Sculptor Karl Duldig and his wife Slawa (neé Horowitz), an artist and inventor, escaped from Vienna together with their baby daughter Eva in 1938.
After stops in Switzerland and Singapore, the family arrived in Australia on September 25, 1940.
After almost two years of internment at Tatura they Duldigs eventually settled in Melbourne.
"My parent´s life can be seen as an inspiration to many. One is able to survive horrible times, to live through them and undergo a transformation." (Eva de Jong-Duldig)
Besides teaching in private schools, both Karl and Slawa continued their artistic work once they settled in Australia.
Eva graduated from Melbourne University and worked as a teacher. Encouraged by her father Karl, who played soccer and tennis, Eva also became a leading Australian tennis player and reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 1961.
After getting married to her Dutch husband, Henri, Eva also represented the Netherlands.
After her parents had passed away, Eva restored the family home and in 2002, she facilitated the establishment of a not-for-profit public museum, the Duldig Studio.
The gallery comprises works of art including paintings, furniture and documents from the family´s time in Vienna, Singapore and Melbourne.
SBS German paid Eva a visit at the Duldig Studio. Listen to a two-part series (in German) to learn more about the family.
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In August 2017, Eva launched her memoirs "Driftwood - Escape and Survival through Art".
"It tells my family´s story. It´s about our past - but our future as well." (Eva de Jong-Duldig)
Visit the Duldig Studio in Malvern East. Please find more information here.
