Moos, Gertrud Auguste Karoline (Oral history)

German Jewish schoolchild in Mannheim, Germany, 1933-1939; refugee to London, GB 1939-1942; nurse at Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead, London, GB, 1942-1945

REEL 1 Background in Mannheim, Germany, 1923-1933: family; education. Recollections of period as schoolchild in Mannheim, Germany, 1933-1939: disruption of education, 1933; experiences at Roman Catholic secondary school, 1933-1938; arrest of father and brother by Gestapo on Krystallnacht, 9/11/1938-10/11/1938; deteriorating conditions for German Jews, 1933-1938; problems facing those who considered emigration. Recollections of period as refugee in GB, 1939-1940: background to leaving Germany, 6/1939; journey to GB, 6/1939; initial impressions of London, 6/1939; accommodation in Bayswater, London; registering with Jewish Agency at Bloomsbury House, summer 1939; how she got nursery job in London, 1/7/1939; her knowledge of English; evacuation of babies from nursery to Sussex, 9/1939; how her parents settled down in London, 1939. REEL 2 Continues: reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; internment of male members of her family, 1940; dangers faced by her mother during German Air Force raids on London; appearence before tribunal for 'enemy aliens', 1939; lack of resentment at treatment by British authorities, 1939-1940; extent to which she felt GB would win war; British morale during Second World War. Recollections of period as nurse with Royal Free Hospital in London, GB, 1942-1945: starting employment as nurse, 1/1/1942; degree to which her work was directely affected by wartime conditions; how matron was buried in rubble of Victoria Wing of hospital after German V1 Flying Bomb hit, 7/1944; murder of nurse in grounds of hospital; cockroaches in kitchens; restrictions on nurses; lack of sense of danger at night in London; qualtiy of instruction; lack of discontent about pay and conditions; reasons for joining Royal College of Nursing after Second World War; VE Day in London, 8/5/1945. REEL 3 Continues: attempt to find out fate of friends in Germany. Aspects of period as nurse in GB, 1945-1983: decision not to return to Germany after Second World War; pattern of career, 1945-1983; impact of introduction of National Health Service; naturalisation as British citizen, 1947; question of feeling a refugee or citizen; an instance of prejudice against her as a German during Second World War.