John Subak Sharpe – Life Before The War

John Herbert Subak-Sharpe (1924- ) was Professor of Virology and Honorary Director of the Medical Research Council Virology Unit from 1968 to 1994. Born in Vienna, Subak-Sharp was brought to Britain by the Kindertransport mission in 1939 and was a farm pupil from 1939 to 1944, before serving in the Parachute Regiment. He graduated with … Read more

Joe Cent – Life Before The War

Joe speaks about his parents and discusses the problems his father had in the 1920s because he was Jewish in Poland. Read the Transcript INT: Today is the 15th of August [2012] and I’m here with Angela to interview Joe. I’ll begin Joe by asking you when and where you were born and what was … Read more

Isi Metzstein – Life Before The War

Isi Metzstein recounts how he experienced the Kristallnacht attack as a schoolboy in Berlin in 1938 Read the Transcript INT: Sunday the 13th of June and we’re here in the West End of Glasgow to interview Professor Isi Metzstein. Is it all right if I call you Isi? IM: Absolutely INT: Thanks IM: So, can … Read more

Ingrid Wuga – Life Before The War

INT: This is an interview with Mrs. Ingrid Wuga on Sunday the 29th of August 2010. So can you tell us when and where you were born? IW: I was born in Dortmund, Westphalia. The date of my birth is the 24th of June 1924 INT: And what was your name at birth? IW: Ingrid … Read more

Ike Gibson – Life Before The War

Ike tells us about his early life and his family INT: So the first thing we ask you is what was your name at birth? IG: Izak Goldberger. INT: OK. IG Spelled with a ‘z’ and an ‘ak’ INT: Oh, OK. And when was that? IG: 1934 INT: Where? IG: In Hamburg. INT: In Hamburg, … Read more

Henry Wuga – Life Before The War

Henry Wuga describes his life at school in Nürnberg in the 1930s and as an apprentice in a Baden Baden hotel. He gives an eye witness account of Crystal Night (1938) in his home town. INT: Henry, can I ask you first of all when and where were you were born and what was your … Read more

Halina Moss – Life Before The War

Halina

Halina describes her life in Poland and Russia during the war and how she eventually came to Scotland. Read the transcript INT: Could you tell us when and where you were born and what was your name at birth? HM: I was born in Warsaw and my name at birth was Halina Lewiner (L E … Read more

Gretl Shapiro – Life Before The War

Read the Transcript NT: How did you come here? G.S: I came with a children’s transport which was arranged by the Quakers, the ‘Society of Friends’ INT: And where had you come from? G.S: I had come from Vienna INT: Why had your parents allowed you to come? G.S: Well, they could see no future … Read more

George Taylor – Life Before The War

George describes his early years growing up near Poland and going to school there. Read the transcript: G.T: I was born on the 29th of November 1924. My name is Georg, the Germans spell it without the ‘e’ on the end, Nawratzki – N-A-W-R-A-T-Z-K-I. So either my father or grandfather was Polish. We lived near … Read more

Frieda Laird – Life Before 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 … Read more