Peter Newman

Interview Summary

Peter Newman was born in 1927 in Berlin, as Peter Herbert Heinz Neumann. He was the oldest of two sons to Alice, Lissi, a well-known fashion designer and journalist and Franz Ludwig Neumann, a trained physician who worked in his father’s private bank (Sauerland Nachfolger). The family was affluent and lived with their staff in a spacious flat in the Mommsenstraße, Charlottenburg. Peter enjoyed a happy childhood and recalls visits to the zoo, cake at KaDeWe, and theatre visits. He attended the Paul-Lehmann-Schule. In 1935 Peter’s father was arrested by the Gestapo but the officer knew Peter’s father from the November Revolution in 1919. He let him go and Peter’s father managed to escape to London.

Antisemitism in Peter’s school increased and he had to change to a Jewish school (Joseph-Lehmann school). His mother was advised to leave the country via Czechoslovakia to London. Peter’s paternal grandfather died in March 1937, as a result of an attack on him in his bank. His grandmothers were responsible for Peter and his younger brother Klaus until their immigration to London in September 1937. Peter went to Hampstead Garden Suburb Primary where he quickly learnt English. During the Blitz he was evacuated to Duntisbourne Abbots in Gloucestershire. For secondary school he attended Highgate School which at that time only accepted 10% Jewish children. Peter subsequently experienced anti-German and antisemitic sentiment from teachers but was also able to distinguish himself for example teaching classes in junior school.

Peter became a chartered accountant and married Bridget, a fellow refugee from Berlin, in 1964. They had two sons and settled in Hampstead Garden Suburb. Peter has returned to Berlin but points out that these visits have brought back haunting childhood memories. He feels at home in London.

Key words.

Berlin.Neumann. Kartell-Convent (association of German-Jewish student fraternities). Lissi Edler. Ullstein Verlag. Sauerland Nachfolger (bank), Roggenmark. Paul-Lehmann-Schule (Charlottenburg). Joseph-Lehmann-Schule. Erich Neumann. Micha Neumann. Highgate School (quota for Jewish students). Duntisbourne Abbots, Gloucestershire. Cadet corps – shooting medal for international rifle competition. Liberal Synagogue St. John’s Woods. Leo Baeck. Restitution. German citizenship.