The author was Austrian, but happened to be in Switzerland, when the Germans annexed Austria. She went to Zurich and with the help of the Kultus-Gemeinde found work and a home. The Swiss authorities, while at first quite amenable, later proved very unsympathetic on practically every occasion. In March 1939 they limited her permit to a maximum of another 12 months. The author’s mother and one of her brothers had American affidavits and were allowed to stay in Switzerland pending their emigration. The author herself fell under the less favourable Romanian quota, and having received an expulsion order in July 1939, she secretly crossed the French border and got a domestic job in Annecy. Her application for a permit to stay there was rejected, because her passport did not bear the “J” stamp. She therefore proceeded first to Nice and then to Vichy, where she obtained proper papers and found a domestic job.

After the collapse of France, life in Vichy became dangerous for Jews, and the author entered into a fictitious marriage with a Swiss. In March 1940 she could return to Switzerland and was now allowed to work. Eventually she moved to Berne, while her “husband” remained in Geneva engaged in political work. This provided a pretext for a divorce. Meanwhile author had met her present husband whom she married in 1943.

In a postscript the author reports on the fate of her two brothers. The first was a doctor in Vienna and had to leave his home within 24 hours. Due to his affidavits for USA he and his fiancee were allowed to wait for their quota numbers in Switzerland and lived on the proceeds of the sale of the girl’s jewellery. He trained with a dentist in Zurich, but was expelled because of this “work” and found shelter in Liechtenstein until he left for USA where he is now practicing as a doctor.

The second brother, a lawyer, first went with his mother to Tuscany and earned his living by casual work and translations. Later, when they waited for their emigration to USA in Switzerland, he was not allowed to work and was supported by the Jewish Community in Geneva. His worst experience was the journey to USA on the notorious S.S. Navemare. Among the passengers who died from exposure and starvation was the wife of Prof. Arthur Schnitzler. He is now manager of a large concern in USA.

The author’s old mother fell gravely ill when about to embark on the Navemare and had to be left behind. When the author appealed to the Swiss authorities for help, she for once found them cooperative. They arranged for the old lady to return to Switzerland, where she could remain until she died in 1948.