September 2006

Dear Members of the Recommendation Committee
our Friends, Partners and Supporters,

Some months ago we kindly asked you to support our initiation on the subject of the "Childrentrain" i.e. the large-scale international help-organisation after the World War I and II.
You were kindly accepted our invitation or liked our initiation, that we are greatful. Today, and as of now regularly we would like to inform you about our progress.

Our mission and objectives

The Association 'Lulu's Return' intends to collect and share these precious memories.
We have set itself three goals;
[1] to do wide-range research on the ''children-trains'' and collect spoken, written or visual material of it.
[2] to archive the collected material to offer it to the proper cultural, social and historical institutions.
[3] to initiate with the results of the research publications, an exhibition and a feature film about the topic.

Therefore, we want to initiate and to participate in the development of the goals and to take care of the public relations in all countries that are involved. For the financing of this first phase funds will be needed and it will address private and governmental institutions, cultural organisations, companies and private donors to contribute. The association made a budget and will keep sponsors informed about spending and developments.

For he second phase of the project which involves the production of publications, an exhibition and feature film we want to lay the fundaments by bringing the right people together, help to find the financing in all three countries and remain connected in the realisation as go betweens and consultants.

Well, where are we now.

In August, Benedict Schillemans finished the first draft of his script with the assistance of the Binger Film Institute. The Dutch Film Fund and the Hungarian Film Producer found it very interesting, and during the Film Festival, Utrecht at the end of September, 2006 the film experts are coming together to discuss how to cooperate for this film. We hope that a milestone will be done.

During the year, we tried to reach several potential sponsors, unfortunately only with small success. Today, we send our applications for grants to several culture funds in the Netherlands and to the European Union.

The Hungarian Culture Institute in Brussels and the Malev, Hungarian Flight Company turned to be our supporters in our process. Together with the Hungarian Culture Insitute we are now working on the scientific presentation, that we planned in a form of a symposium due to be organised in the 1st quarter, 2007 in Brussels. Until then several public-relation events and promotions will happen during the last quarter, 2006 such as a discussion on BBC Radio (sept, 2006), discussion on the Duna TV (nov, 2006) and other articles and advertisements in the rest of the year.

Interviews and other stories

We have made several interviews that are precious for us. We met a lovely lady (96) years old, who had a life story for us recorded on video. We thank you for the opportunity to meet, and the contribution. We are wishing her good health and other happy years.

From France we received a beautiful story from a lady whose mother had been a "passenger". She was kind to come to Amsterdam to meet us, and send the copies of the family story and some other photos.

In Brussels we were really welcome and we could hear the story of the 100th train in 26 April 1926. Our landlady was not a regular "passenger", but a daugther of the voluntary and orginasor on behalf of the Children Protection League. We could receive another - and very important - scope of the real happenings, furhtermore finally photos on the voluntaries on trains.

In den Haag we could see a lot of photos and passports from that time. Lia`s mother came on the train in 1925. We also received a gift of a styled Hungarian folkdress which had been made by an aunt of Lia for her 5th birthday. Besides personal memories, her collection of other documentations, archives in Red Cross were handed over for the project.


Dear Members, Friends and Supporters, we have been pleased to inform you some progress in the project. Please contact us any time if you have any questions or other details to share.

We need sponsors for our project. Please recommend our project to the potential donors who either support our project with gift, or would like to promote its company on our publication, symposium and exhibitions. We would appreciate if you can draw our attention to such a funds or foundation who can support our project as well.


Kind Regards

Eva Lilla Kronauer
on behalf the association