1.3.1941
As our deposit with the refugee committee is now exhausted we are finding life very hard. I’m looking for work; I know it is absolutely necessary as it is impossible to live on the weekly £2 that we are drawing from the Assistance Board. If we hadn’t an English family who is more than kind and good to us I would not be able to manage it as I do.
20.4.1941
I have written to the committee thanking them for their help. ‘I shall always find something to do to make our life going with your help. But I shall not be able without it. It is a terrible situation however, it is and I cannot see any possibility to manage it differently. I can only hope that the day will come when I shall not have to bother you anymore.’
29.10.1941
I have begun giving one or two private language classes. They are not arranged weekly, but they are helping to alleviate our troubles.
2.12.1941
The girls’ are progressing very well at school, in English. They have gone through hell themselves. It would be incredible if such experiences had not left traces in their minds.
Refugee Week 2012, runs from 18-24 June. You can follow Refugee Week on Twitter, visit their Flickr photostream, or like them on Facebook.
Please note that Refugee X represents an amalgamation of case files provided by the Jewish Refugee Committee based in Manchester, between 1938-1950 (the information has been adapted from the series m102/1/2 ). We have stayed as close to the original text as possible. As access to some items within this series is restricted, where applicable dates, names and places have been changed or omitted. If you have any questions you comment on the post or email archiveslocalstudies@manchester.gov.uk.
Let no one forget, in a very difficult time… just four years after the War, a great servant to football in Manchester.
Bernhard Carl “Bert” Trautmann, OBE (born 22 October 1923) is a German former professional footballer who played for Manchester City from 1949 to 1964.