AustLit

Ann Lehtmets was born in Karula in southern Estonia, and was educated at a Girls' College. She married Elmar Aleksander Lehtmets and they had two children. They lived in Rakvere, where her husband was Editor-in-Chief of the principal newspaper and Ann worked at a dress shop and was Commissioner of Guides and active in local community service. In 1941 her husband was arrested and accused of subversive activity, and Ann was transported to Siberia where for seventeen years she was forced to live and work in appalling conditions. Many years later she was informed that her husband had been shot. In 1957 she was allowed to return to Estonia and in 1960 she was united with her daughter in Adelaide. Her autobiography was narrated to her son-in-law, Douglas Hoile.