Woodruff, Marie Immaculee Antoinette (Oral history)

British civilian member of Catholic Committee for Refugees in Germany in GB, 1937-1938; wife of journalist with 'The Tablet' on visit to Spain, 1938; member of Italian Internees Aid Committee in GB, 1940; nurse and Red Cross Commandant in Stepney, London, GB, 1940-1941; member of British Council for Relief Aboard in Italy, 1945

REEL 1 Aspects of period as member of Catholic Committee for Refugees in Germany in GB, 1937-1938: question of physical and psychological condition of German-Austrian refugees on arrival in GB, 1938; committee's relations with British authorities; story of safeguarding refugee boy accused of theft. Aspects of period as member of Italian Internees Aid Committee in GB, 1940: story of consoling mothers of refugees lost in sinking of SS Anandora Star, 7/1940; background to formation of committee; question of funding; relations with Italian Embassy; story of theft of internees' possessions by government employees at Hogarth House, London; attitude of Italians towards treatment received in GB; conditions for internees on Isle of Man; establishment of headquarters in Soho, London; formation of Amadeus Quartet; hostile official at Hogarth House; opinion of threat from Italian Fascists in GB, 1940; running hostel in Muswell Hill; official reception in Rome, Italy, 1945. Recollections of visit with journalist husband Douglas Woodruff working for 'The Tablet' to Spain, 1938: prior knowledge of Nationalist uprising, 7/1936; attitudes towards journal 'The Tablet' background to visit; journey to Spanish border. REEL 2 Continues: Nationalist border guards' reaction to her passport; meeting British agent in Burgos; impressions of Guernica; hearing of Republican atrocities; reaction to International Bdes volunteers; attitudes of Spanish civilians; attempt to visit Italian wounded in hospitals; visiting Carlist headquarters in Pamplona; opinion of Carlist Requetes. Aspects of period as nurse and British Red Cross Commandant in Stepney, London, GB, 1940-1941: view of German Air Force attacks; relief work during German Air Force raids; Jewish civilians' reactions to her relief work; status as British Red Cross Commandant; case of meths poisoning. Aspects of background in GB and Switzerland, 1913-1936: father's role as charge d'affaires in Hesse, pre-1914; how family stayed in Switzerland during First World War; Swiss attitude to First World War. REEL 3 Continues: Spanish Influnenza epidemic in Switzerland; standards of living. Aspects of period as civilian with British Council for Relief Aboard in Italy, 1945: reactions to VE Day celebrations in Assisi, 8/5/1945; inexperience of new Italian administration; relief work in Italy; meetings with Pope Pius XII. Story of Basil Embry's proposal to Vatican to release Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty by bombing raid during Hungarian Uprising, 10/1956-11/1956.