UK show tells how Jewish circus performer was saved from the Nazis

Published: 26 September 2019

Last updated: 5 March 2024

One-woman show tells the true story of an acrobat who fell in love with a clown - and was saved from the Nazis by the Three Musketeers

THE IMPROBABLE COMBINATION of Jews and circuses turns out to be not just probable, but rooted in historical fact — from Jewish clowns and acrobats to Jewish-owned circuses and even dynasties of Jewish circus performers.

In 19th century Germany most circuses were traveling enterprises, with only a select few able afford to station their circuses at a permanent building. Most of the circuses who enjoy such success were owned by gentiles, save for one, The Blumenfeld Circus in Magdeburg.

So, as they moved around Europe, the fame of the Jewish circus families spread across Europe. The story of one family, heirs to the Lorch Circus, has now become a remarkable one-woman show devised by Israeli-born Stav Meishar.

She is a Jewish educator who learned about the story of Irene Danner-Storm, a member of the Lorch family, who was saved from the Nazis by the bravery and courage of the Althoff Circus and its owner, Adolf Althoff and his wife Maria.

FULL STORY The circus acrobat’s amazing escape (Jewish Chronicle)

Photo: Stav Meishar in The Escape Act (Jewish Chronicle)