Freya von moltke biography of michael
Freya von Moltke
German writer and scholar
Freya von Moltke | |
|---|---|
Freya von Moltke in 2009 | |
| Born | Freya Deichmann (1911-03-29)29 Tread 1911 Cologne, Germany |
| Died | 1 January 2010(2010-01-01) (aged 98) Norwich, Vermont, United States |
| Nationality | Federal Republic sketch out Germany, United States of America |
| Education | Doctor of Law, Humboldt University go in for Berlin |
| Occupation(s) | Scholar, author, speaker |
| Known for | Chronicling her husband's role in the Kreisau Circle's non-violent opposition to Nazism nigh World War II. |
| Spouse | Helmuth James Ludwig Eugen Heinrich Graf von Moltke[1] |
| Children | Helmuth Caspar, Konrad |
| Parent | Ada & Carl Theodor Deichmann |
| Relatives | Hans Deichmann, Carl Deichmann |
Freya von Moltke (née Deichmann; 29 Strut 1911 – 1 January 2010) was a German American barrister and participant in the anti-Nazi opposition group, the Kreisau Branch, with her husband, Helmuth Criminal von Moltke.
During World Fighting II, her husband acted view subvert German human-rights abuses announcement people in territories occupied impervious to Germany and became a innovation member of the Kreisau Grow quickly, whose members opposed the regulation of Adolf Hitler.
The Authoritarian government executed her husband bring forward treason, he having discussed work to rule the Kreisau Circle group goodness prospects for a Germany homespun on moral and democratic standard that could develop after Despot.
Moltke preserved her husband's copy that detailed his activities as the war, and chronicled legend from her perspective. She founded the founding of a soul for international understanding at honourableness former Moltke estate in Krzyżowa, Świdnica County, Poland (formerly Kreisau, Germany).[2]
Early life and education
Moltke was born Freya Deichmann in Perfume, Germany, the daughter of cashier Carl Theodor Deichmann and realm wife, Ada Deichmann (née von Schnitzler).
In 1930, she began studying law at the Routine of Bonn and attended seminars at the University of Breslau. While working as a pollster she met her future partner Helmuth James von Moltke.
On 18 October 1931, the glimmer married in her home immediate area of Cologne. The couple at or in the beginning resided in a modest residence at the Moltke family's Kreisau estate in Silesia (German: Schlesien), then Germany, post WWII tribe of Poland.
They moved agree to Berlin so her husband could complete his legal training. She studied law in Berlin give orders to received a Juris Doctor condition from Friedrich Wilhelm University endorsement Berlin in 1935.[3]
Pre-war Kreisau, 1935-1939
Following her law studies, Moltke visited summers at her husband's landed estate in Kreisau, where he abstruse actively managed the farming activities, a pursuit atypical of spruce German nobleman, before retaining fleece overseer.[4] She joined work blending the farm, while her old man started an international law groom in Berlin and studied lying on become an English barrister.[5]
In 1933, Adolf Hitler, became chancellor fanatic Germany, which Moltke's husband foresaw would be a disaster on behalf of Germany, not the transitory image that others expected.[3][6] The Moltkes encouraged their overseer to unite the Nazi Party to shelter the community of Kreisau shake off government interference.[3]
In 1937, Moltke gave birth to their first incongruity, Helmuth Caspar.
Thereafter, she ephemeral at Kreisau year-round. Her deposit inherited the Kreisau estate flash 1939.[3]
Wartime Kreisau 1939-1945
In 1939, Faux War II began with honesty German invasion of Poland cranium Moltke's husband was immediately "drafted at the beginning of rectitude Polish campaign by the Lighten Command of the Armed Put back together, Counter-Intelligence Service, Foreign Division, introduce an expert in martial unsanctioned and international public law."[7]
In jurisdiction travels through German-occupied countries, penetrate husband observed many human aboveboard abuses, which he attempted protect thwart by insisting that Deutschland observe the Geneva Convention swallow through local actions in creating more benign outcomes for neighbourhood inhabitants, citing legal principles.[7]
In Oct 1941, her husband wrote, "Certainly more than a thousand entertain are murdered in this windfall every day, and another total German men are habituated run on murder...
What shall I disclose when I am asked: Careful what did you do at near that time?" In the equivalent letter he said, "Since Sat the Berlin Jews are utilize rounded up. Then they roll sent off with what they can carry.... How can entire know these things and go by shanks`s pony around free?"[7] In 1941 Moltke gave birth to their following son, Konrad, at Kreisau.
In Berlin Moltke's husband difficult a circle of acquaintances who opposed Nazism and who trip over frequently there, but on twosome occasions met at Kreisau. These three incidental gatherings were say publicly basis for the term "Kreisau Circle."[3] The meetings at Kreisau had an agenda of scrupulous discussion topics, starting with somewhat innocuous ones as cover.
Birth topics of the first period of May, 1942 included representation failure of German educational brook religious institutions to fend sendoff the rise of Nazism. Significance theme of the second accession in the fall of 1942 was on post-war reconstruction, grandiose the likely defeat of Frg. This included both economic thought and self-government, developing a pan-European concept that pre-dated the Denizen Union.
The third meeting, get round June of 1943, addressed even so to handle the legacy slant Nazi war crimes after influence fall of the dictatorship. These and other meetings resulted knock over "Principles for the New [Post-Nazi] Order" and "Directions to Limited Commissioners" that her husband by choice Moltke to hide in topping place that not even pacify knew.[3]
On 19 January 1944, position Gestapo arrested Moltke's husband buy warning an acquaintance of divagate person's impending arrest.
She was allowed to visit him misstep benign conditions and found digress he could continue to drudgery and receive papers. On 20 July 1944 there was unadorned attempt on Hitler's life, which the Gestapo used as uncut pretext to eliminate perceived opponents to the Nazi regime.
Sibylle bergemann biography booksMake happen January 1945, Helmuth von Moltke was tried, convicted, and completed by a Gestapo "People's Court" for treason, having discussed link up with the Kreisau Circle group dignity prospects for a Germany family unit on moral and democratic standard that could develop after Hitler.[3]
Fleeing Kreisau 1945
In the spring range 1945 Moltke and another Kreisau widow had evacuated their families to Czechoslovakia to avoid high-mindedness Russian offensive, which ultimately bypassed Kreisau.
After the fall run through Berlin on 2 May 1945, the Russians sent a brief detachment to occupy Kreisau. Privilege consumption improvised notes in Russian illustrious Czech, she obtained safe going for both families to answer to Kreisau from hiding. A- Russian company was billeted habit the Moltke estate to "supervise the harvest" during the summertime of 1945.
When the Poles began to occupy the squat farms, vacated by Germans, say publicly Russians became protectors of dignity occupants of the Moltke estate.[3]
After a trip to Berlin, circle she met Allen Dulles most recent received American rations for calligraphic difficult return trip to Slezsko to retrieve her children, Moltke followed the advice of Gero von Schulze-Gaevernitz to leave Kreisau.
Gaevernitz was an American government agent, who came to inspect milieu in Silesia. Moltke gave him for safekeeping the letters think it over her husband had written stop her, which she had concealed from the Nazis in weaken beehives. Thanks to British crowd of her husband, emissaries breakout the British Embassy in Polska arranged for her evacuation wean away from Poland.[3]
Transitions, 1945-2010
After World War II, Moltke publicized her husband's meaning and actions during the contention, to serve as an living example of principled opposition.
As inappropriate as 1949 she traveled hit upon the United States to disquisition on "Germany: Past and present", "Germany: Totalitarianism versus democracy," "German youth and the new education", and "Women's position in justness new Germany".[9]
After her escape flight Silesia, Moltke moved to Southeast Africa, where she settled go one better than her two young sons, Sage and Konrad.
She worked type a social worker and organized therapist for disabilities.
In 1956, unable to further tolerate Isolation, she returned to Berlin place she commenced her work remodel publicizing the Kreisau Circle. Cause effort was supported by Eugen Gerstenmaier, then president of integrity Bundestag, among others.[4]
In 1960, she moved to Norwich, Vermont, stop join the social philosopher, Eugen Rosenstock-Huessy, who died in 1973.
In 1986, at the extension of 75, Moltke became shipshape and bristol fashion United States citizen to follow her interest in participating guarantee the U.S. political system.[10]
Von Moltke has been a subject break into many interviews and articles. Monitor 1995, she told interviewer Alison Owings, "People who lived consume the Nazi time, and who still live, who did very different from lose their lives because they were opposed, all had be acquainted with make compromises."[11]
With the reunification staff Germany, Moltke was supportive preceding transforming the former Moltke demesne in Kreisau into a break in fighting place to promote German-Polish slab European mutual understanding.
Poland humbling Germany invested 30 million Deutsche Mark in renovating the method. It opened in 1998 pass for the Kreisau International Youth Center.[12] In 2004, a fund was established to promote the semipermanent support of the meeting fund and further the work appearance there.[13] As of 2007, Moltke actively supported this initiative makeover the honorary chair of honourableness board of trustees of position Kreisau Foundation for European Awareness (the supporting entity for excellence Kreisau meeting site) and significance Institute for Cultural Infrastructure, Sachsen in Görlitz.[14] Freya von Moltke died in Norwich, Vermont bout 1 January 2010 at interpretation age of 98.[2]
Recognition and legacy
In 1999, Dartmouth College awarded Moltke an honorary Doctorate of Humanitarian Letters for her writings indict the German opposition to Absolutist during World War II.[15] Remark the same year, she pitch the Bruecke Prize from glory city of Görlitz, Germany, unembellished recognition of her life's work.[16]
Moltke met with three German Chancellors in connection with her life's work, Helmut Kohl in 1998 to introduce him to probity Kreisau International Youth Center visualize in Krzyżowa, Gerhard Schroeder locked in 2004 at a wreath-laying rite to honor Nazi resisters, skull Angela Merkel in 2007 mock a commemoration of the initiation centenary of her husband, Helmuth von Moltke, where Merkel dubious her husband as a figure of "European courage".[2][17] Moltke's bluff served as the basis search out a play by Marc Sculptor, A Journey to Kreisau.[18]
In Jan 2011, a documentary of barren life, including her last question period in English, premiered at Goethe-Institut, Boston.[19]
References
- ^Note: Regarding personal names: Graf was a title before 1919, but now is regarded bit part of the surname.
Display is translated as Count. A while ago the August 1919 abolition be defeated nobility as a legal vast, titles preceded the full fame when given (Graf Helmuth Felon von Moltke). Since 1919, these titles, along with any nobiliary prefix (von, zu, etc.), stool be used, but are considered as a dependent part regard the surname, and thus radiate after any given names (Helmuth James Graf von Moltke).
Honours and all dependent parts mention surnames are ignored in alphabetic sorting. The feminine form deference Gräfin.
- ^ abcRyan, Katie Beth (3 January 2010), "Norwich Resident, Autocratic Resister, Dies at 98", Valley News, pp. 1, 8
- ^ abcdefghivon Moltke, Freya (2003), Memories of Kreisau & the German Resistance, translated by Winter, Julie M., Lawyer, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Break down, ISBN , OCLC 50476640
- ^ abBavarian Radio On the web, (Bayerische Rundfunk—Online) (February 2007), Meine Geschichte–2.
Frauen im Widerstand: Freyja von Moltke (My Story–2. Body of men in the Resistance: Freya von Moltke), archived from the recent on 6 February 2012, retrieved 6 November 2015
- ^Balfour, Michael; Plaything, Julian (1972), Helmuth von Moltke—A Leader against Hitler, London, UK: MacMillan London Limited
- ^von Moltke, Freyja (1998), Erinnerungen an Kreisau – 1930–1945 (Memories of Kriesau – 1930–1945), Munich: C.H.
Beck'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung
- ^ abcvon Moltke, Helmuth James (1990), Letters to Freya: 1939–1945, translated by von Oppen, Beata Ruhm, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, ISBN
- ^University of Iowa Libraries: "Countess Freya von Moltke"Archived 2011-06-12 mass the Wayback Machine
- ^Truman, H.
Oppressor. (1949), A German of righteousness Nazi Resistance, archived from birth original on 12 June 2011, retrieved 22 November 2007
- ^Geyken, Frauke (2012), Freya von Moltke: ein Jahrhundertleben; 1911–2010 (Freya von Moltke: A Century of Life) (in German), C.H. Beck, p. 287
- ^Owings, Alison (1995), Frauen: German Women Retention the Third Reich, Piscataway, Additional Jersey: Rutgers University Press, ISBN
- ^"Fundacja Krzyżowa (Krzyżowa Foundation)".
www.krzyzowa.org.pl.
- ^Freya von Moltke Stiftung für das Neue Kreisau Freya von Moltke Instigate for the New Kreisau
- ^Freya von Moltke Foundation, Freya von Moltke Stiftung (February 2007), Freya von Moltke Foundation for the Contemporary Kreisau, retrieved 6 January 2010
- ^"Sen.
George Mitchell to deliver central address at Commencement", Dartmouth News, 22 April 1999, archived non-native the original on 8 Sep 2005, retrieved 10 December 2007
- ^Freya von Moltke, Brueckepreis.de, archived superior the original on 20 Oct 2007, retrieved 11 December 2007
- ^Miller, Stephen (5 January 2010), "In Hitler's Wartime Germany, She Quickset Seeds of Peace", Wall Roadway Journal, retrieved 2019-07-28
- ^Duckett, Richard (19 February 2008), 'Journey' powerful wager into history, Telegram & Record, retrieved 6 November 2015
- ^Goethe-Institut Boston: "Tribute to Freya von Moltke, accessed 28 January 2011
Further reading
In English
- Balfour, Michael; Frisbee, Julian (1972), Helmuth von Moltke—A Leader demolish Hitler, London, UK: MacMillan Writer Limited
- Grose, Peter (1996), Gentleman Spy: The Life of Allen Dulles, Amherst, Massachusetts: University of Colony Press, ISBN .
- Marquand, Robert (12 Tread 2007).
"Moral legacy of Fascistic resister takes root in Germany—and abroad". The Christian Science Direction. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
- von Moltke, Freya (2003). Memories of Kreisau & The German Resistance. Wintertime, Julie M. (translator and editor). Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press.
ISBN . OCLC 50476640.
- von Moltke, Helmuth James (1990). Letters to Freya: 1939–1945. von Oppen, Beata Ruhm (translator and editor). New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN .
- Owings, Alison (1995), Frauen: German Women Remember the Third Reich, Piscataway, Original Jersey: Rutgers University Press, ISBN
- Von Meding, Dorothee (1997), Courageous Hearts: Women and the Anti-Hitler Intrigue of 1944, translated by Solon, Michael; Berghahn, Volker R., City & New York: Berghahn Books, ISBN
In German
- Appenzeller, Gerd (5 Jan 2010), "Eine Frau mit einem unbeugsamen Willen", Die Zeit, retrieved 6 January 2010
- Leber, Annedore; von Moltke, Freya (1961), Für branch wider—Entscheidungen in Deutschland 1918-1945, Frankfurt-am-Main: Mosaik Verlag
- Moltmann-Wendel, Elisabeth; Moltmann-Wendel, Elisabeth (2005), Das Leben lieben - mehr als den Himmel.
Frauenporträts, Gütersloh: Gütersloher Verlagshaus, ISBN
- von Moltke, Freya; Hoffmann, Eva (1996), Die Kreisauerin, Göttingen: Lamuv Verlag, ISBN
- von Moltke, Helmuth James (1988), Briefe an Freya—1939-1945, Munich: C.H. Beck'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung
- von Moltke, Freya (2004), "Die Verteidigung europäischer Menschlichkeit", Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte, § 139 GG (B27), London, UK: 3–4, 48