Roszi Sulan z'I
Roszi Sulan z’l was born in Bratislava on 15th September 1907. She was one of 7 children. She met and married Kurt Sulan, before the outbreak of the Second World War.
During the war she was in Theresienstadt concentration camp and Kurt was based in England with the Czech army. After the war they reunited. Her brothers survived and two of them went to Israel. Her youngest brother had gone to Israel well before the war. Her sisters died during the war as did her parents.
She had one son, now Justice John Sulan. Roszi defied medical advice as she had been told that she was at risk if she became pregnant and bore a child. Her health had been severely compromised from her years of captivity.
Roszi had strong political views. She was a socialist. Her husband wanted to get out of Europe after the war and they arrived in Australia by cargo boat in 1949.
Roszi was fluent in Czech, Hungarian, German, French and English.
In Australia she taught languages including Latin at a number of schools in Adelaide and Burnie, Tasmania where they lived for four years from 1956 to 1960. Former students including her daughter in law, Ali remember her with great fondness. She was known for her feisty personality. She spoke her mind.
She was a great supporter of Israel and active in the Jewish community.
Roszi Sulan was President of WIZO State Council of SA and said in the last paragraph of her President’s Report (in 1968), “Before ending these few remarks, I must tell you how happy I am that a cherished dream of mine came true. A young WIZO group, “Ilana” was established during the Queen Competition. This young group has already proved that they are well aware of our aims and duties, and I feel confident that they will carry on the tradition of WIZO in South Australia. Welcome, Ilana, into the family of WIZO, and congratulations to your young President, Miss Miriam Zimmet.”
Although she came from a religious background she was more a secular Jew than a religious one.
She died in 1970 not long after her 63rd birthday. We imagine the war years contributed to her premature death.