Elisabeth Furse
Encyclopedia
Elisabeth Furse was a Communist activist, World War II resistance escape route organizer, London bistro proprietress, and an early member of the Association of Cinematograph and Television Technicians (ACCT).
, East Prussia
(now Kaliningrad
), and brought up in Berlin. Her father was a Russian-speaking Latvian Jew and a wealthy textile merchant; her mother, also Jewish, a German-speaking Lithuanian from a family of rich corn merchants. She was nicknamed "Lisl" by an aunt, from which she derived Elisabeth, the name she later adopted for herself.
, and in her early twenties collected money in France and England to help political refugees in Germany to escape the Nazis.
In 1934, she married Bertie Coker, a fellow Communist. It was a marriage of convenience
for a new nationality and legal residence outside Germany, where her activities with the Communists put her at risk of arrest and execution by the Gestapo
. She left the Communist movement in 1934.
. Their son, Anthony Haden-Guest
was born in 1937. The marriage was dissolved in 1945.
Elisabeth was in France when war broke out. She made her way to Marseilles, where she joined MI9
and helped those opposed to the Germans to escape occupied France, using the famed escape line in France, the Pat Line with Ian Garrow
. Her group was eventually betrayed, and after her release she returned to London.
She spent the rest of the war on the Devon estate of Patrick John Dolignon Furse (1918–2005), a British artist who was to become her third husband. They had four children, John Furse
, Katharine (Katya), Anna and Sara.
In 1953 she started The Bistro behind London's Royal Court Theatre
with her husband. Under her eccentric management, The Bistro became a regular haunt of various journalists, politicians, artists and society figures, many of whom went on to become well-known public figures.
Early life
She was born Louise Ruth Wolpert in KönigsbergKönigsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
, East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
(now Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad is a seaport and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea...
), and brought up in Berlin. Her father was a Russian-speaking Latvian Jew and a wealthy textile merchant; her mother, also Jewish, a German-speaking Lithuanian from a family of rich corn merchants. She was nicknamed "Lisl" by an aunt, from which she derived Elisabeth, the name she later adopted for herself.
Political activist
As a teenager she joined the Communist PartyCommunist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
, and in her early twenties collected money in France and England to help political refugees in Germany to escape the Nazis.
In 1934, she married Bertie Coker, a fellow Communist. It was a marriage of convenience
Marriage of convenience
A marriage of convenience is a marriage contracted for reasons other than the reasons of relationship, family, or love. Instead, such a marriage is orchestrated for personal gain or some other sort of strategic purpose, such as political marriage. The phrase is a calque of - a marriage of...
for a new nationality and legal residence outside Germany, where her activities with the Communists put her at risk of arrest and execution by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
. She left the Communist movement in 1934.
Cinematography
She was one of the earliest members (no. 35) of the Association of Cinematograph and Television Technicians (ACCT; founded in 1933).World War II
Her second marriage was to Peter Haden-GuestPeter Haden-Guest, 4th Baron Haden-Guest
Peter Haden-Guest, 4th Baron Haden-Guest , was a British United Nations diplomat and member of the British House of Lords...
. Their son, Anthony Haden-Guest
Anthony Haden-Guest
Anthony Haden-Guest is a British-American writer, reporter, cartoonist, art critic, poet, and socialite who lives in New York and London. He is a frequent contributor to major magazines and has had several books published.-Family:...
was born in 1937. The marriage was dissolved in 1945.
Elisabeth was in France when war broke out. She made her way to Marseilles, where she joined MI9
MI9
MI9, the British Military Intelligence Section 9, was a department of the British Directorate of Military Intelligence, part of the War Office...
and helped those opposed to the Germans to escape occupied France, using the famed escape line in France, the Pat Line with Ian Garrow
Ian Garrow
Captain Ian Garrow was a Scottish army officer with the Highland Light Infantry. Following the surrender of the Highland 51st Division at Saint-Valéry-en-Caux on the Normandy coast on 12 June 1940, Garrow evaded to Vichy France where he was interned....
. Her group was eventually betrayed, and after her release she returned to London.
She spent the rest of the war on the Devon estate of Patrick John Dolignon Furse (1918–2005), a British artist who was to become her third husband. They had four children, John Furse
John Furse (director)
John Furse is a film and television director/writer/producer, son of Patrick and Elisabeth Furse .-Work:...
, Katharine (Katya), Anna and Sara.
In 1953 she started The Bistro behind London's Royal Court Theatre
Royal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre on Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is noted for its contributions to modern theatre...
with her husband. Under her eccentric management, The Bistro became a regular haunt of various journalists, politicians, artists and society figures, many of whom went on to become well-known public figures.