Rosine Guiterman

Rosine Guiterman (1886–1960) was a Sydney activist, teacher, poet and humanitarian.

Early life

Guiterman was born Rosine Lion in London in 1886 and came to Australia with her family in 1893. She matriculated from high school and enrolled in Arts at Sydney University. She had a great love of Shakespeare's plays, this love having been instilled in her since early childhood by her mother. Her interest in Shakespeare came to the notice of Sir Mungo MacCallum, Sydney University's foundation Professor of Modern Language and Literature, and he inspired her to a lifetime study of Shakespeare. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1908.

In 1911 she gained her Master of Arts degree in English, having achieved considerable prominence as a poet. Indeed, her poem "Sic Vos Non Vobis" (''Thus do ye, but not for yourselves'') won the coveted Sydney University Prize for English verse. She was the first woman to achieve this distinction.

While at Sydney University she was very active in student activities, particularly in the Dramatic Society which gave her the skills which she would put to good use in her later commitment to theatre in Sydney. She also joined the Sydney University Women's Social Service Society and served on its committee from 1908 to 1910, being secretary from 1908 to 1909. In May 1909 she was instrumental in the Society and helped found the Sydney University Settlement which continues to provide social welfare services in the Chippendale and South Sydney area. This was an early indication of her strong commitment to social causes that was to be such an important part of her later life. It was in this period she became a close friend of the Australian feminist Jessie Street and other early social activists.

Travels

In 1911, Rosine set off for London by boat, and she fell in love with a businessman, David Guiterman, who had boarded the ship in Colombo, Sri Lanka. By the time they reached England they were engaged. David Guiterman was, and always remained, a convinced socialist, with progressive ideas on religion, politics and human morality. Until they met, such explicit political ideas had never come Rosine's way.

From 1911 to 1912 Rosine Lion with her sister, a trained kindergarten teacher, travelled extensively in France and Germany, teaching as she went. She then returned to Australia and Rosine and David were married at the Great Synagogue, Sydney on 10 September 1913. Their twenty-nine years of married life, in spite of much trouble, were happy. Their married life began with very bright prospects, David having been appointed to represent a German firm doing good business in Australia. However, eleven months later the First World War broke out. There followed a period of increasing social repression in Australia, in which the Australian government destroyed the white multiculturalism and plurality that had characterized pre-World War I Australia. This was to particularly affect those many Australians of German descent and heritage or those, like David Guiterman, who were associated with this large and vibrant component of Australian society.

In this atmosphere of repression, the Australian Government confiscated the assets of David's firm, including his own money, and things became very difficult indeed for the newlyweds. David was an American of German descent, with a German name. In consequence David found it impossible to get another job. Rosine was ostracised by many former friends and even urged by some to leave her husband "at least for the duration of the war". It was strongly suggested that David Guiterman should change his name, but this he proudly refused to do, saying that it was a name that his parents and grandparents had borne with honour. His stand was almost universally condemned. They were both unalterably opposed to war as a method of settling international disputes and did not fear to say so. Rosine proudly stood by him and with unshakable courage had her first experience of taking an unpopular stance. In all likelihood it was this experience that led her to fight for the rest of her life for social inclusion, tolerance and human rights.