WDYTYA Series 4 #1 Natasha Kaplinsky

[Hackstaple]

What is good is to see that the episode did affect people differently and also that we are able to discuss this freely.
If the Nazis had won that would not be possible. We are today suffering from a steady but unceasing removal of our rights of free speech and rights to asemble freely. We must be careful that the past does not become our own future. Programmes which discuss the holocaust and apartheid play a vital part in reminding people of what might come. Whilst the teaching of history in schools has become so perfunctory we have millions of people to whom any part of our history is opaque.
As I have said here before - If we don't know who we were how can we understand who we are and what we are?

[old rowley]

Totally agree with you Hack. So much is missed out within the bounds of the teaching of history within the classroom and more importantly (in my view) by parents theirselves. I do not mean just the "stuff" that one finds in books that sit on the shelf but from family members. I know little of what my own grandparents lives were like and how both sets lived and survived in their early years. But through my self and my sister my children and hers both have an understanding of just what our father had to go through during the 2nd ww so that we now have a better understanding, not only of him but of others that have played a part in forming our being of what we are today.

old rowley

[lesleyhannah]

I'd love another programme, focussing on the researchers, telling us HOW they found out the information. Some celebrities are totally surprised by what's found, so they can't have given much guidance at the beginning.

I mean, on the programme we always seem to see the celebrity walking into archives or records offices to be met immediately by a helpful member of staff with the precise book open at exactly the right page! Now WE all know it doesn't work like that. So how do you go about finding ancestors who come from overseas - for example loads of us must have Irish ancestors, (but will never be able to get to Ireland) or German or French or whatever? Or what about pre 1830s ancestors who don't appear on the IGI? Maybe such a programme would have limited interest, but I'd be willing to sit up late to see it.

I'd even like to see what defeated the researchers - were there celebrities they 'rejected' because their trees were too difficult to trace?

But the Natasha Kaplinsky programme must be counted as a success, judging by the debate it's generated here. So well done the research team!

[Lydart]

I'd never heard the Kaddish sung before ... I had thought it was recited regularly for 12 (?) months after a death ... but live and learn, live and learn !

It was the most haunting singing ... reminded me a little of the Orthodox Kontakion for the Dead ... also a very haunting piece of music/singing ...
(Pity one can't add a piece of music where it says ATTACH A PHOTO OR IMAGE

[avm228]

I'd even like to see what defeated the researchers - were there celebrities they 'rejected' because their trees were too difficult to trace?

 I always wonder that too!

[BettyofKent]

Or a really juicy scandal, & the celebrity wouldn't allow it to be shown

Betty

I'd even like to see what defeated the researchers - were there celebrities they 'rejected' because their trees were too difficult to trace?

 I always wonder that too!

[Lydart]

I can think of a few politicians they would like to do ... but who might be too 'hot' for TV !! 

[LizzieW]

its a shame the programme makers don't make these programmes about non-celebrity folk

Toni - a couple of years ago, they did start to do some non-celebrity folk on BBC4, I think it was the evening following WDYTYA.  They were very interesting, but what amazes me is that they only ever go back as far as grandparents, or g.grandparents.  I'm sure I'm not unique, but I know all about my g.parents and g.grandparents (well apart from the one g.grandfather who appeared from nowhere aged about 27!) and I'm not even young.

Liz

[Lydart]

I'm always surprised by the number of people I meet or read about on here who never knew their own grand-parents ... maybe I was just lucky, in that mine lived next door !   And the generation before them were often subjects of family conversations ...