Nely Gellertova and Viera Somen

The picture shows my aunt Nely Gellertova, nee Preisova and Viera Somen. It was taken in Mombasa, Kenya in the 1940s.

My uncle Sani Gellert and my aunt Nely lived in Nairobi during World War II. They could save their lives thanks to businessman Bata. He could see that the situation in Central Europe wasn't good for Jews so he decided to send them to his branch in Nairobi. My aunt and her daughter were cooking for the workers in the Bata factory and this way earned money to survive the war. My uncle Sani fought in the Czechoslovak Army in Egypt. All the family survived and after the war a son, Andrew, was born, my cousin, who lives in London.

Photos from this interviewee