Rita McNeill – Life Before The War

Rita describes her family background in Hannover, Germany and the night the Nazis arrested her and her mother. She explains how she was able to escape but that her mother did not. INT: Good morning Rita. I’m here to interview Rita McNeill. Rita, could we begin by asking you where you were born? When you … Read more

Renate Mackay – Life Before The War

Renate describes her family background. She talks about her mother’s premature death, her father’s arrest and the reason she was adopted by her mother’s sister and her husband. Her new ‘father’ was the eminent astronomer, Erwin Finlay Freundlich, and she soon found herself joining him and her aunt, first in Turkey and then Prague.  INT: Today … Read more

Moniek Garber – Life Before The War

INT: Good evening. Today is the 12th of September 2012 and I’m here to interview Moniek Garber. Good evening. Moniek, can I ask you about your very early days? Could you tell me please what your name was at birth, where you were born? MG: Yes my name at birth was Moishe INT: And when … Read more

Marianne Lazlo – Life Before The War

Marianne describes her family background. INT: Marianne? ML: Yes? INT: Thank you for agreeing to talk to me this afternoon. Tell me about yourself; where you were born and what life was like before the war. ML: Well I was born in Hungary; Debrecen was the name of the city I was born in. Hungary … Read more

Lore Lucas – Life Before The War

INT: The date is Sunday the 29th of August 2010 and this is an interview with Mrs. Lore Lucas in Glasgow. Mrs. Lucas can you tell us when and where were you were born? LL: In Germany, in Krefeld; K-R-E-F-E-L-D INT: And was, what was your name at birth? LL: Lindenbaum INT: Ah right, this … Read more

Leo Metzstein – Life Before The War

INT: Today is the 26th of July 2013 and we’re here to interview Leo Metzstein. Leo, can I begin by asking you when you were born? Where were you born? And were you always called Leo Metzstein? LM: Yes I was born on the 27th of July 1932 in Berlin and I was always named … Read more

Kathy Hagler – Life Before The WWII

Kathy was born in 1942, her father was taken away by the Nazis when she was just one year old. Initially, she was sent to the Munkacs Ghetto with her mother and baby sister. Kathy explains that even as a child she knew it was not a good idea to let people know she was … Read more

Karola Regent – Life Before The War

INT:     Today is the 26 February 2015 and I’m here to interview Karola Regent, good afternoon Karola.  Could I begin by asking you when you born and where were you born? KR:     I was born in Düsseldorf on the 5 December 1925. INT:     And what was your name at birth? KR:     Well, my surname was … Read more

Judith Rosenberg – Life Before The War

Judith describes her joyful early years in Hungary and then her growing awareness that life was changing in a frightening way. INT: Today is the 5th of May 2013 and we’re here to interview Judith Rosenberg. Judith, can I start by asking you where you were born, when you were born and what was your … Read more

John Subak Sharpe – Life During The War

JSS: I ran away from that farm, I didn’t tell you this before. INT: Ah so you came over to stay with the…? BSS: Peskins JSS: Peskins INT: The Peskins… JSS: Until about May INT: So only for a very, very short time. JSS: A very short time. INT: And then what happened? JSS: I … Read more