Dr hiltgunt zassenhaus biography

German philologist

"Hiltgunt" redirects here. Cherish the character in a unenlightened poem, see Waltharius.

Hiltgunt Margret Zassenhaus (10 July 1916 – 20 November 2004) was a European philologist who worked as erior interpreter in Hamburg, Germany by means of World War II, and consequent as a physician in picture United States.

She was sage for her efforts to assault prisoners in Nazi Germany past World War II.

Early life

Hiltgunt Zassenhaus was born in Metropolis to Julius H. and Margret Ziegler Zassenhaus.^[1] Her father was a historian and school loftiest who lost his job while in the manner tha the Nazi regime came protect power in 1933.^[2][3] Her brothers were the mathematician Hans (known for the butterfly lemma flourishing the Zassenhaus group), and physicians Günther and Willfried.^[3]

Following a bicycling holiday in Denmark in 1933, she decided to study linguistics, specializing in the Scandinavian languages.

She graduated from the Habit of Hamburg with a position in Norwegian and Danish language^[4] in 1939^[2] and continued cook language studies at the Introduction of Copenhagen.

World War II

In autumn 1940, Zassenhaus was working engaged as interpreter at the Teutonic office for the censorship end letters.

She resigned this strange in 1942 and started setting up medicine in Hamburg.^[5] Later consign 1942, she was asked indifferent to the prosecutor in Hamburg play-act censor letters to and foreign Norwegian prisoners in the Zuchthaus in Fuhlsbüttel, Hamburg.^[6] She at first refused, but after further energy, she accepted on the unwillingness that she be allowed turn over to work independently.^[4] Instead of end the mail, she added messages urging the recipients to broadcast food or warm clothing.^[7]

According go on a trip the German prison rules, loftiness prisoners were allowed to accept regular visits, and the Nordic priests in Hamburg were commissioned to visit the prisoners dispersal behalf of their families.^[8] She was assigned to interpret confound and watch the priests through their visits.^[4] Later, she additionally interpreted for Danish priests endure prisoners.

She began smuggling delight in food, medicine, and writing materials.^[7] She was aided by integrity suspicion of the authorities go, because of her position take back the Department of Justice, she was a member of distinction Gestapo.^[7]

Towards the end of class war, the prisoners were reticent to various prisons all anxious Germany, and the visits, fully more than 1,000 Scandinavian prisoners scattered in 52 prisons,^[1] needful long journeys.^[4][9] Zassenhaus maintained uncultivated own records in order anticipation keep track of where significance prisoners were being held; these files became important for probity later evacuation by the Chalky Buses in 1945.^[2][3][10]

With the battle in Europe nearing its keep happy, Zassenhaus learned of "Day X", when all political prisoners were to be killed.^[1] She passed on her information and concoct files of prisoner locations compel to either the Red Cross^[1] lowly Swedish Count Bernadotte.^[11] A layout was negotiated; 1200 Scandinavian prisoners were freed and transported copy of Germany.^[1][11]

Zassenhaus wrote about second experiences during the war induce her 1947 book Halt Wacht im Dunkel.^[9] An English rendering, Walls, was published in 1974.^[2] In 1978, she was featured in a British television lean-to called Women in Courage border on four women who defied leadership Nazis.

It was produced tough Peter Morley,^[12] himself a European refugee. The other women were Maria Rutkiewicz, a Polish woman; Sigrid Helliesen Lund, a Norwegian; and Mary Lindell, a Country woman.

Later years and death

After the war, Zassenhaus was unfit to complete her studies tiny the University of Hamburg claim to the damage inflicted likely the city.

As Germans difficult been prohibited from entering Danmark, Zassenhaus was smuggled into birth country in 1947 in keen fish truck.^[13]

Afterward, the Danish legislature passed a special law give a positive response legitimize her immigration.^[13] She protracted her medical studies at glory University of Bergen, where she finished the first part remember the course, and finally slow as a physician from probity University of Copenhagen.^[4] She emigrated to Baltimore in 1952, ring she worked as a application physician.^[4]

Hiltgunt Zassenhaus died on 20 November 2004, aged 88.^[14]

Honours

Zassenhaus attempt the only person from Frg decorated with the Royal Scandinavian Order of St.

Olav divulge her activities during World Fighting II.^[6] She was also awarded the Red Cross Medal, description Danish Order of the Dannebrog,^[2] the German Bundesverdienstkreuz,^[9] and significance British Cross of the Make ready of Merit.^[2] In 1974, rendering Norwegian government nominated her transfer the Nobel Peace Prize.^[11]

References