Gutmann Family
Object numberM1998/023:011
TitleGutmann Family
DescriptionStudio photograph of the Gutmann family, pre-war Czechoslovakia. Taken at Atelier Javurek.
Part of a collection of documents, photos, poem and memorabilia from a slave labour camp, belonging to Teresa and Rudolf Pekarek.
Teresa (Terry) Pekarek (nee Gutmann), born 25 October 1910, in Susice. Susice was a small town of 8,000 in Bohemia, part of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, where her parents had a large textile store on the town square. When Terry was four, World War I broke out. Czechoslovakia was born at the peace conference of Versailles in 1919. Terry was sent to school in Vienna; she spent time in France to learn the language and received training to develop her beautiful voice. At the age of 21, she married Rudolf Pekarek, a well-known musician and conductor 10 years her senior. Rudolf was born in 1900. His Litzmannstadt ghetto work card indicates his profession as an accountant.
Nazi Germany invaded Czechoslovakia in March 1939 and turned the Czech part of the country into a protectorate of Germany. Antisemitic polices were immediately applied to Czech Jewish citizens. Deportations commenced. In November 1941, Terry and Rudolf were deported to the ghetto in Litzmannstadt (Lodz), and then in 1944 to Auschwitz. Here they were separated. Terry was sent to work in a German aircraft factory; Rudolf to Jaworzno to work in a coal mine. Rudolf was liberated by Soviet forces, and ended up being placed in charge of the Artistic Ensemble of the Czechoslovakian Army. At the end of May 1945, Terry and Rudolf were reunited in Prague. Both had lost their entire families. After a brief attempt to resume a normal life in post-war Communist Czechoslovakia, they decided to emigrate, arriving in Australia in December 1948. Rudolf was appointed resident conductor of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra in Perth. In 1954 he became resident conductor of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and they moved to Brisbane. Terry became involved in the Save the Children Fund and became Queensland President; she received the Silver Jubilee Medal from the Queen for her work. Rudolf (Rudi) passed away in 1974. She died 16 November 1997, age 87.
Source: Eulogy by Dr B Klug, 1997
Part of a collection of documents, photos, poem and memorabilia from a slave labour camp, belonging to Teresa and Rudolf Pekarek.
Teresa (Terry) Pekarek (nee Gutmann), born 25 October 1910, in Susice. Susice was a small town of 8,000 in Bohemia, part of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, where her parents had a large textile store on the town square. When Terry was four, World War I broke out. Czechoslovakia was born at the peace conference of Versailles in 1919. Terry was sent to school in Vienna; she spent time in France to learn the language and received training to develop her beautiful voice. At the age of 21, she married Rudolf Pekarek, a well-known musician and conductor 10 years her senior. Rudolf was born in 1900. His Litzmannstadt ghetto work card indicates his profession as an accountant.
Nazi Germany invaded Czechoslovakia in March 1939 and turned the Czech part of the country into a protectorate of Germany. Antisemitic polices were immediately applied to Czech Jewish citizens. Deportations commenced. In November 1941, Terry and Rudolf were deported to the ghetto in Litzmannstadt (Lodz), and then in 1944 to Auschwitz. Here they were separated. Terry was sent to work in a German aircraft factory; Rudolf to Jaworzno to work in a coal mine. Rudolf was liberated by Soviet forces, and ended up being placed in charge of the Artistic Ensemble of the Czechoslovakian Army. At the end of May 1945, Terry and Rudolf were reunited in Prague. Both had lost their entire families. After a brief attempt to resume a normal life in post-war Communist Czechoslovakia, they decided to emigrate, arriving in Australia in December 1948. Rudolf was appointed resident conductor of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra in Perth. In 1954 he became resident conductor of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and they moved to Brisbane. Terry became involved in the Save the Children Fund and became Queensland President; she received the Silver Jubilee Medal from the Queen for her work. Rudolf (Rudi) passed away in 1974. She died 16 November 1997, age 87.
Source: Eulogy by Dr B Klug, 1997
Subjectstudio photograph, Pre-war life, world that was
Object namephotographs
Materialphotographic emulsion, paper, paper
Techniquephotography
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Mrs. Eva Klug