Abstract

Subject	Italian letters
	Jews–Migrations
	War stories
	World War, 1939-1945–Europe
	World War, 1939-1945–Refugees
Category	4. World War II
Author	Ceen family
Keywords	Jewish
	Italian immigrants
Person	Ceen, Albert Ceen
Current Holder	State Library of New South Wales
Series Number	YezvdkK9
Item Number	MLMSS 6735
Access Rights	Request at location
Country Of Origin	Italy
	Australia
Language	Italian
	English
Description From Source	The Ceen (formerly Coen) family were Italian Jewish refugees who fled Fascist religious persecution at home for sanctuary in Australia on the eve of World War II. Fearful of future recriminations against them owing to their Jewish background, they changed their names by deed poll shortly after arriving in Melbourne in March 1939. Albert Ceen, his wife Flavia and two sons Guy and Allan settled there temporarily. The boys converted to Catholicism and attended Xavier College, Kew. Albert, a businessman, joined the Australian subsidiary of an Argentinian agricultural company with whom he had been employed in Italy. As a non-interned alien, Albert was eligible for compulsory national service under the National Security regulations. Classified by the Army as a friendly and refugee enemy alien, Albert was eligible to enlist in the Army’s Employment Companies. He served in the 6th Australian Employment Company at Tocumwal, N.S.W., from May 1942 to Aug. 1943. Promoted to the rank of Corporal, Albert’s duties changed from heavy labouring jobs to book-keeping. A talented artist, he sketched fellow refugee recruits, and depicted camp life and Company activities. He illustrated and compiled issues of The Hook, the unit’s wall magazine which was pinned to the camp noticeboard, and designed sets for the Company’s dramatic performances staged in the town. Naturalised in 1944, he left a year later to take up an executive position with his pre-war employer in New York. Albert and his family were reunited in October 1946. (From https://collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/YezvdkK9) ontents I. Correspondence and printed material, 1923-1949, 1992-1998 II.Pictorial material, including sketchbooks, drawings, cartoons and caricatures Presented by Guido Ceen and Allan Ceen in 1997 and 1998 / The Italians in New South Wales Project
Physical Format	Letters
	Photographs
	Drawing
	Paintings
	Postcards
	Pictures
	Magazine
Related Resources	Albert Ceen: drawings of friends 1939-1942, Call Numbers: PXD 819 (v.1)
	Ceen family – correspondence and printed material, 1923-1949, with related notes and select translations of Italian letters by Guy Ceen, 1997-1998, and a note by Flavia Ceen, 22 Sept. 1992
Bibliographic Citation	Date Accessed	2022-06-15

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