Peter Newton (formerly Rudolf Neu) and Frieda Newton: family papers

This collection contains the personal papers of Frieda and Peter Newton (formerly Rudolf Neu), Jewish refugees from Vienna who met and got married in the UK during the Second World War. Frieda's family was murdered in the Holocaust whilst Rudi's family survived.

Included are Frieda Newton's certificate of origin ('Heimatschein'), school reports, birth certificate, work references, papers for emigration such as medical certificate, police and tax clearance certificates, correspondence with the Austrian Self-Aid Domestic Agency in London, hairdressing and manicure certificate issued by the emigration department of the Jewish Community in Vienna as well as letters by the Jewish Refugees Committee confirming the deportation of Frieda Newton's family members. Also included are Peter Newton's Territorial Army enlistment certificate, naturalisation certificate, photographs as well as correspondence with family and friends.

Frieda Newton, née Mandel, was born in Dorna Vatra, Romania, in 1916. Frieda had four siblings: Lotte (1914-1939), Isidor (1910-1937), Markus (1913-1945) and Helena (born 1920). Her parents, Hermann Hersch Mandel (born 1882), a tailor, and her mother Regina Rachel Mandel (born 1882) moved to Vienna when Frieda was still a child. Hermann and Markus, who had become a doctor, were both imprisoned for a short time after the annexion of Austria. Frieda emigrated to England as a domestic servant but found life difficult with the family that sponsored her. She was able to come to England because the Romanian quota was not yet full. She soon moved around the country to find work in factories, was sleeping rough and had little money for food. She met Rudolf Neu ("Rudi") (1905-1990) at a club frequented by Jewish refugees. In September 1942 Frieda's parents were deported to Terezin and in 1943 taken to Auschwitz where they are believed to have died. Frieda's brother Markus died at Dachau concentration camp in March 1945.

Similarly to the Mandel family, Rudi's father Samuel Neu and his mother Johanna Neu also moved to Vienna after World War One from Hungary and Yugoslavia. Johanna converted to Judaism with her marriage. They had three children: Albert ('Albin'), Berta and Rudi. Berta was save living in Vienna during the war years as one of her husband's relatives was in the SS. When Rudi came to England he joined the Territorial Army and changed his name to Peter Newton.

Chronological and by subject

See Wiener Library access conditions at: http://www.wienerlibrary.co.uk/usinglibrary/usingthelibrary.aspx

Donated by Helen Mathews

2009/16

Note that it also contains an English summary of some of the correspondence

Digitised material available on photo server (Doc 1786)

For photographs see Photo Archive 2009/16