MARGARET SCHERMERHORN

Recollection of David Seymour’s visits to Northern Greece
Margaret Schermerhorn, October 7, 2007

My father (and my family) was in Greece in ‘46 through ‘51 and my father worked for UNICEF directing relief work in northern Greece at the time that Mr. Seymour came to Greece to photograph children affected by war.  He accompanied my dad, Charles Schermerhorn, to deliver relief supplies to remote villages by jeep and donkey caravan, and also a trip to evacuate children from remote areas of northern Greece to hostels in the south by ship (LST) during the civil war.

Mr. Seymour came through Greece several times and always stayed with my family, where he said it was the one place he felt “at home” as my mother used to say.  He took many pictures of my family in Salonika.  On our balcony in 1949 or 50 he took a picture of me holding a cat up proudly, but firmly gripping the calm and stoic cat around the neck with both fists.  My parents wanted to take the poor creature from me but he refused to let them!  Needless to say it is one of the most memorable photos of my childhood.

My mother accompanied my father and David when my father arranged for him to take pictures one night in a huge empty warehouse in which every floor was filled with refugees sleeping.  My mother said she became very angry at David for being so “heartless”, and just snapping hundreds of photos with no sense of dismay or shock at the obviously terrible conditions that the people had survived and were still enduring.  Hours later, near morning, when they finally went outside and it was all over, she said that he staggered off and threw up.

One time my father said he heard David cursing a blue streak while photographing a small boy who was crying in the deep shadow of a doorway.  When he asked David what was wrong, he said “Why won’t the little b—- cry in the light!!??

My family adored him… and he adored them.  My mother many times over the years spoke of the amazing attractiveness of his personality.  She said that he was completely enchanting.

All my life I had heard about David Seymour from both of my parents.  They always spoke with great sadness about missing the opportunity to connect with him when the family flew home on leave in 1950 and again when we passed through northern Italy on our way back to the states in 51.

I have discovered a letter from him amongst his photos in my father’s papers.  I am sorry that I could not make out some of the words……

16 April 50 ROMA

My address.
D.R. SEYMOUR
c/o ONA
54, Via dello Mercede
ROMA

Dearest Family,
Received your letter with great delay. I was away in Sicily for 3 weeks and very
unhappy because of rainy weather.
I am awfully sorry not to receive you in Paris – it would be a real joy to introduce
you to my second city I really love and I am very pleased that you liked it anyway.  I hoped to meet all of you in Rome, but apparently you just flew through.
My Italian stay is not very successful ——— ——–, but I enjoy life and I believe I will stay here for awhile. The summer time is around and maybe we get to ——- on our “islands” project. I would like it very much and it would be for me my first, real vacation.
The Oxia shoes story is a great hit and is being published all over the world.  The UNICEF people are happy and as always the Greek pictures are the most successfull.  This, dear Charlie, is due to your help and the fact that I feel good coming to Macedonia and enjoying you and your familys company.  I assure you that Salonika is on my favorites list and I will be around in
1950.
Please write to me more about your U.S. experiences and present life in Salonika-
and ask Wanda to scrible(sic) few words.

Love to all of you
your Dave

One strong feeling I get when I look at his photos now, is how these amazing faces are so filled with dignity amongst the most trying and terrible situations, as if the travails in which they find themselves cannot possibly overshadow the magnificent qualities of the human spirit.

Margaret Schermerhorn