Gretel Beer
Gretel Beer | |
|---|---|
| Born | Margaret Weidenfeld 11 July 1921 Vienna, Austria |
| Died | 11 August 2010 (aged 89) Deal, Kent, England |
| Occupation(s) | Author, journalist |
| Years active | 1950s–2000s |
| Known for | Culinary literature, travel writing |
Gretel Beer (née Margaret Weidenfeld; 11 July 1921 – 11 August 2010) was an English author of Austrian origin, known for her expertise in culinary literature and travel writing. She contributed culinary articles to publications such as The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Express.
Biography
Born into a Jewish family in Vienna, Beer was primarily raised by her aunt Olga Springer following the death of her mother when she was six years old. Her father, Dionys Weidenfeld, relocated to England and facilitated her escape from Nazi-controlled Austria through the Kindertransport program in 1939. Upon arrival in Harwich, she undertook various jobs before marrying Dr Johann (Hans) Beer in 1943. Hans, who completed legal training in both Vienna and England, subsequently practiced law in the UK. The couple resided in London’s Gray's Inn area as well as a manor house located in Deal, Kent.
Before establishing herself as a respected author and journalist in the culinary field, Beer worked within advertising and public relations. She contributed to The Daily Telegraph and Vogue, gaining acclaim for her cookery books. Maintaining close connections to Austria, she visited annually and incorporated Viennese culinary heritage into her writings. Her husband tragically died in a fire at their Kent manor house in 1981. Beer herself died in Deal in 2010.
Works
- Ice Cream Dishes, 1952
- Sandwiches for Parties and Picnics, 1953
- Classic Austrian Cooking, 1954
- The Diabetic Gourmet, 1977
- Austrian Cooking and Baking, 1975
- Austrian Cooking, 1983
- Exploring Rural Austria, 1990
- Eating Out in Austria, 1992
- A Little Hungarian Cookbook, 1993
- The QE2 Cook Book, 1999
- Austria
- The Sunday Express Cookbook
- Wieden (Polish for Vienna), co-authored with Fred Mawer, Deirdre Coffey, Rosemary Bircz, Caroline Bugler; published by Hachette Polska, Warsaw, 2009