Coolabah, Nr 26, 2019, ISSN 1988-5946, Observatori: Centre d’Estudis Australians i 

Transnacionals / Observatory: Australian and Transnational Studies Centre, 

Universitat de Barcelona 
 

1 
 

 

Introduction 

 

Susan Ballyn & Elisa Morera de la Vall 

 

Copyright©2019 Susan Ballyn & Elisa Morera de la Vall. 

This text may be archived and redistributed both in 

electronic form and in hard copy, provided that the author 

and journal are properly cited and no fee is charged, in 

accordance with our Creative Commons Licence. 

 

When Anna Mow, Serge Liberman’s widow, wrote to us both to tell us Serge 

had died, we were stunned. We had no idea he had been ill nor so tragically 

terminally so. We both felt that we had lost a dear friend and a wonderful 

writer and thinker. Serge was always willing to help and when Elisa decided 

to do her PhD on Jewish Australian writing with me as her supervisor, Serge 

facilitated contacts, allowed her access to his own library and advised wisely. 

I could not have had a better ally in supervising Elisa’s work. In his usual 

quiet generous way Serge was thrilled with Elisa’s thesis and remained in 

contact over the years. 

We were truly honoured when he came to lecture to the students at the 

University of Barcelona. We met for coffee before the lecture and Serge 

seemed totally at ease. That was until we stood waiting outside the lecture 

room. His nervousness became patent and he seemed anxious. Once 

introduced, however, he began in his quiet engaging way, his eyes lighting 

up as the students responded to him, his smile ever present and away he went 

to give a truly magnificent lecture. A version of that lecture is reproduced 

for the first time in this volume of Coolabah. We had left time for questions 

after the lecture, but it proved not to be enough. The questions continued as 

the students swarmed around the desk and then outside the classroom. 

The last time we saw Serge was when he came to Barcelona as part of a tour 

of Sephardi Spain. Anna was with him. Before coming he sent us a wealth 

of material on the itinerary that they were following and articles relevant to 

the tour. When we met, he was absolutely shining with delight at being able 

to see us, but even more at being able to do the tour which must have been 

very grueling given the lectures included at each place visited and the route 



Coolabah, Nr 26, 2019, ISSN 1988-5946, Observatori: Centre d’Estudis Australians i 

Transnacionals / Observatory: Australian and Transnational Studies Centre, 

Universitat de Barcelona 
 

2 
 

itself. Generous as always, Serge later sent a detailed summary of the 

experience. 

When we received the news from Anna that Serge had died, both of us felt 

that we had to do something in his memory and a volume of Coolabah 

seemed appropriate. Anna’s support was invaluable in all stages of this sad 

venture and she gave us permission to publish the lecture he gave to the 

students. All the contributors were close to Serge and each has written in the 

way they have felt fit to honor Sege’s legacy as a writer, medical practitioner, 

intellectual, his profound humanity and understanding of human nature. 

Serge left behind him what we call “a golden wake” for others to follow. His 

life and work are an example to us all of passion and humanity. He will not 

be forgotten.  

 

Sue Ballyn 

Elisa Morera de la Vall 

Barcelona 2019  

 
Serge amidst books (courtesy Anna Mow)