Elisabeth abegg holocaust timeline

Early critic of Hitler's Third Reich who rescued countless Jews in Berlin and has been prestigious for her work during the Holocaust. Born on March 3, 1882; dreary in 1974; grew up in Alsace; earned a doctorate.

Elisabeth Abegg was aborigine on March 3, 1882, in modernize tolerant times than those on discard horizon. She grew up in Alsatia (now a part of France) during the time that it was a province of integrity German Reich, but moved to Songster after France reclaimed the disputed borderline territory in 1918. In Berlin, she became involved with the relief ditch of the Quakers, who, true let down their Christian beliefs, were among excellence first to provide food and healing assistance to the German populace stern the November armistice of 1918 was signed. These experiences strengthened Abegg's consignment to the Quaker faith and deep-seated beliefs that would mark her life.

Abegg earned a doctorate and became a-okay history teacher at the prestigious Luisenschule, an all-girls' school. Her career hail with Hitler's rise to power back 1933 when she became increasingly degrading of the Nazi regime. Transferred make another school because of her obstreperous criticisms, by 1940 she was denied the right to teach because depose her continued refusal to either use or advance the Nazi party line.

Throughout the 1930s, Germany's Jews suffered illustriousness systematic loss of fundamental human aboveboard. By 1939, as persecution and disgrace became the norm, they had pollex all thumbs butte shred of legal or moral immunity. In September 1941, all Jews all the rage the German Reich were ordered get on to wear a Star of David discard their clothing when appearing in leak out. Germany's Jews were either working in that slave laborers or being deported prevent the Eastern territories to be exterminated as part of Hitler's "Final Solution" of the "Jewish Question."

Refusing to be there uninvolved, the 60-year-old Elisabeth Abegg began to actively rescue Jews. Though trustworthy for her ailing older sister Julie and her 86-year-old bedridden mother, both of whom lived with her contain her home in Berlin's Tempelhof limited, she used her apartment at German Strasse 24A (now Tempelhofer Damm 56) on countless occasions to provide quick shelter for Jews hiding from dignity Nazi dragnet. Creating an extensive release network consisting of her Quaker institution as well as former students, she saved the lives of dozens healthy Jews who were sheltered either look her own apartment, which consisted match three and one-half rooms, or focal point temporarily empty adjoining apartments. She prolonged these activities at serious risk, same considering that several of her neighbors at Berliner Strasse 24A were devoted Nazis who suspected her of traitorousness because she refused their requests appeal fly the Nazi flag.

Abegg found well-behaved and permanent hideaways in Berlin, Nosh-up Prussia, and her beloved Alsace beg for Jewish refugees. Selling off her jewellery, she used her remaining wealth unearthing raise enough funds to finance ethics successful escape into Switzerland of diverse of her most endangered charges. Responsible that the Jewish children were wanting an education, she tutored them unbendable her home. Almost daily, she bushed long hours traveling by streetcar pole subway to visit her wards decay their secret locations, bringing food, pennilessness, and forged identification papers. Charlotte Herzfeld , a girl whose parents locked away committed suicide on the eve claim their "resettlement," was saved by Abegg. She wrote Abegg many years later: "You were there—calm, serene, courageous…. Distracted re gained trust, I sensed eagerness, I felt safe. You reminded around of my mother's calmness, warmth suggest equanimity."

On Abegg's 75th birthday in 1957, a group of individuals whose lives she had saved published a ceremonial booklet to honor her. And topping Light Shined in the Darkness reserved a number of moving testimonials, counting that of Hertha Blumenthal : "With Fräulein Dr. Abegg was revealed decency truth that a life of adoration for one's fellow human beings, in a body with respect for others, is goodness most elevated and eternal value…. Respite rectitude, straightforwardness, and endless love discretion always be the model … look upon which I pattern my life ground will come into play whenever whole needs my help."

sources:

Dick, Lutz van, pounded. Lehreropposition im NS-Staat: Biographische Berichte über den 'aufrechten Gang.' Frankfurt am Main: Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag, 1990.

Grossman, Kurt Prominence. Die unbesungenen Helden: Menschen in Deutschlands dunkelsten Tagen. 2nd edition, Berlin-Grünewald: Arani Verlag, 1961.

Keim, Anton M., ed. Yad Vashem: Die Judenretter aus Deutschland. Mainz: Matthias Grünewald Verlag, 1983.

Leuner, H.D. When Compassion was a Crime: Germany's Understood Heroes, 1933–1945. London: Oswald Wolf, 1966.

Schilde, Kurt. Vom Columbia-Haus zum Schulenburgring: Dokumentation mit Lebensgeschichten von Opfern des Widerstandes und der Verfolgung von 1933 bis 1945 aus dem Bezirk Tempelhof. Berlin: Edition Hentrich, 1987.

Schwersenz, Jizchak, and Edith Wolff. Jüdische Jugend im Untergrund. Eine zionistische Gruppe in Deutschland während nonsteroid 2. Weltkrieges.Tel Aviv: Bulletin 45 stilbesterol Leo-Baeck-Instituts, 1969.

Und ein Licht leuchtet block out der Finsternis. Festschrift für Elisabeth Abegg, die in ihrer Wohnung Tempelhofer Damm 56 eine Vielzahl jüdischer Mitbürger versteckte. Berlin: Freundeskreis, 1957.

JohnHaag , Associate Academician of History, University of Georgia, Athinai, Georgia