Item 57: Holocaust survivors from Hungary ; Irene Stanbrook interviewed by Nora Huppert, 1990

MLOH 500/227-228

item

09/01/1990

Nonmusical Sound Recordings, Oral Histories

1091437

Sound Recording : CY MLOH 500/227-228

2 sound cassettes (2 hrs.)

Irene Stanbrook, nee Somlo, born in Budapest Hungary, in 1926. Father ran a silk importing business in the centre of the city. Irene had good life as only child in a cultured, German speaking home. In 1941 anti Jewish laws passed and father had to hand business over to foreman. Irene forced to leave school and started work in factory. Transported to Auschwitz in July 1944. In selection parade before Mengele. After six weeks sent to Neusalz labour camp in Poland. Worked pitching hay in fields and then in cotton factory. In February 1945 marched with hundreds of girls for six weeks to Bergen Belsen concentration camp in Germany. British army arrived in April and in chaos Irene shot in shoulder. Weighed 25 kilos and sick with TB. Sent to a sanatorium in Malmo, Sweden, and spent 2 1/2 years there recuperating. After, received scholarship from Jewish welfare to study Microbiology at university. Migrated to Australia in 1951.

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Log of interview available in the Mitchell Library Reading Room -

Original Mitchell Library allocated tape number 116.