This collection comprises the papers of Leslie Reid, formerly Erwin Reiter, including the following series: 1874/1- including passport and Jewish travel document, birth, naturalisation and death certificates; 1874/2- educational documents; 1874/3- correspondence including from his parents whilst he was interned in Canada, from his brother and from Leslie to his parents while he was in Dachau
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Leslie Reid, formerly Erwin Reiter, was born on 21 May 1908 in Vienna, Austria. He was the son of Karpel (Karl) and Ruchla Reiter (née Rosenstock). Karpel Reiter is reported to have been deported to Riga in 1942 where he was probably murdered. Leslie obtained a Doctor of Law qualification from the University of Vienna in December 1930. Before the political annexation of Austria from Germany (‘Anschluss’), he had been working as a trainee lawyer in Vienna (Rechtsanwaltsanwärter). Reiter married English-born Milly Hecht in August 1938. After the ‘Anschluss,’ Erwin tried to escape with his brother Max but he was arrested and deported to Dachau. Eventually he was able to secure a visa to England. Max also managed to emigrate to England through the Kindertransport and began a successful career as a travel agent. According to the Jewish Refugees Committee, their father, Karpel, was deported to Riga on 6 February 1942 and died there. Erwin obtained British citizenship on 18 July 1947 and changed his name to Leslie Irving Reid. Erwin and Milly had three children, Michael (born 1940), Keith (born 1946) and Susan (Shoshana in Hebrew) Reid (born 1948). Despite the fact that he was trained as a lawyer, Erwin worked as a typesetter and later on as a translator in the City of London.
[See also digital donations, WL12396, WL12397, WL12398, WL12399, WL12400, WL12401, WL12402]
Leslie Reid: Family papers