Born into Exile: The Story of Hedi Argent Stories of Strength from Holocaust Survivors(Week 2)
Hedi Argent was born in 1929 in Vienna, Austria, into a modest yet loving family. Her father worked as a defense lawyer, and her mother managed their household. Surrounded by extended family, Hedi was raised with a strong sense of her Jewish heritage. Despite this nurturing environment, she faced antisemitism at school, a harbinger of the escalating prejudice that would soon engulf her world.
In March 1938, the Anschluss—the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany—marked a turning point in Hedi's life. The day after the annexation, she was expelled from school solely because of her Jewish identity. Within a week, her father's law practice was forcibly taken over by a Nazi lawyer, stripping him of his profession and dignity. By the end of the month, their family home was confiscated to house a Nazi family, rendering them homeless. Hedi's father was humiliated publicly, forced to scrub streets and clean lavatories, and was eventually arrested for expressing anti-Nazi sentiments. During the horrific events of Kristallnacht in November 1938, Hedi and her mother sought refuge in the apartment of an Austrian socialist who had fled the country, watching in terror as Jewish homes, businesses, and synagogues were destroyed.
The family's desperation to escape intensified when Hedi's father was released from prison with an ultimatum: leave Austria within six weeks or face deportation to Dachau concentration camp. They managed to obtain visas for England and secured a guarantor who pledged financial support. However, they also needed affidavits from the United States to confirm their place on a quota for future immigration. Miraculously, these documents arrived just in time. They left Austria six weeks before the outbreak of the Second World War, shortly after Hedi's tenth birthday, carrying only a small suitcase each and a meager £2 17 shillings and six pence. Tragically, 27 members of their extended family perished in the Holocaust.
Life in England presented its own set of challenges. Hedi's parents, once respected professionals, found work as domestic servants. Her father was later interned as an enemy alien but eventually joined the Pioneer Corps, the only British Army unit at the time that accepted German and Austrian nationals. He never practiced law again. The war prevented the family from relocating to America as initially planned. Despite these hardships, Hedi thrived in her new school in the Midlands and embraced her new life. She became a British citizen in 1946, later married, had children, and pursued a career as a social worker, dedicating herself to advocating for vulnerable children.
Hedi's journey is a testament to resilience and the relentless pursuit of justice. Her experiences underscore the devastating impact of discrimination and the importance of standing against hatred in all its forms. At Light of Care, we honor Holocaust survivors like Hedi by not only preserving their stories but also by taking action. Many survivors who lost everything as children now face isolation, trauma, and financial hardship in their later years. They deserve more than remembrance; they need dignity, support, and care. Our mission is to ensure that their stories inspire future generations to combat hatred and uphold human rights. Join us in making a difference today.
Reference: Holocaust Educational Trust. (n.d.). Hedi Argent. Retrieved from https://www.het.org.uk/survivors-hedi-argent:
