The My Voice Project is a unique initiative by The Fed, Manchester's leading social care charity serving the Jewish community. The My Voice Project empowers Holocaust survivors and refugees from Nazi persecution who settled in the UK to share their entire life stories including experiences before, during and after the war years. This project involves a bespoke methodological approach, producing books that preserve their unique voices. The My Voice Project ensures firsthand accounts are remembered and valued for future generations, highlighting the critical role of individual perspectives in ensuring a deeper historical understanding.
Marianne Phillips was born in 1924 in Berlin. Following the Nazi rise to power, and her mother's sudden death, Marianne's father temporarily placed Marianne and her younger brother in a Jewish orphanage. This is where she met Harry, her future husband.
Having experienced the aftermath of Kristallnacht, and following a brief family reunion, her aunt arranged for Marianne to come to England on the Kindertransport in 1939.
After initially living in Somerset, where she worked as a domestic and nanny, Marianne moved to London. She was reunited with Harry, and they married in 1943 and settled in Maidenhead, raising two children there. In later life, Marianne relocated to Manchester and immersed herself in her new community. Marianne's resilience and strength shine through her narrative.
Marianne's book is part of the My Voice book collection.