Biography by Gerda’s son: Ian Fulton.
Gerda was born in Beuthen, Upper Silesia, Germany, the eldest of three siblings, to Sally & Meta Grunewald.
In January 1939, as a consequence of the Nazi persecution of the Jews during the Third Reich era, she was forced to flee the Country arriving in the UK. Her two siblings were also forced to flee, her young brother coming to the UK via Kindertransport. Unfortunately, her parents were not so fortunate. They were transported to Auschwitz whence they perished.
Gerda was subsequently dispersed, by the Jewish Committee, to Glasgow where she stayed the remainder of her life. In March 1941, she married the German Jewish Refugee Kurt (Charles) Fulton at South Portland Street Synagogue in the Gorbals. The couple thereafter had a son, Ian Fulton, their only child.
She was actively involved in the Scottish Refugee Centre in Sauchiehall Street (“The House on the Hill”) making life-long friends with the European refugees many of whom went on to have distinguished careers in the Arts, Sciences, Economics.
She was politically active as a committed Socialist given her life experiences. For most of her working life, she was employed by the iconic Glasgow gents outfitting firm of Slaters, at their factories in Wilson Street & Cathedral Street.
Subsequent to her retirement, she would be invited to various schools in Scotland where she recounted her personal experiences of persecution under the Nazi Regime and her consequential staunch opposition to any form of racism.
Gerda Fulton
Kurt (Charles) Fulton
Kurt, Ian, Gerda
