Childhood memoirs of World War II

Eva Edmands was born on October 27, 1929, in Vienna, Austria. In 1938, her family fled to Paris, France. Her father worked as a journalist in Paris until he was drafted into the French army and sent to southern France. Eva and her mother remained in Paris, but after a threatening visit by the Gestapo, they fled to Bordeaux, France. Eva and her mother crossed into the Free Zone of France and joined Eva's father. A Protestant pastor helped Eva's father to leave the army and gave the family false identification. Eva's family tried unsuccessfully to cross into Switzerland. They went to Annecy, France, and a Catholic priest settled them in his village. For three years, Eva's parents hid in the parish house boiler room. As a 12-year-old child, Eva could go outside and attend a local French school. After the liberation of France, Eva's family moved to Paris. In May 1948, her family immigrated to the United States.