They call me 'Lotte'

They call me ‘Lotte’

Lotte was born in Berlin on 11 December 1919. She had two older sisters called Thea and Kate and they lived with their parents in Charlottenburg, Germany.

Lotte went to school until the age of 16 and then went to a domestic and commercial school where she was taught shorthand writing. She remembers when her life changed in Germany and Jews were no longer allowed to go to public places, like the ice rink, that she loved.

Lotte was 18 years old when Kristallnacht occurred. At the time she was working for a Jewish textiles business in the centre of Charlottenburg. The Nazis entered her workplace, took the typewriter she was working on and ejected it out of the third-floor window. She was told to leave work early and on her journey home, she saw her synagogue burning,

Lotte had a close friend called Margot whose family had emigrated to England. They helped her to find and secure a job as a domestic help so that she could leave Germany.

On arriving in the UK, she worked for the Pridham family for a short time in their home in New Barnet then, in 1940, she moved to Manchester with Margot.

Lotte worked at Jacob’s Bakery in Great Cheetham Street for many years where she was in charge of paying staff wages. She married Harry in July 1948. Fellow refugee Harry was originally from Vienna and was a soldier in the British Army during World War Two. Their daughter was born in 1950.

“When I got on the metro, I passed my synagogue and it was burning.”

Lottie Tryger

“When I left Germany, we were only allowed to take one suitcase and 15 shillings. In it I had just a change of clothes, shoes and soap – the basics. One suitcase is not a lot, is it?”

Lottie Tryger

“We didn’t have any relatives living close by, but we had close friends and we used to help each other with everything. But still I do feel, that in life I had missed out on family, there is no doubt about that.”

Lottie Tryger

They call me ‘Lotte’

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