Frieda Piepsch Sondland - 01-May -2001 - Weaving Women's Words

About this film

Oral historian Roz Bornstein interviewed Frieda Sondland on May 1 and 17, 2001 in Mercer Island, Washington as part of the Jewish Womenâs Archive "Weaving Women's Words" project. A designer of haute couture, Frieda Sondland used her creative skills to survive the Holocaust. Born in Berlin, Germany in 1921, she married Gunther Sondland when she was sixteen and a half years old. When she was seventeen, and pregnant with her first child, Frieda and her parents were forced to leave Germany for South America. Frieda supported herself and her daughter by working as a clothing designer in Montevideo, Uruguay. Eight years later, Gunther joined them. Frieda and Gunther moved to Seattle in 1953 to reunite with Guntherâs family who had emigrated there after the war. In Seattle, Frieda worked in the alterations department for both John Doyle Bishop, and Frederick and Nelson until she and Gunther opened their dry cleaning and alterations business in West Seattle. In 1957, their son, Gordon, was born. Since arriving in the United States, Frieda has become a beloved and active member of Seattleâs Jewish community. Frieda Sondland photo: Credit Joan Roth. Joan Roth's website In the early 2000s, th…

Directors & creators

Jewish Women'€™s Archive

Subjects

Designer; Fashion; Holocaust; War; Marriage

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