GERMAN WOMEN

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21826, 4 July 1936, Page 2

GERMAN WOMEN

EXILED BY THE NAZIS . (specially warrrnr poa the pbess.j [By OLIVE BOOTH] Germans are interesting people at all times to meet, but since the Hitler regime one has to be careful in what one says to them. At the Scandinavian Gymnastic Congress in Sweden last year I was told a German was to share my room during the second and third weeks. I was rather nervous, as I imagined a large-proportioned, solid woman, satellite of Herr Hitler, with whom I should find living a strain. Imagine my amazement when a small, slender girl appeared, beautifully groomed and dressed. Fraulein Alexander was a teacher of eurhythmies, a pupil of Dalcroye. She was well known in many countries in Europe, but had her teaching headquarters in Copenhagen. She had been invited to this gymnastic festival to lecture on music and its uses in gymnastics. In the weeks that followed I came to know Fraulein Alexander very well, and a charming companion I found her. She told me many tales of Hitler and his Germany, to which she was definitely opposed. Her own story was very interesting. One day in Copenhagen, Fraulein Alexander had been lecturing on eurhythmies. In the discussion that followed the talk turned to Germany, and she expressed some of her opinions and criticised Hitler’s Germany. The meeting was reported in the papers, including her remarks, but she thought no more about it. Some months later she went home for a holiday to visit her parents in the south of Germany. She had not been, there many days when she received an anonymous letter telling her that she would be wise to leave Germany immediately, as she was likely to be arrested for the opinions she had expressed in Copenhagen. Fraulein Alexander realised that this was not a warning to be Ignored, so she immediately left her home and got across the border. Three hours after she had left, the troops arrived at her home to arrest her, I asked her what would they have done with her had she been caught, and she said; “Put in a concentration carrm. which is worse than any orison, and no one would have ever heard of me again or known what had happened to me.” Hitler Women There were several German gymnasts at the festival, and Fraulein Alexander pointed them out to me as typical women of Hitler’s Germany—large, plain women, without very much intelligence. so he approves them. The German male gymnasts were men of fine physique. The gymnastics they displayed were mainly remedial. One day a group of us were saying “Goodbye” to some Rumanians who were leaving. The Germans raised their arms in the Heil Hitler salute while we shook hands. Fraulein Alexander shook hands also, when one of the Germans turned to her and said; “I thought you were a German?” ‘T am,” she said, and turned away with us. I think she was glad to have us round her. After that we used to tease her by raising our arms and greeting her with “Heil Hitler” every time we encountered her, but we always kept a good watch that we were among friends when doing so. One day she passed me while I was standing talking to these Germans in the grounds. When I came into our room later she asked me nervously what it was all about. She was terrified of what I might have said about her. However, I was able to arsure her that her name had not been mentioned and that they had been asking questions about New Zealand and practising their English on me. A Missed Holiday While we were together in Sweden, Fraulein Alexander. received a letter from a friend in Italy saying she was going on a holiday to Switzerland and suggesting Fraulein Alexander should join her there. She was sad that she could not do so and explained to me that she could not afford to go from Sweden to Switzerland right round through France, but it would be impossible to go direct through Germany as she would be arrested as soon as she presented her passport on the border. It seemed terrible that a girl still in her twenties was so marked. She could not return home ever to see her parents, and some months after my return to London she wrote to me from Copenhagen that all the people she knew were arranging to go to Berlin for the Olympic Games this year and that she was very sad because, of course, it was impossible for her to attempt to enter Germany. Later at the Gymnastic Institute in the South of Sweden, I met a German girl gymnast in residence there for the summer course. She also lived out of Germany, having established a private practice in gymnastics in the south of Italy. She did not talk about Germany or mention her home, but she was not of the Hitler type. She was young and pretty, and well dressed, and I often wondered if her story was similar to Fraulein Alexander’s. DANCE AT DALLINGTON The third annual Dallington Catholic ball was held In the Canberra Hall. The music was supplied by the Excelsior dance orchestra, and Mr N. Cameron was master of ceremonies. An exhibition dance was given by Mr Cook and Miss White, and an extra was played by Miss M. coveney. Novelty ounces were won uy Mr Woodgate and Mrs McQuillan. Miss L. ruppin anti Mr in. Cuineion, rvuss is. n.gham and Mr J. Pentecost. Tne guest m honour was the Rev. Father T. O'Regan. Amongst those present were Mr and Mrs J. inusson, Mr and Mrs j. Paion Mr and Mrs bhamy. Mr and Mrs bommerville, jun., Mr and Mrs Tryon, Mr and Mrs T. Kennedy, Mr and Mrs J. Crawlord, Mr and Mrs J. McCarthy. Mr and Mrs J. O’Donnell, Mr and Mrs Wilcox, Mr and Mrs W. Cameron, Mr and Mrs Wright, Mr and Mrs Gallagher, Mr and Mrs McLachlan, Mr and Mrs D. Muchmore, Mr and Mrs D. Smith, Mesdames R. Woodham, McEntee, McQuillan, Bartle, Reilly, R. Chandelier, S. Pears (Leeston), J. Young, T. Sommerville, sen., Hogan, Brady, Knudsen, Arrow, Foley, Misses K. Foley, Joan Varling, I. Morgan, N. McKendry, Ellleen Higham, Gertie McCormack, Phyliss O’Neill, Joan Bust, Mary Paton, Freda Tryon, Margaret Sommerville, Wright, Melba Patterson, Patricia Bailey, Thelma Wright, M. Byrne, E. Howell, E. Rich, J. Byrne, Gwen Byrne, Mavis Wright, Winnie Watson, May Arneson, Edna Wright, Ngaire Thornton, M. Kilbride, Molly Adams, Maureen Kilbride, Kathleen and Cushla Reddlngton, G. Marsh, Molly Evans. Kittv Swarston, M. Caveney, M. Price. Connie Jackson, Marjorie Watson (Halswell), Nita Wornell, May Cameron, Thelma Kidd, Leslea Rippln, and Ngaire .Rippin, Messrs A Holmes, M. Calvert, T. Reddlngton, W Cameron, N. Cameron. J. Pegley, Cook. R Smith. J. Smith, J. Youngman. W. Cole, G. Hurley, L. Wilson, J. Jones, J. Parker, W. Kennedy, J Pentecost, G. Swanston, W. Toomey, Gallagher, T. Kennedy, C. McEntee, D. Smith, Muchmore, F. Watson, McLachlan, Woodgate, J. Cockle, Murphy, Reilly, Crawford, B. O’Neill, J. Henderson, P. Foley, B Foley, J. Butler, Gallagher, Wilcox, McCarthy, M. Bradley, J. Lawlor, R. Empson, J. O’Brien. A. Flannagan, J. Kempthorne. TIMAKU NEWS SOCIAL AND PERSONAL Mrs F. F. A. Ulrich (Elizabeth street has returned from a brief visit to Christchurch. Mr and Mrs W. O. Hoskin, who have been staying at their home in Otioua road, have left for Simon’s Hill, Mackenzie Country. Mies A. L. Mcllroy ("Kelso," Sarah street) is spending a few days m Woodbury. Mrs Price (Wellington) arrived yesterday to be the guest of her niece, Mrs M. A. Raymond (“Clovelly,” Nelson terrace).