated, warm parents in Sde Warburg. His grandmother and his uncle's family were DW's only relatives in Israel. His parents imparted a very positive image of Germany, whereas many Israelis considered Germans as “disciplined murderers”. DW's relationship to the German language was for a long time conflictual, but he did not speak about those feelings with his parents. When he came to Germany for the first time, his feelings changed. ; During his work as a travel guide, DW noticed Germans are the most punctual nation indeed. He himself is very punctual too, never a minute late. He has many friends in Germany. He points to the problem of generalizations and stereotypes between different nations. Europeans uncritically believe the negative image that the media impart on Israel. DW feels that media generally create too much fear of terrorism. He feels obliged to maintain contacts with Germans because he knows German. ; DW's wife has a Polish-Christian background: her father was Jewish and she converted to Judaism when she was 10 years old, but her mother did not convert. DW is happy they celebrate Jewish and Christian holidays together. He has three adult children with his wife, they only know a little German; their feelings towards the language are rather neutral. DW adopted a child who was rejected by an ultra-orthodox family. ; DW explains from a historical perspective that the extremist tendencies among the Arabs are a problem. Arafat's agitation brought much harm to the Palestinians. DW comments on Sharon's politics, he thinks Israelis should not let themselves be blackmailed by terrorism. In his first book, 'In the shade of the mulberry tree' translated from Hebrew into German in 2004, DW describes the fate of three families from Germany, Israel and Palestine getting together in Israel. For the book he used a lot of historical details of his own family. DW rather writes for Germans than for Israelis. In Germany he got good reviews on his latest book, although some people think he is too idealistic when it comes to tolerance between religions.