INT: I was just going to ask which town was she living in when she came back? Was it the same town? ST: Yes. It was a little town outside of Jagerndorf. INT: Right. ST: And I’ve forgotten it…it’s Lobenstein, Lobenstein. So I’m not sure. I’m assuming that the Gestapo made some kind of base, … Read more
Learn about the experiences of Saskia Tepe’s mother, Brigitte Langer, who suffered the tribulations of war and its aftermath three times. Once under the Nazis as a Mischling, then under the Czechs as a Sudeten German, and finally as a refugee in a DP Camp in Germany. The aftermath of the war also affected the … Read more
INT: And were there lots of refugees there? Did you meet other people? R.F: Yes there were quite a few refugees otherwise. From Germany and Austria. In Glasgow I met my future husband. INT: Where? R.F: I was introduced with a Jewish family in Glasgow. I was introduced to my future husband. He came from … Read more
INT: When did you get married? R.F: 1945. INT: Where? R.F: In Glasgow INT: Was it South Portland Street? R.F: Yes. Something like this. INT: In Geneen’s? R.F: In Geneen’s restaurant, yes and the Chuppah…Ja. … they set up a chuppah. Yes. INT: And the Chuppah was there, alright. Who was the Rabbi? INT: It … Read more
INT: So where did you land? You came to London. Did you go to somebody’s house? R.F: Yes because at the time my brother was, his family were staying in London so I was first stopped in London. But I had to start my job as a domestic help. INT: Whereabouts? R.F: In London? Swiss … Read more
INT: So when did you leave Germany? Tell us about that. R.F: I left Germany end of 1938 together with a very good friend. INT: And he had connections in Switzerland, that’s why you went there. Is that right? R.F: Yes, connections. INT: Family? INT: What age were you then? R.F: Twenty-three. INT: And how … Read more
Ruth was born in Leipzig on the 6th November 1915. Her maiden name was Frischer and her parents had a Kosher butcher shop. INT: Today is the 26th of March. INT: OK. Number one: life before the war. Can you tell us about your early life? For example what did you parents do? And how … Read more
INT: So one of the questions, which we always finish with is highlights. When you look back and reflect back on your life, what would you say are the major highlights? RS: There are so many actually. I don’t think I could say there is one particular thing that influenced me. My parents who influenced … Read more
RS: Well it was…. it wasn’t my own decision. My sister, who was in Glasgow, actually was working in a nursery school, which was run by the Church of Scotland and she, I think, told one of the ladies about me being in Edinburgh. I had a visit from… she was a minister’s wife, and … Read more
INT: And where did you arrive in England? Which port? RS: We arrived in Harwich and were taken by bus when I came off the boat. Actually it was a dreadful journey; we were terribly seasick. Bells rung and nobody came. Really awful, however, we survived it. So when we arrived then, there were reporters … Read more