Description
Object description
Austrian Jewish civilian in Vienna, Austria, 1933-1938; civilian refugee in GB, 1938-1939
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Vienna, Austria, 1920-1938: early memories; work of parents; education; religion; Nazi use of high unemployment; father's service in First World War; background of parents and decision to settle in Vienna; process of gaining visa for GB; story of father's arrest and period of imprisonment in Vienna, 11/1938; family home; organisation of parents' emigration; further details of education including business school; discipline; dancing lessons; political awareness including memories of Frau Behr; memories of mother; summer school; financial situation and family home including opinion of own selfishness; visits to family in Bratislava.
REEL 2 Continues: awareness of Hitler's rise; civilian work including with mother; learning of English; events following Anschluss, 12/3/1938; closure of mother's business and other changes to life including help received from social democrat; humiliation of Jewish civilians; rate of change in Austria; accommodation; fear during 1938; mother's attempts to get Morgan out of Vienna; gaining of work in West Worthing; memories of Kristallnacht, 9- 10/11/1938, including period of father's imprisonment; memories of Bootsy Quatrini.
REEL 3 Continues: details of visa; preparations for journey including items later sent. Aspects of journey from Vienna, Austria, to London, GB, 12/1938: departure from Vienna; search and delay on German-Dutch border at Aachen; talks with German sailors en route; details of voyage to Dover from Ostend. Aspects of period as civilian refugee in GB, 1938-1945: reception on arrival and initial accommodation in Pinner; story of aunt including training for civilian work; journey to West Worthing; accommodation; details of civilian work including morale and rations; attempts to gain visa for mother; details of pay; leisure activities; proficiency in English; relationship with colleagues; attempt at gaining contact with fellow Jewish refugees; further details of attempts to gain visa for mother including visit to Bloomsbury House; departure from job; civilian work gained in Brighton including relationship with boss, Mrs Vallin; initial job worked including reasons for leaving and later contact with the family; civilian work with osteopath's home; evacuation from coast to London; accommodation; anti-aircraft activity.
REEL 4 Continues: accommodation in Belsize Park; civilian work; alien classification and internment of first husband; meeting of first husband and marriage, 1942; accommodation; war work with Kelvinator on factory floor and in office; earlier textile work; change of accommodation; contact with parents; deportation and death of mother; experience of father in hiding; talking about experiences during war; return visits to Vienna; reactions on return; reflections on Nazi regime and Holocaust; fates of friend and cousin; psychological effects of experiences; details of reconciliatory visit to Vienna including modern use of family home; opinion of mother.