Scissors used by Belmode Knitting Mills
Object numberM2022/010
TitleScissors used by Belmode Knitting Mills
DescriptionScissors brought from France and used by Edith Swieca in their business, Belmode Knitting Mills, Sydney.
Edith Swieca (nee Heilikmanowitz) was born 4 February 1921 in Berlin to Polish-born parents who arrived in Germany in 1919. The syllables ‘owtz’ were later dropped from the surname. She had three siblings: Sally, Sonia, Paul.
Edith encountered antisemitism early. It started in school when she was 10-years-old. The family moved to Paris in April 1933 as German refugees, where her father had two brothers and her mother had a sister. Her parents started a help organisation for new refugees arriving daily from Berlin. Mattresses were put on the floor to accommodate families. Edith became the interpreter and helped fill in forms for them in French. Her father registered his committee for aiding Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria as ‘Societe Amitiee’.
In 1937 Edith met Albert Swieca, a few days after he came to France from Brussels; they were engaged in 1939, shortly before the outbreak of war. Albert’s sister Marie, two years older than Edith, became engaged to her brother Paul in 1942. Neither of them survived the war. In September 1939, Albert volunteered in the French army and was sent to Algeria in November. In October 1939, all the women and children were evacuated from Paris to St Agil in the countryside. At the end of that year they returned to Paris. In early 1940, Edith together with her father and brother received a letter from the French government to present themselves at the Velodrome d’hiver together with other refugees from Germany. Edith showed her school certificates and told the official that her brother and fiancé were in the army, and he allowed her to go home.
Edith married Albert in September 1941 in their home and he moved in with the family. The following years saw Albert deported to labour and concentration camps, and Edith, using her friend’s identity, moving from Marcigny to Lyon to Toulouse, and by 1942, arriving with her family in Nice. Though it was occupied by the Italians, they had to register once a month, but were pretty much left alone. When the Italians capitulated in 1943 and the Nazis came in, “things steadily grew worse”. In March 1944, Edith went to an adjoining town to try and find new lodgings, and while there her family was arrested and taken to Drancy, “their lunch was still on the table.” Of the 10 people arrested that day (her mother, father, two brothers, sister, aunt, uncle, and three cousins), only her father and one brother survived.
In August 1944, Paris was liberated; Edith returned there to find her parents-in-law alive. They had survived by hiding in their attic and being looked after by the concierge. They were from Poland originally (they moved to France in 1937), and didn't speak French, so they asked Edith to write to their son Sam and his wife Betty on their behalf, letting them know they were alive. Edith did so by telegram, and they received a telegram in response (Telegram in Museum’s collection).
After liberation, Albert returned to Paris in May 1945. He was relieved to find Edith alive. Edith's brother Sally, aged 17, and her father returned from the camps. Edith was 24-years-old, and "had three traumatized men to look after" including her father who had to be spoon fed for six weeks as he was recovering from typhus. Betty managed to get Edith landing papers, and Edith and Albert left Marseille in December 1946 on the boat ‘The Monkay’ headed for Australia, where Sam and Betty had been living since 1937.
They didn't arrive until February 1947 because they were detained in a camp in Saigon for 6 weeks while their ship was used for transporting ammunition. Arriving in Australia, they did not have to deal with welfare agencies and the difficulties of settling in as Sam and Betty helped them settle. Edith's father and brother remained in Paris.
The couple soon entered in a partnership with Sam, establishing Belmode Knitting Mills (previously Belle Mode after the family’s Brussels business). Originally a millinery business, the company also ventured into clothing design and manufacture. It continued to run as a small family business with Edith designing and cutting the ‘De Nucci’ fashion line until 1964-1965 when cheap imports forced the family to pursue other venues.
Edith Swieca (nee Heilikmanowitz) was born 4 February 1921 in Berlin to Polish-born parents who arrived in Germany in 1919. The syllables ‘owtz’ were later dropped from the surname. She had three siblings: Sally, Sonia, Paul.
Edith encountered antisemitism early. It started in school when she was 10-years-old. The family moved to Paris in April 1933 as German refugees, where her father had two brothers and her mother had a sister. Her parents started a help organisation for new refugees arriving daily from Berlin. Mattresses were put on the floor to accommodate families. Edith became the interpreter and helped fill in forms for them in French. Her father registered his committee for aiding Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria as ‘Societe Amitiee’.
In 1937 Edith met Albert Swieca, a few days after he came to France from Brussels; they were engaged in 1939, shortly before the outbreak of war. Albert’s sister Marie, two years older than Edith, became engaged to her brother Paul in 1942. Neither of them survived the war. In September 1939, Albert volunteered in the French army and was sent to Algeria in November. In October 1939, all the women and children were evacuated from Paris to St Agil in the countryside. At the end of that year they returned to Paris. In early 1940, Edith together with her father and brother received a letter from the French government to present themselves at the Velodrome d’hiver together with other refugees from Germany. Edith showed her school certificates and told the official that her brother and fiancé were in the army, and he allowed her to go home.
Edith married Albert in September 1941 in their home and he moved in with the family. The following years saw Albert deported to labour and concentration camps, and Edith, using her friend’s identity, moving from Marcigny to Lyon to Toulouse, and by 1942, arriving with her family in Nice. Though it was occupied by the Italians, they had to register once a month, but were pretty much left alone. When the Italians capitulated in 1943 and the Nazis came in, “things steadily grew worse”. In March 1944, Edith went to an adjoining town to try and find new lodgings, and while there her family was arrested and taken to Drancy, “their lunch was still on the table.” Of the 10 people arrested that day (her mother, father, two brothers, sister, aunt, uncle, and three cousins), only her father and one brother survived.
In August 1944, Paris was liberated; Edith returned there to find her parents-in-law alive. They had survived by hiding in their attic and being looked after by the concierge. They were from Poland originally (they moved to France in 1937), and didn't speak French, so they asked Edith to write to their son Sam and his wife Betty on their behalf, letting them know they were alive. Edith did so by telegram, and they received a telegram in response (Telegram in Museum’s collection).
After liberation, Albert returned to Paris in May 1945. He was relieved to find Edith alive. Edith's brother Sally, aged 17, and her father returned from the camps. Edith was 24-years-old, and "had three traumatized men to look after" including her father who had to be spoon fed for six weeks as he was recovering from typhus. Betty managed to get Edith landing papers, and Edith and Albert left Marseille in December 1946 on the boat ‘The Monkay’ headed for Australia, where Sam and Betty had been living since 1937.
They didn't arrive until February 1947 because they were detained in a camp in Saigon for 6 weeks while their ship was used for transporting ammunition. Arriving in Australia, they did not have to deal with welfare agencies and the difficulties of settling in as Sam and Betty helped them settle. Edith's father and brother remained in Paris.
The couple soon entered in a partnership with Sam, establishing Belmode Knitting Mills (previously Belle Mode after the family’s Brussels business). Originally a millinery business, the company also ventured into clothing design and manufacture. It continued to run as a small family business with Edith designing and cutting the ‘De Nucci’ fashion line until 1964-1965 when cheap imports forced the family to pursue other venues.
Production placeFrance
Production date 1948 - 1965
Subjectgarment industry, establishing new life, rag trade, manufacturing industry, life in Australia, immigration
Object namescissors
Materialmetal
Dimensions
- length: 375.00 mm
height: 60.00 mm
Language
- English
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Edith Swieca.