Interview with George Frey
Object numberM2026/084
TitleInterview with George Frey
CreatorSydney Jewish Museum (interviewed by)
DescriptionInterview with George Frey conducted by the Sydney Jewish Museum for the Serving Australia military exhibition.
This interview was completed in 2009 and has a running time of 48 minutes.
To access this interview, please contact collections@sjm.com.au.
George Frey was born 4 May 1921 in Gleiwitz, Germany (now Poland). With Hitler’s rise to power, the family began to suffer from antisemitic policies – his father was unable to continue his business and George was not allowed at school. On Kristallnacht, the family was forced from their homes to watch the synagogue burn. George’s father and brother were taken to Dachau but George was allowed home with his mother. George had a cousin living in Brisbane by the name of Heinz Hammer who managed to get him a permit to come to Australia.
George describes the trip and meeting Rabbi Fabian. George arrived in Brisbane and stayed in a Jewish boarding house. George did several odd jobs. He tried to enlist in the Australian Imperial Forces but was rejected many times until he was finally allowed to enlist in early 1942.
George was deeply connected to his Jewish identity and speaks about his experience of being Jewish in the military. He was stationed in New Guinea for a few years where he caught malaria. George married his wife, Fay Abrahams in July 1945 at Brisbane Synagogue.
This interview was completed in 2009 and has a running time of 48 minutes.
To access this interview, please contact collections@sjm.com.au.
George Frey was born 4 May 1921 in Gleiwitz, Germany (now Poland). With Hitler’s rise to power, the family began to suffer from antisemitic policies – his father was unable to continue his business and George was not allowed at school. On Kristallnacht, the family was forced from their homes to watch the synagogue burn. George’s father and brother were taken to Dachau but George was allowed home with his mother. George had a cousin living in Brisbane by the name of Heinz Hammer who managed to get him a permit to come to Australia.
George describes the trip and meeting Rabbi Fabian. George arrived in Brisbane and stayed in a Jewish boarding house. George did several odd jobs. He tried to enlist in the Australian Imperial Forces but was rejected many times until he was finally allowed to enlist in early 1942.
George was deeply connected to his Jewish identity and speaks about his experience of being Jewish in the military. He was stationed in New Guinea for a few years where he caught malaria. George married his wife, Fay Abrahams in July 1945 at Brisbane Synagogue.
Production placeSydney, New South Wales, Australia
Production date 2009-10-26
Production period21st Century
Subjectnazi persecution, escape, sponsorship, tobacco, kashrut, Jewish life, Kristallnacht, immigration, marriage, Australian Imperial Force, enlistment, rationing, violinists, military service
Object nametestimonies
Materialdigital
Dimensions
- duration: 48.41 min
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum collection, interview with George Frey.
Transferred from SJM Library.