Elisabeth Heyward

Infobox Person
name = Elisabeth Heyward


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birth_date = October 8, 1919
birth_place = Russia flagicon|Russia flagicon|France
death_date = July 29, 2007
death_place = New York
education =
occupation = Interpreter (retired) flagicon|UN
spouse =
parents =
children =

Elisabeth Heyward was one of the participating interpreters during the Nuremberg Trials (1945-1949) held in the city of Nuremberg, Germany after World War II. [http://www.comares.com Baigorri-Jalón, Jesús. La interpretación de conferencias: el nacimiento de una profesión - de Paris a Nuremberg. Editorial Comares: 2000] ISBN 84-8444-055-9] She was the wife of the late Dick Heyward, former senior deputy executive director of UNICEF. UNICEFUSA.org [http://www.unicefusa.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=duLRI8O0H&b=1343323&ct=1269939 “2005 Archive: UNICEF Mourns Death of Dick Heyward - Beloved and Influential UNICEF Senior Statesman Dies at 90”, New York, 04 August 2005] , retrieved on May 30, 2007] UNICEF.org [http://www.unicef.org/media/media_27855.html "Press Release: UNICEF Mourns Death of Dick Heyward - Beloved and Influential UNICEF Senior Statesman Dead at 90", 04 August 2005] , retrieved on May 30, 2007]

Biography

Exodus from Russia

Elisabeth Heyward was born on October 8, 1919 in St. Petersburg, Russia. After the Russian Revolution - a year after her birth - Heyward’s family left St. Petersburg. In 1920, she was among a mass of Russian migrants diverging into Berlin. Four years later, Heyward’s family left Germany to settle in Paris, France. A few years after World War I - at the age of five - Heyward had the overwhelming task of attending a school in Paris without any knowledge of the French language. At home, Heyward speaks Russian language Russian with her parents although they are fluent in German; the latter being the outcome of having resided in Berlin for four years.

In France

Later in life, Heyward attended a French school that offered advanced studies in trade and commerce. Although the said educational institution was male-dominated, in terms of number, Heyward became fluent in English and won first prize during an English-language competition. At that time, however, the French government failed to recognize this notable linguistic accomplishment because Heyward has not yet earned French citizenship.

After World War II, Heyward was able to demonstrate her talent as a polyglot while working at the "France Presse" news agency. Heyward’s experience at "France Presse" eventually led to her interpreting career, first during the Nuremberg Trials and then for the United Nations in New York. [http://webeus.usal.es Baigorri-Jalón, Jesús. Barr, Anne (English Translation from Spanish). Interpreters at the United Nations: A History. Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca:2004.] - ISBN 84-7800-643-5]

Book excerpts

*Quotation|"Elisabeth Heyward was literally thrown in the deep end. The day she arrived in Nuremberg she went into the visitors' gallery, where she was astonished to see and hear simultaneous interpreting. The next day in the courtroom she had to launch into simultaneous interpreting herself. She survived this "baptism by fire" most successfully...A fair number of those who worked as interpreters in Nuremberg became and remained professional interpreters."-"from the "Origins of Simultaneous Interpretation: The Nuremberg Trial" by Francesca Gaiba, 1988" [http://www.aiic.net/ViewPage.cfm/article149.htm Morris, Ruth "September 2000 - Legal & Court Interpreting - "Justice in Four Languages or "Interpreters and Mistresses": "Review of 'The Origins of Simultaneous Interpretation: The Nuremberg Trial' by Francesca Gaiba, 1998"] , date retrieved: May 28, 2007]

In New York

At the United Nations headquarters in New York, Heyward joined the French Section of the Interpretation Service. She later occupied the post of Head of the French Section until her retirement in 1981. After officially leaving the U.N. as a permanent staff member, Heyward continued working as a freelance interpreter until April 17, 2004.

References

ee also

*List of UN Interpreters
* [http://un-interpreters.org/index.html United Nations Interpretation Service Website,date retrieved: 28 May 2007]
* [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1309/is_n3_v28/ai_11547959/print Interpreters: Inside the Glass Booth by Elsa B. Endrst, The UN Chronicle, United Nations Publications (1991), Gale Group (2004), date retrieved: 28 May, 2007]