Read the transcript: G.T: Yes INT: Was your mum there to meet you when you came? G.T: No she wasn’t. That’s another wee story. G.T: You were only allowed to take ten shillings (marks?, ed), no matter how much money you had and one suitcase. You packed as much as you could and you put… Continue Reading George Taylor – Immigration
Read the transcript: G.T: My mother got my brother out. He came over the day the war started. He was twenty four and had just got married in Hanover. He too was supposed to have gone to Israel. His wife came from the same town where we had stayed. He was on a boat crossing… Continue Reading George Taylor – Life During The War
Read the transcript: INT: And where were you born? What was the name of the place? G.T: Ostpreußen – East Prussia which is now Poland. After the Second World War it became Poland. The little place is called Gilgenburg G-I-L-G-E-N-B-U-R-G. INT: And do you have any idea how many people lived there? G.T: Not very… Continue Reading George Taylor – Life Before The War
Frieda speaks with love and pride about her children. She mentions the terrible fate of her parents and brothers and the fact that, although her life was hard, it could have been much worse. INT: I still never found out what age you were though, Frieda. FL: Pardon? INT: I still never found out what… Continue Reading Frieda Laird – Reflection On Life
Frieda describes how she met her husband and how she managed to make ends meet. She tells the interviewer that she is now Scottish. INT: What age were you when you got married? FL: 21. INT: Gosh that’s quite, that’s quite young. And so how did you meet your husband? FL: I met him through… Continue Reading Frieda Laird – Settling In
Frieda describes her life in Scotland and the difficulties and challenges she faced as a young, vulnerable woman. She mentions her marriage and the unreliability of her husband. FL: Well, I don’t know, you see. I actually went away from my, not my religion, but I didn’t mix with Jewish people much. INT: No, but… Continue Reading Frieda Laird – Immigration
Frieda explains why she ended up in Scotland as a domestic servant. She tells the interviewers that she had intended to study languages but the Nazis ended her hopes of an education. INT: So what age were you when… You said you were 18 when you came here. How did you leave Germany? FL: Because… Continue Reading Frieda Laird – Life During The War
Frieda talks about her family background and her early education. She mentions that she lost her immediate relatives as a result of the Nazi regime. INT: You’re unusual? FL: Unusual. INT: Do you think, do you think your complexion is so good because when you were a little girl you lived on a farm? Did… Continue Reading Frieda Laird – Life Before The War
Read the Transcript E.S: Just that all the Scottish people were so wonderful. I couldn’t believe it. After having lived in Germany and being, you know, abused by the Germans, I couldn’t believe the people here were so nice. INT: And do you think they were particularly nice because they knew what you had gone… Continue Reading Evelyn Strang – Reflection On Life
Read the Transcript E.S: Yes. INT: What happened then? E.S: After the war I, my father had a factory. INT: He was a furrier did you say? E.S: Yes, yes. But I went to the Art School, I went to a dress making school but my father said ‘Come to the factory, what are you… Continue Reading Evelyn Strang – Settling In
