75 years ago, Ann Elter nee Bradshaw was one of more than 90 participants preparing for the first Salzburg Seminar in American Studies. Here are a few of her thoughts on “an unforgettable six weeks.”

“After six years of isolation in England during World War 2, it was an incredibly enriching experience to travel to Salzburg in July 1947 and meet my fellow participants.

“There were not only my former enemies from Germany and Austria but neutral friends from Sweden and many bewildered displaced persons who had fled from the Balkan countries to Austria, as the Russian Army had advanced into their homelands.

“Then there were the American scholars and lecturers already partly known to us from their works but not heard before in person and the student helpers from Harvard who did all they could to enable us to live comfortably together.

“Outside the Schloss there was the magical city of Salzburg itself and the concerts and operas to which we mysteriously seemed to be given tickets, if only to sit on the steps leading down to the arena!

“All in all, it was an unforgettable six weeks which strengthened my resolve to work in the international field as soon as I possibly could and to keep in touch with my many friends, sadly now mostly departed.”