David Herczlinger owned an upholstery factory at 7 Leibnitzgasse, Vienna, where the family including his wife Helen, and children, Hilda and Herman, also lived. Hilda went to the Schule der Stadt Wien and was taught how to sew by her father. 

On Kristallnacht 1938 the Nazis arrested Hilda, Herman and David and then sent David to Dachau. He was released in February 1939 on condition that he leave the country immediately. The others were sent to a local prison in Vienna, where Herman was repeatedly beaten but Hilda was released early. Katy Fischer, Hilda’s grandmother, was sent to Theresienstadt and survived.

Helen’s sister, Freda, had got out of Austria earlier. She got a job as a domestic in Manchester. She was instrumental in helping David, Helen, Hilda, Herman and Esther (Hilda’s cousin then about 10) escape the Nazis and almost certain death.

Aunt Freda arranged for Esther and Hilda to join the Kindertransport. Herman also came and became an apprentice upholsterer. Freda had a boyfriend who was a captain on one of the ships of the Italian Lloyd Trestino Shipping Line and got tickets for David, Helen and Alfred to go to Shanghai, which was the only place left except Panama and Tangier that would accept Jews.