AN Austrian academic is appealing for information about an artist who fled to Malvern shortly before the Second World War.

Tamara Loitfellner is writing a thesis on expressionist painter Frieda Salvendy, who was expelled from Austria in 1938 because she was Jewish.

Ms Loitfellner's colleague, Dr Erich Raithel, e-mailed the Malvern Gazette to say Frieda Salvendy died on March 24, 1965, at the Court House Nursing Home in Malvern.

He said: "We are searching for Mr C A King, who was the director at this institute, who is retired and has now moved to Australia. He visited the nursing home two years ago and must be in his 70s.

"Also are we looking for anyone who knew this artist or who owns work by Frieda Salvendy. She usually signed either with S or Salvendy."

A search through back issues of the Malvern Gazette revealed that on March 26, 1965, the following notice appeared in the deaths column: "Salvendy (Frida) - On March 24, 1965, at Malvern, great painter, grand friend."

However, no obituary appeared in that or subsequent issues.

According to Ms Loitfellner's research, Frieda Salvendy, who was born in 1887, became one of the important artists in Austrian expressionism and moved in the artistic and intellectual circles of pre-war Vienna.

She was interned, along with many other "enemy alien" emigres from Europe, on the Isle of Man in about 1940, presumably before moving to Malvern.

Anyone who can help, should contact Malvern Memories, or Dr Raithel at Schernbergstrasse 10, A-5550 Radstadt, Austria, or at office@augenarzt-dr-raithel.at.