gb-003348-wl1801
type: RecordSet
biographical history: The sisters, Fanny and Charlotte, emigrated to England as Jewish refugees from Vienna in 1938 and 1939. Their parents did not manage to flee the country and were deported. Erich Walter, a socialist, was stationed with the Czech Army during the Nazi German occupation of the Czech Republic and managed to emigrate three days before the outbreak of the Second World War. Fanny ('Fay') (born 1916) and Charlotte ('Lotte') Pilpel (born 1921) grew up in Vienna, the daughters of Emil Leon Pilpel (born 1889 in Lemberg, Poland) and his wife Serla (née Miltau, born 1889 in Przemysl). Fanny studied at the Philosophical Faculty of the University of Vienna. Emil Pilpel was a trained bookkeeper and chartered accountant. After the annexation of Austria by Nazi-Germany, life became increasingly difficult for the family. In July 1938, a few weeks before she would have attained her doctor's degree, Fanny had to abandon her studies as an opportunity arose for her to emigrate. Charlotte received permission to emigrate in May 1939. Emil Pilpel had to sign an agreement to emigrate within six weeks by the end of March 1939 to avoid arrest. His efforts to find work in England were in vain. Emil and Serla Pilpel sent their last Red Cross letter to their children in May 1942. They were later deported to an extermination camp near Minsk where they perished. Fanny Pilpel got married to Erich ('Eric') Walter on 7 December 1946. Erich Walter (born 1915) was originally from Reichenberg (Liberec), the youngest of three sons of textile weaver and socialist, Anton Walter, and his wife Elisabeth (nee Kresalek). Erich Walter was actively involved in various left wing organisations. He was called up to serve in the Czech Army to fight against the German Wehrmacht but they surrendered when the occupation of the Sudentenland was declared. Following these events, his brothers, Adolf and Siegfried, and his father emigrated to England due to the connections of some members of the communist party in England. Th…
related material: Documents relating to Erich Walter are digitised.
conditions of access: Open
has beginning date: 1916-01-01
has end date: 2008-01-31
has or had holder: gb-003348
has or had identifier: 1
has or had some members with language: pol
has or had some members with language: ces
has or had some members with language: deu
has or had some members with language: eng
has or had subject: 1569
has or had subject: 381
has or had subject: 496
has or had subject: 203
has or had subject: 304
has or had subject: 641
has record set type: Collection
identifier: WL1801
record resource extent: 1 box
record resource structure: Arranged chronologically by subject.
results or resulted from: 1
scope and content: This collection contains the personal papers of Erich and Fanny Walter (née Pilpel) and those of her father Emil Leon Pilpel and sister Charlotte Smith (née Pilpel).
title: Erich and Fanny Walter and Pilpel: family papers