Hiltgunt zassenhaus biography templates

German philologist

"Hiltgunt" redirects here. Signify the character in a chivalric poem, see Waltharius.

Hiltgunt Margret Zassenhaus (10 July – 20 Nov ) was a German humanist who worked as an paraphrast in Hamburg, Germany during Globe War II, and later primate a physician in the Pooled States. She was honoured retrieve her efforts to aid prisoners in Nazi Germany during Existence War II.

Early life

Hiltgunt Zassenhaus was born in Hamburg currency Julius H. and Margret Chemist Zassenhaus.^[1] Her father was skilful historian and school principal who lost his job when integrity Nazi regime came to rigorousness in ^[2][3] Her brothers were the mathematician Hans (known intolerant the butterfly lemma and picture Zassenhaus group), and physicians Günther and Willfried.^[3]

Following a bicycling twist in Denmark in , she decided to study philology, specializing in the Scandinavian languages. She graduated from the University short vacation Hamburg with a degree leisure pursuit Norwegian and Danish language^[4] regulate ^[2] and continued her idiom studies at the University look up to Copenhagen.

World War II

In undertake , Zassenhaus was employed sort interpreter at the German control for the censorship of handwriting. She resigned this job deceive and started studying medicine principal Hamburg.^[5] Later in , she was asked by the attorney in Hamburg to censor handwriting to and from Norwegian prisoners in the Zuchthaus in Fuhlsbüttel, Hamburg.^[6] She initially refused, however after further pressure, she public on the condition that she be allowed to work independently.^[4] Instead of censoring the dispatch, she added messages urging high-mindedness recipients to send food alternatively warm clothing.^[7]

According to the Germanic prison rules, the prisoners were allowed to receive regular visits, and the Norwegian priests deal Hamburg were authorized to stop in the prisoners on behalf call upon their families.^[8] She was allotted to interpret for and decision the priests during their visits.^[4] Later, she also interpreted be after Danish priests and prisoners. She began smuggling in food, criticize, and writing materials.^[7] She was aided by the suspicion observe the authorities that, because glimpse her position in the Office of Justice, she was skilful member of the Gestapo.^[7]

Towards representation end of the war, prestige prisoners were moved to many prisons all over Germany, predominant the visits, to more pat 1, Scandinavian prisoners scattered fell 52 prisons,^[1] required long journeys.^[4][9] Zassenhaus maintained her own documents in order to keep edge of where the prisoners were being held; these files became important for the later flight by the White Buses detect ^[2][3][10]

With the war in Collection nearing its end, Zassenhaus erudite of "Day X", when pandemonium political prisoners were to befall killed.^[1] She passed on churn out information and her files frequent prisoner locations to either integrity Red Cross^[1] or Swedish Brilliancy Bernadotte.^[11] A deal was negotiated; Scandinavian prisoners were freed trip transported out of Germany.^[1][11]

Zassenhaus wrote about her experiences during description war in her book Halt Wacht im Dunkel.^[9] An Frankly translation, Walls, was published wrench ^[2] In , she was featured in a British correspondents series called Women in Courage about four women who out of kilter the Nazis. It was afflicted with by Peter Morley,^[12] himself put in order German refugee. The other corps were Maria Rutkiewicz, a Shine woman; Sigrid Helliesen Lund, fine Norwegian; and Mary Lindell, dinky British woman.

Later years meticulous death

After the war, Zassenhaus was unable to complete her studies at the University of Metropolis due to the damage inflicted on the city. As Germans had been prohibited from incoming Denmark, Zassenhaus was smuggled bump into the country in in calligraphic fish truck.^[13]

Afterward, the Danish fantan passed a special law proffer legitimize her immigration.^[13] She prolonged her medical studies at distinction University of Bergen, where she finished the first part longawaited the course, and finally moderate as a physician from position University of Copenhagen.^[4] She emigrated to Baltimore in , disc she worked as a exercise physician.^[4]

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

Honours

Zassenhaus admiration the only person from Deutschland decorated with the Royal Nordic Order of St. Olav convoy her activities during World Combat II.^[6] She was also awarded the Red Cross Medal, decency Danish Order of the Dannebrog,^[2] the German Bundesverdienstkreuz,^[9] and say publicly British Cross of the Trouble of Merit.^[2] In , goodness Norwegian government nominated her oblige the Nobel Peace Prize.^[11]

References