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Ilse Sanders, verh. Robey

Born: 02-26-1914
Faculty: Philosophical School
Category: Expelled student
Ilse SANDERS (married ROBEY), born on February 26, 1914 in Beuel near Bonn/Germany (entitled residency ('heimatberechtigt') for Vienna/Austria, Citizenship: Austria), was a daughter of Paul Sanders (1888-1948, textile ingenieur and captain i. R., until 1906 Silberstein, 1913 converted) and Käthe (nee Cording, 1890-1986) and they lived in Vienna's 7th district, Richtergasse 1a. After passing her A-levels at the high school of the "Schulverein für Beamtentöchter" in Vienna's 8th district, Langegasse 47, she enrolled at the philosophical School of the University of Vienna in fall term 1933/34 to study history and art history until the spring term 1937. 'Absolutorium' was certified on July 6th, 1938, but she could no more finish her studies or graduate and was forced to leave the University of Vienna without a diploma.

Ilse Sanders emigrated to Australia and held a variety of jobs there, including work for an American film distribution agency and an organisation which dealt with social services, immigrant education and public relations. She was also involved in the formation of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) in 1944. She returned to Europe in the trade commissioners office of an Australian embassy, and while there became foreign editor of a leading central European daily newspaper. On her return to Sydney she worked for an accountant, before becoming a medical secretary. She became a foundation member of the Bradfield branch of the Australian Democrats in 1977 (a centrist political party in Australia founded in 1977 from a merger of the Australia Party and the New Liberal Movement, both of which were descended from Liberal Party splinter groups, it was Australia's largest minor party). At the time of her first campaign she was a widow (husband Frederick Frigyes Robey, nee Robicsek, born 1898 in Košice/Slovakia, died 1978 in Australia) and had three adult children. She stressed reform of the State's education and transport systems. As candidate for the Australian Democrats she contested the following elections: New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Gordon, 1978, 1981 House of Representatives, Bradfield, 1980. She died on May 28, 2001 in Hunters Hill, New South Wales, Australia.

Lit.: information from Christine Karner, Vienna, 2009; The Australian Woman's Register; Putting Skirts on the Sacred Benches: Women Candidates for the New South Wales Parliament, Australian Women's Archives Project, 2006, http://www.womenaustralia.info/exhib/pssb/home.html; Robey, Ilse Bertha Sophie (1914-2001), in: Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-735086; www.geni.com; State Library of New South Wales/Australia - Manuscripts, oral history and pictures catalogue: interview with members of the Jewish community in Australia, Interview with Ilse Robey, 27 Nov. 1985 by Suzanne Rutland (Call No.: CY MLOH 437/27).

Herbert Posch


Nationale of Ilse Sanders, fall term 1936/37 (front), Photo: Katharina Kniefacz (c) Universitätsarchiv Wien

Nationale of Ilse Sanders, fall term 1936/37 (back), Photo: Katharina Kniefacz (c) Universitätsarchiv Wien

Nationale of Ilse Sanders, spring term 1937 (front), Photo: Katharina Kniefacz (c) Universitätsarchiv Wien

Nationale of Ilse Sanders, spring term 1937 (front), Photo: Katharina Kniefacz (c) Universitätsarchiv Wien

Nationale of Ilse Sanders, spring term 1936 (front), Photo: Katharina Kniefacz (c) Universitätsarchiv Wien

Nationale of Ilse Sanders, spring term 1936 (back), Photo: Katharina Kniefacz (c) Universitätsarchiv Wien

Formation of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) in 1944, Ilse Robey, geb. Sanders, second row, second from left.
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