From "Refugees" to "Enemy Aliens" ~ Part Six

 

Germans, Austrians and Czechs at Pantgwyn and in the Domestic Services in Aberystwyth and the surrounding areas during the Second World War

 

The final blog in this series will explore the lives of the refugees from National Socialism, who worked in the domestic services in the surrounding areas outside of Aberystwyth and those who were guests at Pantgwyn, a guest house in the area by 1940. This blog will continue to consider the questions set out in the first blog in this series, such as who were these German and Austrian nationals and importantly how and why did they themselves end up in the surrounding areas of the seaside town of Aberystwyth, miles from their homelands, and subject to potential internment? What was their fate? Were they subjected to internment or were they found exempt to such a fate? Furthermore, this blog will also consider, where outside of Aberystwyth did refugees work in the domestic services? Were there any places, locations and businesses in the surrounding areas, which became a safe haven for several refugees in the domestic services? How did refugees help and assist each other in the domestic services? Finally, how far were these refugees' careers and lives affected and changed by being forced to flee and seek refuge elsewhere?

Refugees in the domestic services in the surrounding areas outside of Aberystwyth worked in households, as far south as Cardigan. The largest group of these refugees are connected to Pantgwyn, located in the village of Llangoedmor, Cardigan, with refugees either working in domestic service there or being guests. Herbert and Claire Therese Gutmann, who were born in Vienna, Austria, on the 28 of July 1907 and the 11th of August 1909 respectively, were amongst the refugees who lived and worked at Pantgwyn. Herbert before he left Austria was a manufacturer. 

 

Herbert Gutmann (b.1907), photo in Police Memorandum Book inscribed ‘Aliens’ Photographs’, H.W.?Owen, MUS/204, Archifdy Ceredigion Archives

 

By September 1939, according to the 1939 Register, Herbert was the manager and Claire undertook domestic duties at Pantgwyn. Herbert, as the manager of Pantgwyn, clearly used this role to not only hire other refugees to work in the domestic services there, but under his management, the guest house also clearly had become a place for other refugees to seek refuge and security. Whilst working as the manager there, Herbert was arrested as an “alien suspect” on the 3rd of September 1939 and was detained at H.M.P. Swansea on the 4th, before he was released, under the instructions of the Home Secretary, a few days later on the 7th of September. Herbert’s internment on the Isle of Man in May 1940 and his release in September of the same year, it is also important to note does not seem to have affected the refuge and security of Claire, who was not interned, or any of the other refugees there, as none of the refugees, according to the records, left Pantgwyn during this period. By 1981, the Gutmann’s were living on Marlborough Road in Cardiff. It is unclear when Herbert passed away, but Claire passed away on the 21st of April 1997 in Cardiff.

 

Claire Therese Gutmann (1909-1997), photo in Police Memorandum Book inscribed ‘Aliens’ Photographs’, H.W.?Owen, MUS/204, Archifdy Ceredigion Archives

 

The refugees in question who were living and working alongside the Gutmann’s included individuals as well as families, such as Josephine Schorr. Josephine was born on the 14th of July 1884 in Vienna, Austria. In the 1939 Register, Josephine had clearly left Austria, as she was working at Pantgwyn as a cook and a nurse, and by this time Josephine had married and become a widow. On the 23rd of October, she was categorised as ‘C’ at a tribunal and before the tribunals held in June 1940, she had left Pantgwyn. Josephine is next recorded as living on Callcot Road in London in 1950, where she travelled from to board on to the Ile De France in Southampton, to travel to New York on the 25th of March 1950. When she arrived in New York on the 27th of March, Josephine is listed as living at 34-44 Broadway in New York. Josephine’s life however, after emigrating to New York and living on Broadway is unclear.

Josephine Schorr (b. 1884), photo in Police Memorandum Book inscribed ‘Aliens’ Photographs’, H.W.?Owen, MUS/204, Archifdy Ceredigion Archives

 Whereas, other refugees did not work at Pantgwyn, but were guests there, such as the Korda family. The Korda family consisted of Eugenie ‘Jenny’, Pavel and their young daughter, Ivette. Jenny was born on the 30th of November 1894 in Znaim in the Moravian Region of Czechoslovakia and Pavel was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia on the 13th of July 1899. Both Jenny and Pavel were born into Jewish families in Czechoslovakia. Jenny’s family, the Weinberger’s, were a prominent family in the area when she was born and ran a leather manufacturing business there. Czechoslovakia, including the regions of Bohemia and Moravia, was occupied by the Nazis by 1939 and it was no doubt under these conditions that the Kordas left Czechoslovakia. By September 1939, the Kordas are listed in the 1939 Register, as living at Pantgwyn, Pavel was working as a manufacturer of liquor, candies and chocolates, Ivette began attending school in the local area, and what Jenny was doing whilst they lived there is not clear from this record. Pavel, much like Herbert was also briefly arrested on the 3rd of September 1939 as an “alien suspect” and was also detained at H.M.P Swansea between the 4th and the 8th of September, before also being released under the orders of the Home Secretary. 

 

Eugenie ‘Jenny’ Korda (1894-1973), photo in Police Memorandum Book inscribed ‘Aliens’ Photographs’, H.W.?Owen, MUS/204, Archifdy Ceredigion Archives

 

By February 1940, the Kordas had left Pantgwyn and none of the family it appears were interned. The Kordas had moved, albeit potentially briefly, to Guayaquil in Ecuador sometime between February 1940 and June 1941, when they embarked on the S.S. Santa Clara there, to arrive in New York. They arrived in New York, much like Josephine, on the 16th of June 1941 and Jenny is listed as a housewife, Pavel as an industrialist and Ivette as a student. By the time that the Kordas had arrived in New York, Jenny’s father and brother amongst other family members, were reunited, as they had arrived there a few months previously. By 1946, Pavel petitioned to become a naturalised American citizen and by this time he had changed his name to Paul Korda. He was a food dealer by this time, living on Queens Boulevard in New York. Jenny and Paul passed away in New York in April 1973 and March 1962, respectively.

 

 Pavel Korda (1899-1962), photo taken c.1930. Used with the permission, and in the possession, of Robert. J. Low

 

Other refugees, who were also from Czechoslovakia, were also guests at Pantgwyn, such as Hedwig Salter. Hedwig was born on the 12th of May 1880 in Czechoslovakia. By September 1939, she was a guest at Pantgwyn and Hedwig is listed as a widower, who was also incapacitated. She was categorised as ‘C’ at a tribunal held on the 23rd of October 1939. Hedwig passed away in Cardiff in 1945.

 

Hedwig Salter (1880-1945), photo in Police Memorandum Book inscribed ‘Aliens’ Photographs’, H.W.?Owen, MUS/204, Archifdy Ceredigion Archives

 

Refugees in the domestic service were also in other villages near Cardigan, such as Katharina Schwarzthal. Katharina was born on 31 October 1899 in Vienna, Austria. By September 1939, she was a domestic servant in Chale on the Isle of Wight. In 1939, Katharina moved to St Dogmaels, Cardigan to work as a domestic servant at Glantivy house. During this year, she was also categorised as ‘C’ at a tribunal held in Brecon on the 7th of November 1939. She also got married in 1939, her married name being Katharina Bowen Jones. Katharina then passed away whilst still living in St Dogmaels in October 1967.

 

Katharina Schwarzthal (1899-1967), photo in Police Memorandum Book inscribed ‘Aliens’ Photographs’, H.W.?Owen, MUS/204, Archifdy Ceredigion Archives

Outside of villages near Cardigan, refugees also worked in the domestic services, in places such as Llangrannog, like Anna Magdalene ‘Margaret’ Sara Levy. Anna was born on the 21st of September 1920 in Bad Ems in Germany. In September 1939, she was cautioned by local authorities in Cardiganshire for entering the county without any travel permit. By October 1939, she was working as a domestic servant at Riverside in Llangrannog, whilst she was here, she was also categorised as ‘C’ at a tribunal held on the 23rd of October 1939. Anna passed away in 2005 in East Devon and was married by this time, but it is unclear when this happened.

Anna Magdalene ‘Margaret’ Sara Levy (1920-2005), photo within Police Memorandum Book inscribed ‘Aliens’ Photographs’, H.W.?Owen, MUS/204, Archifdy Ceredigion Archives

Slowly moving back towards Aberystwyth, Regina Eigenfeld, who was a refugee, was working in the domestic services in Lampeter. Regina was born on the 17th of July 1895 in Austria and whilst she was still in Austria, Regina worked as a secretary. By October 1939, she had moved to Wales and was working as a domestic servant at the Vicarage in Lampeter and whilst living here was categorised as ‘C’ at a tribunal on the 23rd of October 1939. She left Lampeter and the district on the 5th of December 1939. Regina passed away in 1981 in Westminster, London.

 

Regina Eigenfeld (1895-1981), photo in Police Memorandum Book inscribed ‘Aliens’ Photographs’, H.W.?Owen, MUS/204, Archifdy Ceredigion Archives

The final refugee who will be explored in this blog, and in this series as a whole, is Margaret Lewy. Margaret was born on the 16th of April 1901 in Breslau, Germany, now Wroclaw in Poland. By September 1939, she was working as a domestic servant in Willesden Green in Middlesex. Not long after this, it appears that Margaret had moved to Aberaeron by November 1939, where she was a domestic servant for a Mrs. T.W. Lloyd living at Weston house. Margaret’s movements and life after this is unclear until she passed away in March 1984 at Heinrich Stahl House on Bishop’s Avenue in London. Heinrich Stahl House was opened in 1962, as an old people’s home for Jewish German-speaking refugees, paid for jointly by the Central British Fund for World Jewish Relief and the AJR (Association of Jewish Refugees). 

 

Margaret Lewy (1901-1984), photo within Police Memorandum Book inscribed ‘Aliens’ Photographs’, H.W.?Owen, MUS/204, Archifdy Ceredigion Archives

The experience and lives of refugees who worked in the domestic services in the areas surrounding and outside of Aberystwyth, and those who were guests at Pantgwyn, clearly once again demonstrate that the individual experiences of refugees from National Socialism in Wales were unique and different. The geographical areas covered by those who worked in the domestic services, or who were guests at Pantgwyn, ranged from Aberaeron, Lampeter and Llanarth to Llangodemor, Llangrannog and St Dogmael’s. Pantgwyn played a unique role in the lives of a number of refugees who are explored in this blog, by either providing them with a place of work in the domestic services or as a roof over their heads, as guests there. Herbert Gutmann himself played an important role as the manager of Pantgwyn, by providing work in the domestic services to his fellow refugees. Only Herbert faced internment of those explored in this blog, with many receiving a category ‘C’ at tribunals in 1939 and 1940. From the life stories of those who worked in the domestic services, both in Aberystwyth and in the areas outside and surrounding it, it is clear that those who worked as domestic servants had the lowest number of refugees who were interned out of all the various groups who have been explored in this series. 

Unlike, the refugees who worked in the domestic services in Aberystwyth, a number of those who worked or were guests in the areas outside Aberystwyth, such as the Gutmann’s, Hedwig and Katharina, remained in the local area or Wales more widely, after their time in domestic service ended. The other refugees, however, did not stay locally and moved to places as far away as London, New York or elsewhere. For many, much like those who worked in the domestic services in Aberystwyth, it is hard to ascertain what jobs and lives they left behind when they had to flee and seek refuge in the U.K. However, it is clear that some left jobs as manufacturers and secretaries behind to seek refuge elsewhere. Whether a student, university staff member, art historian, dealer, photographer, agricultural expert, domestic servant or guests, refugees from National Socialism who arrived in Aberystwyth and the surrounding areas faced similar circumstances of tribunals, but many other aspects of their lives were unique and varied. Some sadly were lost to history, but for many they went onto make important contributions to societies in countries across the world and as role models to their children, who were mainly born away from the country of their parents' birth.

Conor Brockbank

With thanks to Aberystwyth University research project Refugees from National Socialism in Wales

Letters and excerpts from letters used with the permission of the Leo Baeck Institute, New York & photos used with the permission of Archifdy Ceredigion Archives, Aberystwyth.

 

 SOURCES

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Pavel Korda Interment, Reception and Internment of Aliens: List of Internees, 1939, The National Archives, PCOM 9/661.   
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Police Memorandum Book inscribed ‘Aliens’ Photographs’, H.W.?Owen, Archifdy Ceredigion Archives, MUS/204.   
Regina Eigenfeld Internment Exemption Certificate, 1939, The National Archives, HO 396/18.
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From “Refugees” To “Enemy Aliens”: Part Five

 

Germans and Austrians in the Domestic Services in Aberystwyth and the Surrounding Areas during the Second World War

Part Five: Domestic Servants in Aberystwyth and Llanbadarn Fawr

Part five in this blog post series will explore the lives and experiences of refugees from National Socialism who worked in the domestic services in houses throughout Aberystwyth and Llanbadarn Fawr. This blog will address some of the questions set out in the first blog in this series, such as what did the term “enemy alien” truly mean? Who were these German and Austrian nationals and importantly how and why did they themselves end up in the seaside town of Aberystwyth, miles from their homelands, and subject to potential internment? What was their fate? Were they subjected to internment or were they found exempt to such a fate? Furthermore, this blog will also consider questions such as how far these refugees' careers and lives were affected and changed by being forced to flee and seek refuge elsewhere and if it is possible to ascertain, what were their experiences of working in the domestic services?

Before exploring the lives of these refugees, it is important to understand the wider context of the schemes and wider movement of refugees who came to Britain to work in the domestic services. This industry in particular in the late 1930s, had the largest shortages and partly in an effort to fill these shortages, a scheme was set up where permits to take up work in the domestic services in the U.K., were given to refugees from Germany and Austria. According to the historian, Raffaella Sarti, many refugees gained these permits to work in domestic service, such as the hundreds of couples and around 14000 women. Sarti also importantly indicates that the refugees who gained permits to work in domestic service were not mainly from domestic service backgrounds, for many these permits were an opportunity to seek refuge in the U.K. What is known about the lives of these refugees in particular, who took up work in the domestic services in Aberystwyth and the surrounding areas varies greatly, as there are few available primary sources which remain, or which even recorded their working lives as domestic servants in the first place. Therefore, a wealth and depth of knowledge about the lives of these refugees is the exception rather than the rule. Despite these restrictions, the following lives of each refugee in the domestic services in this blog, where it has been possible have been explored in as great a depth as the sources and available information allow.

The refugees who were working in domestic service in Aberystwyth ended up working in various households in the area, such as working in the homes of university lecturers from the evacuated University College London (U.C.L.). One such refugee, who was the only female domestic servant to be interned was Erna Neuburger. Erna was born on the 21st of October 1911 in Strassbessenbach, Bessenbach, Aschattenburg in Germany. Erna’s life from her birth until being employed in London, as a housekeeper for Prof. Cyril Burt, who was a Psychology professor at U.C.L, is unknown. Upon the evacuation of the U.CL.’s psychology department in 1939 to Aberystwyth, Erna moved with Prof. Burt and continued her housekeeping duties at 4 Laura Place. She remained here until she was interned on the Isle of Man in June 1940, after being recategorised from C to A. It is however unclear why Erna was recategorised. Her internment on the Isle of Man lasted until 1944. Upon being released and the psychology department’s relocation back to London, she again took up her position as Prof. Burt’s housekeeper. Erna’s life after this is unclear.

 

Erna Neuburger (b.1911), photo in Police Memorandum Book inscribed ‘Aliens’ Photographs’, H.W.?Owen, MUS/204, Archifdy Ceredigion Archives

 

Other refugees worked for established local families or those of private means, such as Kate Strauss. Kate was born on the 23rd of February 1901 in Thuringia, Germany. Much of her life is unknown, it is unclear what Kate did before leaving Germany. What is known however, is that by September 1939 she was a cook at Doleu in Llanbadarn Fawr for the Greer family, a local, well-known and established family in the area. Kate then left Aberystwyth, a day after being assigned as ‘C’ at a local tribunal in Aberystwyth on the 23rd of October 1939. Kate’s life after leaving Aberystwyth is unknown and is lost to history.

 

Kate Strauss (b. 1901), photo in Police Memorandum Book inscribed ‘Aliens’ Photographs’, H.W.?Owen, MUS/204, Archifdy Ceredigion Archives

 

Another refugee, who was also called Kate, worked for a lady of private means. Kate Sara Freund was born on the 30th of June 1899 in Breslau, Germany, now Wroclaw, Poland. Much like Kate Strauss, not much is known about her life. Kate was a music teacher before she left Germany and took up a domestic service permit in the U.K. By October 1939, she was working as a domestic servant at Glyngorse on North Road in Aberystwyth for an Annie Lewis, who was a single elderly lady of private means. Kate clearly did not stay long in Aberystwyth after her tribunal, where she was categorised as ‘C’, as by November 1939, she had moved to Birkenhead. Whilst there, Kate continued to work as a domestic servant, this time at an address in Balls Road. This is the last known location of Kate and what her life entailed after moving to Balls Road in Birkenhead is unknown.

The remaining refugees who worked in the domestic services in Aberystwyth, who will be explored in this blog, are those who it is unclear who they worked for, such as Stephanie ‘Steffi’ Bösinger. Stephanie was born on the 28th of November 1913 in Eisenerz, Austria. By October 1939, she was working as a domestic at Heddle on Llanbadarn Road in Aberystwyth. Whilst there, Stephanie was categorised as ‘C’ at a tribunal also held in October 1939. Stephanie remained working at Heddle until she left Aberystwyth in February 1940. On the 22nd of November 1941, Stephanie went onto join the Auxiliary Territorial Service (A.T.S.), which had been established in 1938. In March 1942, Stephanie got engaged to Kenneth Buckley, who was serving in the Royal Engineers and got married in the local parish church of Kenneth’s in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. By 1947, Stephanie was living on Lutterworth Road in Nuneaton, and it was from this address that they both departed to Cape Town, on the Winchester Castle from Southampton, bound for South Africa. The records do not indicate that Stephanie returned to the U.K. and where her life led her, or what it entailed, is unclear from the point that they boarded the Winchester Castle for their future life in South Africa. 

Stephanie ‘Steffi’ Bösinger (b. 1913), photo in Police Memorandum Book inscribed ‘Aliens’ Photographs’, H.W.?Owen, MUS/204, Archifdy Ceredigion Archives

Less is known about the life of Stefanie’s fellow refugee, Tamara Lupnitz. Tamara was born on the 21st of January 1920 in Berlin, Germany. She had moved to Aberystwyth and was working as a domestic servant at the Bay Hotel by October 1939, where she was categorised as ‘C’ at a tribunal held in Aberystwyth. Tamara then moved in 1940 within Aberystwyth, to take up work as a domestic servant at Abergeldie House on Victoria Terrace. She then went on to marry Jindrich Kienzel in Ealing in 1956. Where Tamara’s life led her after this is unknown. 

Tamara Lupnitz (b. 1920), photo in Police Memorandum Book inscribed ‘Aliens’ Photographs’, H.W.?Owen, MUS/204, Archifdy Ceredigion Archives

Other refugees it is important to note, did not arrive in Aberystwyth until 1940 to work in the domestic services, such as Johanna Kern. Johanna was born on the 21st of November 1916 in Laibach, Baden-Wüerttemberg, Germany. Johanna was a domestic servant by October 1939, in Tonbridge in Kent, working for a Mrs Chalkin. She was then categorised as ‘C’ at a tribunal whilst she was still in Kent. By June of 1940 however, she had moved away from Kent and to Aberystwyth, where she was a domestic servant at Edlestone House on Queen’s Road. She married Richard Grosvenor, an R.A.F. man, in April 1941, whilst she was in Aberystwyth. They were nearly married for a year and a half, when Richard was killed in September 1942. Johanna never re-married and passed away in July 2008 in Gloucestershire.

Much like Johanna, other refugees in Aberystwyth also came from the state of Baden-Wüerttemberg, such as Lilly Bella Adler. Lilly was born on the 24th of July 1910 in Pforzheim, Baden-Wüerttemberg, Germany. By October 1939, she was a domestic servant at 4a Northgate Street in Aberystwyth. During October 1939, Lily was also categorised as ‘C’ at a tribunal held that month. She is noted as having left Aberystwyth and the district in the police memorandum book held in the Ceredigion Archives, but it is unclear when this occurred. In 1946, she went onto marry Harry Weisz in Willesden, Middlesex. Lily passed away in August 1998 in Hendon, Middlesex.

 

Lilly Bella Adler (1910-1998), photo in Police Memorandum Book inscribed ‘Aliens’ Photographs’, H.W.?Owen, MUS/204, Archifdy Ceredigion Archives

Amalie Eva Ruth Laaser, also known as Mala Laaser, is the last refugee who worked in the domestic services whose life will be explored in this blog. Mala is unique in the case of the refugees who are the focus of these final two blogs, as unlike the other refugees, she is the only one to have worked in the domestic services in both Aberystwyth as well as the surrounding areas outside of Aberystwyth. Mala was born on the 19th of July 1911 in Königsberg, Germany, now Kaliningrad in Russia and she was born into a well-known Jewish family in the area. Early in her career, Mala was an actress and from around 1934 until 1938, she was also her brother, Dr. Walter Lasser’s housekeeper. By 1937, Mala was a writer and contributor for Central – Verein – Zeitung, a weekly publication for the German Jewish community. As part of her contributions as a writer to this publication, she wrote a four-part novella about a love story set in contemporary Weimar Germany, called Karl und Manci. This novella was published in 2017, alongside a series of other publications which were originally produced during the period covered by Weimar Germany. Mala was also a prominent writer in the late 1930s, for many other Jewish publications that had a readership in Berlin and across the whole of Germany, such as the Jewish Community Gazette, where she was the editor of the women’s segment of the publication as well as Der Morgen. This was a period in which Mala’s writing flourished, but this active writing and journalistic career was cut short, as according to the Jewish studies scholar, Sarah Fraiman, Jewish publications, such as Der Morgen, were forced to close and wind-up publication in 1938, after the November pogroms. Such a decision left Mala with very few prospects of being able to carry on her writing and journalistic career in Germany.

Mala was engaged for a short period during the 1930s to Jacob Picard, a lawyer and a poet, and it is through letters she began sending to him in 1942 until her death, which indicate and tell most of Mala’s life story before and after she sought refuge in the U.K., alongside Walter in 1939. Mala and Walter could not bring their mother with them when they fled, and Mala lived for the rest of her life not knowing what happened to her. Walter went on to serve in the Royal Engineers and in August 1944, he died whilst he was serving in Italy. Mala on the other hand worked in the domestic services and recalls in a letter to Jacob in April 1943 about this:

I came here on the well-known domestic permit, and have worked myself up from house parlour maid to school mistress which I am now.

As Mala recalls, this permit allowed her to work up to being a school mistress and in her pursuit of this, she seems to have moved around a lot. In September 1939, she is first listed as a parlour maid in Godalming, Surrey, for a Mrs E Kilby. Whilst working in Godalming, Mala was categorised as ‘C’ during her tribunal. By June of 1940, Mala had then moved to Wales, taking up work as a domestic servant at Dolywern on North Road in Aberystwyth and it appears she worked there until around late 1940. Mala recalls in the same letter to Jacob in April 1943, that from the time she sought refuge through the domestic permit in 1939, that she ‘had a rough time, until I came to the Vicarage’. The Vicarage, she refers to in this letter was in Llanarth, where she remained as a secretary and housekeeper, from around late 1940 until January 1943. During this time from late 1941 onwards, she was working 14-hour days, 7 days a week, which continued constantly for at least two and a half years. Whilst she was at the Vicarage, she recollects in a letter to Jacob in August 1943, that Walter visited and stayed with her there when he was on leave. During her time there, she was also added to the Welsh Suspects List, which was a list of people for whom the authorities felt it was important to keep an eye on. The reasons why Mala ended up on this list are unclear. At the start of the 1940-1941 academic year, Mala alongside her work at the Vicarage, also started as an external student at London University, but Mala, it appears did not complete this degree, as in a letter to Jacob in April 1944, she writes that she had ‘no energy to try again’ and that she was ‘quite respectable, even without a degree’. 

In January 1943, Mala left Wales after living and working there for nearly three years, to take up work as a school mistress, the role she refers to in the April 1943 letter to Jacob, at Ryton Hall School in Shifnal, Shropshire and remained here until around August of that year. Mala appears to have continued, whilst she was here, similar working hours to those which she had at the Vicarage. From there she moved to Richmond in Surrey in search of teaching work and was ‘sheltered by a boy from Aussig’ who provided her with accommodation, according to a letter sent to Jacob in August 1943. In this same letter, Mala comments on her moving around a lot during such a comparatively short period of time and how this clearly made it hard for her to feel settled, remarking that:

I have come to be sort of a tramp, with trunks never decently unpacked.

Mala remained in the Richmond area until around November 1946, whilst living and teaching there, she got engaged and married to Henry Moyes in 1946, and they had a daughter together later that year. From around 1946 onwards she also tried to settle claims to her property in Germany, but in a letter, Henry wrote to Jacob on her death in 1953, this was still ongoing and unresolved at the time of her death. The writing skills and ability Mala had honed during her career before fleeing from Germany, was also clearly hard for her to go back to, as she remarks about the struggles to write in a letter to Jacob in May 1946:

There’s only one thing puzzling me: Why as Harry uses to say, by the creation of cats, can I not write? Or anyway not write in that old explosive way? I sometimes think that horror has dumbed me down. But deep there is still that urge, only I cannot... Or is it, I cannot make up my mind what language I should use.

Mala goes onto say in this letter, that she might write fairy tales as she tells her pupils ‘(a)ll Kinds of Tales at any odd time’ and that she hoped with married life that she may have more time to work out what language to write them in. It was not until the early 1950s, that Mala, it appears, was able to tackle this struggle and begin writing for publications again. She produced three articles for AJR Information in 1951 and 1952. AJR Information is a publication which was established in 1946 for Jewish German and Austrian refugees in Britain. In her April 1951 article, Mala interestingly discusses the topic of what is the meaning of the word alien, in the form of a story of the reaction of a village to the arrival of new people and the struggle they all had to define what an alien was to an older member of their community, who had asked them to define what one was. By the time the villagers had given up, the group of new people had rested and moved on. By the time of her articles for AJR Information, Mala and her family had moved via Kensington and Hayes to Glasgow, in around May 1950. Just when her writing career was reigniting and her writers block was lifting, Mala passed away in Glasgow on the 23rd of March 1953.

The experience of refugees who worked in the domestic services is clearly for the most part hard to capture, with Mala being the exception, due to their lack of presence in official and unofficial documents and sources. All the refugees who came to work in the domestic services in Aberystwyth and Llanbadarn Fawr, be that Erna, the two Kates, Stephanie, Tamara, Johanna, Lilly or Mala, all came alone to try and forge out a new life for themselves. Some, it is clear had their careers changed by their need to seek refuge elsewhere, losing jobs as music teachers and journalists, for example. For others, it is hard to establish what they had to leave behind, but what is clear is that none of them, as far as the records indicate, remained in Aberystwyth after their time as domestic servants there. Most of them, other than Erna, did not face internment, as they were categorised as ‘C’ at their various tribunals. Many went on to marry and set up families elsewhere and Mala, long after her time in Aberystwyth even tackled the topic of what an alien is, by providing a very thought-provoking article to AJR Information. Their experiences of domestic service work were also varied with many performing different jobs in the domestic services industry at the time, such as cooks, secretaries and housekeepers. The lives of the refugees explored in this blog however are only half of the story of the refugees who came to work in the domestic services in the area, with many much like Mala, working in the area surrounding Aberystwyth. Their lives will be the focus of the final blog in this series.

Conor Brockbank 

 

With thanks to Aberystwyth University research project Refugees from National Socialism in Wales

Letters and excerpts from letters used courtesy of Leo Baeck Institute, New York, and photos used with the permission of Archifdy Ceredigion Archives, Aberystwyth.

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