The family business was in industrial diamonds. We moved to Belgium. I graduated from dental school in 1935. In 1940, my older sister lived in Amsterdam; my brother was studying medicine in America. Our parents were on a trip to South Africa and my two younger sisters had just arrived in Belgium for a visit. On May 10, Germany invaded Holland and Belgium. I drove to France with my younger sisters. We missed our ship, a freighter bound for Morocco. We later learned it was torpedoed and sunk by the Germans.
We drove through France, Spain, and Portugal having harrowing experiences. From Portugal we telegraphed our parents who were now in America. Our parents sent money and tickets for passage. I was detained in New York by U.S. Customs who were suspicious that I was a German spy since I had escaped from the Nazis. After three weeks I was released.