Unforgettable Heroine - George Prow

To the Reader:

In 1995 I heard about Steven Spielberg's Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation and offered to be interviewed. When I met Rosemary Block who came to see me prior to the actual filming, I showed her the manuscript of Unforgettable Heroine. This was my tribute to my dear wife Maria who had saved my life and the lives of others during the period of the Holocaust. I had written it originally in Polish and a friend had translated it into English.

Rosemary offered to support its publication as I had wanted a wider audience to read of my "Unforgettable Heroine". I am very grateful to Margaret Jones for tidying the English in such a way that it reads more elegantly and I appreciate the delicacy with which she approached her task.

Margaret Jones, Lucy and Stephen Chipkin and Rosemary and Julian Block are the principal sponsors of this publication and contributions were also made by Alan and Dawn Grayce and Marysia Reagle. Vanessa Block donated her services for the attractive design and layout of the book. Sister Sarah Ryan did a final proof reading.

I feel very fortunate to have had their support and the book you hold in your bands bears witness to their generosity. I am glad that many people will read of Maria's courage and I thank with all my heart those who have made it possible.

George Prow

Sydney, Australia, 1996

State Library of NSW, Oral History Programme 1996, paperback