Georg Hahlo was a lawyer whose father had converted to Christianity before Georg’s birth. With his wife Elli, a Christian, he had two children – Ursula (later, Susan) and Dieter (later, Peter). Despite this weak link to Judaism, the Hahlos faced antisemitic persecution following the Nazi rise to power.

All the Hahlos escaped Germany. Susan, Peter and Elli made their way to Britain separately, in 1936, 1938 and 1939 respectively. Georg, however, travelled to Bolivia, as he could not get a UK visa. The separation led him to divorce Elli.

Elli, Susan and Peter settled in Britain; Susan and Peter found English spouses. Georg remained in Bolivia until 1957, when he returned to Germany, where he worked at the Compensation Bureau.