The crystal vase

The death of her grandmother in Freiburg prompts her and her father to travel from Belgium and the UK to clear out the apartment. For the granddaughter, it’s simply an “annoying” task at first, and her father is apparently no great help. There, in the apartment and the basement, he becomes caught up in memories and sentimentality, unable to act pragmatically. Other family members intervene from afar, and ultimately the household goods left behind seem more like “junk” than anything of value to them.

Along the way, the stories of the Jewish family members’ flight are told, and it becomes clear what traces these have left in the family history. For the author’s father, Jonathan Goldsmith, this meant studying law as a safe and reliable qualification rather than seeking his fortune as a writer. Here, too, lies the work’s connection to the legal profession—Jonathan Goldsmith served as Secretary General of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) from 2001 to 2015 –  https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/about-us/our-governance/council-constituencies-and-current-members/jonathan-goldsmith.

Only after some time has passed can the granddaughter take charge of the inherited household goods she has brought with her and integrate them – and with them the past—into her life. This generation is far removed from what happened, the suffering, the hope, and the experiences – but has the chance to carry this on and preserve the memory in the objects saved during the flight—such as a crystal vase.

About Astrid Goldsmith

Astrid Goldsmith (@mockduckstudios) is an award-winning stop-motion animator and writer who lives in Folkestone, England. Her graphic short story, ‚A Funeral in Freiburg‘ was selected as the winner of the 2021 Observer/Jonathan Cape prize by a panel of judges including Alison Bechdel. Her debut graphic novel, The Crystal Vase, is based on this short story. She is a writer for animated TV series and is a regular Visiting Lecturer at several universities.