Photograph of Emile (Mimi) Jeanne Rey and Edith Swieca, Nice, France.
Object numberM2022/013:002
TitlePhotograph of Emile (Mimi) Jeanne Rey and Edith Swieca, Nice, France.
DescriptionPhotograph of Emilie (Mimi) Jeanne Rey and Edith Sweica walking on the street, Nice, France 1943. Photo likely taken by a street photographer.
Edith recalled that in 1942 “We were living in Italian-occupied Nice and the Italians didn’t interfere with the Jewish people.” However, when the Italians capitulated to the Nazis in 1943, “things grew steadily worse… they knew there were many Jews hidden there” Edith had a non-Jewish friend, Emilie (Mimi) Jeanne Rey, who prior to returning to Paris gave Edith a number of her papers including her birth certificate, school papers, and food ration card. Edith told the French police that she had lost her identification card and another was issued with Mimi’s details and her photograph. She then returned the originals to her friend.
With this new identity, Edith was able to travel to a different town and find lodgings for her family. While she was away, she received a telegram informing her that her aunt, uncle, and their children, along with her parents, brothers and sister had been arrested.
“By giving me the identity card, she saved my life. She saved me that I could look after those three men who came back from the camp, my husband, my father and my little brother”
“After the war, Mimi wrote to me. She and her husband would like to come to Australia and she had 2 children. I sent the papers and she came here… There were a whole group of us who became friends”
Edith Swieca (nee Heilikmanowitz) was born 4 February 1921 in Berlin to Polish-born parents who arrived in Germany in 1919. The syllables ‘owitz’ were later dropped from the surname. She had three siblings: Sally, Sonia and 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.
Edith recalled that in 1942 “We were living in Italian-occupied Nice and the Italians didn’t interfere with the Jewish people.” However, when the Italians capitulated to the Nazis in 1943, “things grew steadily worse… they knew there were many Jews hidden there” Edith had a non-Jewish friend, Emilie (Mimi) Jeanne Rey, who prior to returning to Paris gave Edith a number of her papers including her birth certificate, school papers, and food ration card. Edith told the French police that she had lost her identification card and another was issued with Mimi’s details and her photograph. She then returned the originals to her friend.
With this new identity, Edith was able to travel to a different town and find lodgings for her family. While she was away, she received a telegram informing her that her aunt, uncle, and their children, along with her parents, brothers and sister had been arrested.
“By giving me the identity card, she saved my life. She saved me that I could look after those three men who came back from the camp, my husband, my father and my little brother”
“After the war, Mimi wrote to me. She and her husband would like to come to Australia and she had 2 children. I sent the papers and she came here… There were a whole group of us who became friends”
Edith Swieca (nee Heilikmanowitz) was born 4 February 1921 in Berlin to Polish-born parents who arrived in Germany in 1919. The syllables ‘owitz’ were later dropped from the surname. She had three siblings: Sally, Sonia and 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.
Production date 1943-09-27 - 1943-09-27
Production periodWorld War II (1939-1945)
Subjectaid giving, identity concealment, , hiding
Object namephotographs
Dimensions
- width: 90.00 mm
height: 75.00 mm
Language
- French
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, donated by Edith Swieca.