Hedwig Benz

Hedwig ‘Hedy’ Benz was a pioneering interpreter whose work substantially enhanced healthcare access for migrant women in post-war Melbourne. As the first full-time interpreter at the Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital, she enabled non-English-speaking women to understand, provide informed consent for, and actively participate in their own care during a period when such access was not guaranteed.

Born in 1910 in Brig, Switzerland, Hedwig Schläpfer was raised in a multilingual household, speaking both French and Swiss German within a large, close-knit family where conversations frequently shifted between dialects. Her early life was marked by complexity. After her mother died when she was very young, she was cared for by an aunt until her father, a train driver, remarried to support the family of five young children. Her stepmother took on the responsibility of raising Hedy and her four brothers, all under the age of ten. A commitment to helping others was central to her upbringing, shaped both by her mother’s vow to serve as a nurse and the resilience of the women who raised her. Among several siblings, she was described as energetic and mischievous, a ‘tomboy’ shaped by growing up alongside brothers.

‘It was a very, very rewarding job. Not easy always, but those were the happiest days of my life.’

She migrated to Australia in the late 1940s, confronting an uncertain future. After undertaking various jobs, she discovered her vocation in hospital work while adapting to a new language, culture, and healthcare system. Upon arrival, she met and married fellow Swiss migrant Wilhelm Benz, and together they established their lives in Australia.

Reflecting on her migration, she described it as ‘the best [decision] I ever made,’ noting, ‘Australia offers a lot. You have more opportunities here’. This outlook was grounded in a strong ethic of service. Her husband later observed that both had been raised with the guiding principle: ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’.

Her personal experiences with migration and language barriers subsequently informed her approach to supporting others, particularly women navigating childbirth and medical care in unfamiliar settings.

Her entry into interpreting began almost by chance during a hospital stay in Melbourne, but soon became a deliberate pursuit. ‘One of the nurses had an Italian patient who couldn’t speak English … I thought, that’s my chance: to become an interpreter in Australia.’

In 1956, Hedy began working at the Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital as its first full-time interpreter. During this period, Melbourne underwent significant demographic changes. Thousands of women from Europe and the Middle East gave birth at the hospital, many with limited or no English proficiency. Communication often relied on gestures, fragmented language, or children acting as informal interpreters.

Hedy’s role transformed these dynamics. She facilitated clear communication between doctors, midwives, and patients, thereby supporting informed consent, dignity, and safety during vulnerable moments. Women could ask questions, understand procedures, and express concerns in their own languages. Her work became central to her identity and reflected a profound sense of responsibility to those she assisted.

She pursued a 17-year career as an interpreter in multiple languages, including French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Greek. When asked to interpret in Greek, she learned the language, stating, ‘If Greek people who haven’t had any schooling can learn English, well, I can learn Greek.’

This determination, combined with empathy, defined her approach. Hedy recognised that language was only one aspect of the barrier; culture, trust, and dignity were equally significant. She frequently assisted staff in understanding patients as whole individuals, each with distinct expectations regarding modesty, family roles, and medical authority.

Her work also alleviated the burden placed on English-speaking children of migrants, who were often expected to translate complex and distressing medical information for their mothers. By professionalising interpreting, she returned responsibility to the institution, where it properly belonged.

Over time, her efforts contributed to establishing interpreting as an essential component of hospital operations. What began as a single position expanded into a service supporting numerous languages, reflecting Melbourne’s increasing diversity. By the mid-1980s, the hospital employed 12 interpreters covering 14 languages.

Hedy remained at the hospital until her retirement in 1971, a decision made with genuine reluctance due to her deep connection to the work and those she served. She considered herself integral to the hospital’s daily operations and was committed to ensuring patients were understood.

In recognition of her service, she received the British Empire Medal in 1972. Characteristically modest, she seldom mentioned this achievement, and family members only learned of it later.

Outside her professional life, Hedy was remembered for her generosity, warmth, and deep commitment to others. She remained active in her community, supporting charities and local organisations, and was recognised for uplifting those around her.

She was playful and community-minded, known for her humour and kindness. She knitted toys for children, often giving them away, and spent hours playing games, reading, and learning. Family members recall her singing French songs, playing cards in lively multilingual gatherings, and switching easily between languages, even initiating conversations with strangers.

Family members remember Hedy for her optimism and perspective. ‘Aunty was always positive; she never complained about her aches and pains … she would always say there was someone worse off, and that made her feel blessed.’

Her advice in later life reflected this perspective: ‘In old age, never sit down and talk with your friends about your aches and pains. Be thankful for what you’ve got’.

She often downplayed her professional achievements, telling family she had simply ‘been helping hundreds of children and considered them her own’. Family members also recall her humour, such as hiding a tin of biscuits at Christmas so no one else could get to them.

Hedy maintained strong ties to her Swiss heritage, preserving traditions, language, and connections. Later in life, while residing in Cooroy, Queensland, she described the appeal of community life: ‘To live in a small town … is absolutely fantastic. People are very kind … they treat you as a person, not a number’.

Hedwig Benz passed away in 2006. Her legacy is characterised by quiet yet profound transformation. Those who knew her described her impact as a ‘heritage of service’, grounded in a lifelong commitment to helping others.

Through her work, she ensured that migrant women were not marginalised within the healthcare system and that language no longer posed a barrier to dignity, autonomy and care. Her contributions lie at the intersection of migration, women’s health, and public service, domains that remain central to Victoria’s social fabric today.