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| Anita Bild obituary | Anita Bild obituary |
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| My mother, Anita Bild, who has died aged 97, lived to the full a charmed life of extraordinary variety. She toured Egypt in her 20s with the Vienna State Opera's corps de ballet, choreographed Cossack dances for Ensa in war-torn Britain and performed cabaret in six languages. In her 30s, she sang in operetta and acted as principal boy in Aladdin, Cinderella and other pantomimes. In her 40s, she co-directed and acted in seaside repertory theatre. In her 50s and 60s, at Bush House, central London, she wrote and broadcast English lessons for the BBC's German service. And in her 70s, 80s and 90s, she sang in a choir, learned to play the guitar and debated academic philosophy. To the last, she completed a Guardian crossword daily. | My mother, Anita Bild, who has died aged 97, lived to the full a charmed life of extraordinary variety. She toured Egypt in her 20s with the Vienna State Opera's corps de ballet, choreographed Cossack dances for Ensa in war-torn Britain and performed cabaret in six languages. In her 30s, she sang in operetta and acted as principal boy in Aladdin, Cinderella and other pantomimes. In her 40s, she co-directed and acted in seaside repertory theatre. In her 50s and 60s, at Bush House, central London, she wrote and broadcast English lessons for the BBC's German service. And in her 70s, 80s and 90s, she sang in a choir, learned to play the guitar and debated academic philosophy. To the last, she completed a Guardian crossword daily. |
| She was born Anita Lelewer in Vienna. By 1938 she was dancing, singing and acting in Linz; newspaper reviews praised her portrayal of young Germanic womanhood. Blonde and beautiful, she was engaged to a young police officer. Life was carefree. | She was born Anita Lelewer in Vienna. By 1938 she was dancing, singing and acting in Linz; newspaper reviews praised her portrayal of young Germanic womanhood. Blonde and beautiful, she was engaged to a young police officer. Life was carefree. |
| When Hitler annexed Austria, it suddenly mattered that grandparents she had barely known had been Jewish. Her policeman shunned her – a lucky escape, she felt later. In Vienna, on Kristallnacht in November 1938, Nazi youths arrested her father and ejected Anita and her mother from their flat. Anita crammed German/English shorthand and by February 1939 had a permit to enter Britain as a domestic. | When Hitler annexed Austria, it suddenly mattered that grandparents she had barely known had been Jewish. Her policeman shunned her – a lucky escape, she felt later. In Vienna, on Kristallnacht in November 1938, Nazi youths arrested her father and ejected Anita and her mother from their flat. Anita crammed German/English shorthand and by February 1939 had a permit to enter Britain as a domestic. |
| German border guards strip-searched her. Anita's train left without her. On the cross-channel ferry, a Mr Hurst gave her his card "should she ever need help". Arriving late, Anita found the promised job gone. The Hurst family took her in as a daughter, even arranging a marriage of convenience to allow her, as a UK citizen, to work in the theatre. Miraculously for a penniless refugee, she got an entry permit for her parents, just four weeks before the outbreak of war. Instead of a concentration camp, they went to a Quaker home managed by another Austrian refugee, Fritz Bild – my father. Anita and Fritz lived together from the end of 1939 and married some 10 years later. | German border guards strip-searched her. Anita's train left without her. On the cross-channel ferry, a Mr Hurst gave her his card "should she ever need help". Arriving late, Anita found the promised job gone. The Hurst family took her in as a daughter, even arranging a marriage of convenience to allow her, as a UK citizen, to work in the theatre. Miraculously for a penniless refugee, she got an entry permit for her parents, just four weeks before the outbreak of war. Instead of a concentration camp, they went to a Quaker home managed by another Austrian refugee, Fritz Bild – my father. Anita and Fritz lived together from the end of 1939 and married some 10 years later. |
| Anita's charm and humour, a warm acceptance of human frailty in others, and eternal optimism inspired all who knew her. | Anita's charm and humour, a warm acceptance of human frailty in others, and eternal optimism inspired all who knew her. |
| She is survived by me, her daughter-in-law, Jan, granddaughters, Miranda, Jessica and Laura, and great-grandchildren, Arthur and Rosa. | She is survived by me, her daughter-in-law, Jan, granddaughters, Miranda, Jessica and Laura, and great-grandchildren, Arthur and Rosa. |
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