Melanie blatt masterchef
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Program: A Contrary Woman
Born in 1906, Ruth Blatt was 'a woman of the twentieth century'. She made her own choices on all its big issues: religion, sex and politics—abandoning Judaism at 16, marrying and divorcing whom she chose, and joining the resistance against Hitler.
In 1934 Ruth was caught smuggling anti-Nazi leaflets secreted in her underwear. She was sentenced to five years hard labour. When she was released WW II had broken out, and she managed, miraculously, to flee Germany on the last boat to leave Europe for Shanghai. Ruth spent seven years there before coming to Australia in 1947.
Ruth never speaks of her own courage. Instead, she simply says, 'I have always been contrary'. This feature offers a moving portrait of this extraordinary individual, of what it takes to make hard decisions in hard times, and of the understatedness of heroism.
This program was first broadcast on Radio Eye in 2001.
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Program: A Contrary Woman
Born in 1906, Ruth Blatt was 'a woman of the twentieth century.' She made her own choices on all its big issues: religion, sex and politics - abandoning Judaism at sixteen, marrying and divorcing whom she chose, and joining resistance against Hitler. In 1934 Ruth was caught smuggling anti-Nazi leaflets in her underwear into Germany. She was sentenced to five years hard labour. When she was released WW II had broken out, and she managed, miraculously, to flee Germany on the last boat to leave Europe for Shanghai. Ruth spent seven years there before coming to Australia in 1947.
Ruth never speaks of her own courage. Instead, she simply says, 'I have always been contrary.' A Contrary Woman is a moving portrait of this extraordinary Australian, of what it takes to make hard decisions in hard times, and of the understatedness of heroism.
Sound Engineer: Andrei Shabunov
Producer: Anna Funder
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Q&A: Australian author Anna Funder
Miles Franklin Award
. She spoke to SBS about what motivates her writing, the issues of refuge and exile, and gender equality in literary prizes.Interview by Farid Farid, SBS.
Anna Funder
was born in Melbourne and grew up in Australia and Paris. She lives in New York.Stasiland: True Stories From Behind The Berlin Wall tells the personal stories of people who resisted East Germany's communist regime and some of those who worked for the secret police, the Stasi.
Her first novel, All That I Am, is a story of love, war friendship and betrayal and is based on real people and events. A tight-knit group of friends and lovers became outlaws in Germany when Hitler came to power in 1933. United in their resistance they flee to London, which was not the safe-haven they expected. One of the narrators of the story is Ruth Blatt.
1. How did your friends