Born: Kamionka Strumiłowa, Poland, 22 May 1913
Profession in country of origin: Medical student
Arrived in Britain as a refugee from Austria in 1939
Documents
Male enemy alien - Exemption from internment - Refugee Surname: Fischer Forename: Martin Alias: - Date and place of birth: 22/05/1913 in Kamionka Nationality: German Police Regn. Cert. No.: 711 053 Home Office ref: C 1557 [later crossed out in blue. F13167 aded] Address: Kitchener camp, Richborough, Sandwich, Kent Normal occupation: Medical student Present occupation: Name and address of employer: - Decision of tribunal: Exempted "C" & 9a Date 19.10.1939 Whether exempted from Article 6(A): Yes Whether desires to be repatriated: No
Fischer, Martin
22/05/1913
Release auth. Cat 21
For residence under Educational
scheme 20/10/1941
Released as a student 12.11.1941
711 053
Richborough EC
Source: National Archives, Home Office: Aliens Department: Internees Index, 1939-1947.
Editor’s note: We are not allowed to reproduce the images, but have permission from the archives to transcribe the information from the cards, as above.
Memories
My father was Martin Aaron Fischer.
He was born in Kamionka Strumilova on 22nd May 1913.
Martin’s family moved to Vienna when he was a baby – I think when he was around two years of age.
Later, at the end of a year at the University of Vienna, Martin was thrown down the stairs of the medical school (along with all the other Jewish students), on the day he and his classmates were writing their examination papers.
When he was in his final year as a medical student, Martin was incarcerated at the Rossauer-Lande police station, and from there he was sent by train to a road works near Strasburg.
He was surprised to be sent to Britain to Kitchener Camp in 1939, through the generous and life-saving activities of the Central British Fund for Jewish Refugees. Apparently, he and ninety-nine other young men who were destined for concentration camps, and were unmarried, were sponsored by the CBF.
I and my siblings are eternally grateful to the CBF for their courageous and generous interventions on our father’s behalf.
One thing my father told me about was that his ‘job’ at the camp was to decode German U-boat messages using Marconi sets. He loved that job and wanted to join the British Army to fight Hitler. Unfortunately, his vision was not good without thick glasses, so he was not suitable to join.
He also told me about arriving at the camp and finding that it was in need of repair; the building of the latrines, kitchen facilities, and so on was done by the Kitchener men.
Submitted by Erica Fischer for her father, Martin Aaron Fischer