大象传媒

I am attempting to locate any survivors of my father's family, the Pick or Frankel (Franckel) family. My father died in Brighton in 1967 and up until he became ill, spent years looking for his lost family, and now I am trying to do the same.

My paternal great grandparents Pick, whose first names I don't know, were from Kralove Mestec, Czechoslovakia. My grandfather, Otto Pick moved to Vienna, Austria following his marriage to my grandmother, Lea Etta (nee Frankel or Franckel). I believe that my grandmother's family may possibly have originated from Poland.

In about 1916 my grandparents owned several businesses, including furniture. upholstery manufacturing and stores. I have photographs of these businesses.

My grandparents had 5 children. In order from the eldest, my father Josef (Joseph), Irene, Vera Violet (Violetta), and twins Herbert and Dolly Pick.

In about 1938, my father Josef escaped from Vienna and arrived seriously wounded in the U.K. He stayed at a camp for refugees at St. Ninian's Retreat Centre, Lassodie. Scotland until he had recovered. I have a photograph published in the local newspaper of my father and three other refugees from central europe taken at St. NinAan's. When my dad was about 14/15 years old, he had represented his country at a Scout moot in Scotland where he met Lord Baden Powell. A Reverend Smith helped my dad during his stay at St. Ninian's. I don't know if my dad had known him from his earlier visit at the Scout Moot.

My grandparents were last heard of in about 1940 and, sadly, it seems they perished at the hands of the nazis (emphasis on the small "n")/

My grandparents sent Irene, Vera Violetta and Dolly and Herbert to Holland in about February 1939. The twins would have been about 8 or 10 years old. My dad received several photographs of his siblings taken with a Frl. Fronenberg and Herman and with a Hr. De Vries during 1940, which was the last time my father ever heard from them. I have no idea who these people were and where they are now, should they still be living.

I have attempted to contact the kindertransport organizations to track down any news as to whether Irene, Vera Violetta, Dolly or Herbert ever made it to the U.K., or anywhere else, and whether they survived. If they did, and they married and had children, this means that I have family somewhere that I don't know about.

I yearn to know if I have a blood relative somewhere from my father's family.

Can someone please help? Thank you.

Julie Jones (Canada)

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