Charlotte Eisler

Born Charlotte Demant in Ternopil (now in Ukraine), her family moved to Chernivtsi where she attended school.

As a student she met composers Arnold Schönberg and Hanns Eisler.

Active in left-wing politics, Eisler was obliged to leave Vienna in 1934 for Bratislava.

Travelling back to Vienna in 1938, she learned in Prague of the invasion by Nazi Germany and subsequent Anschluss.

As a result, she travelled on to England with her son and remained there during the Second World War, finally returning to Vienna in 1946.