Judith Auer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Judith Auer
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| Born |
Judith Vallentin
September 19, 1905 |
| Died | October 27, 1944 (aged 39) Plötzensee Prison, Berlin, Nazi Germany
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| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
Judith Auer (born Vallentin) was a brave Swiss woman. She was born on September 19, 1905. Judith fought against the Nazi government in Germany. She died on October 27, 1944, because of her resistance work.
Contents
Judith's Early Life and Education
Judith Auer was born in Zürich, a city in Switzerland. Her father, Erich Vallentin, was a writer who believed in communism. Sadly, both her parents passed away in 1917. Judith was then raised by a kind Jewish family.
She finished her high school studies, which is called Abitur in Germany. After that, she started learning music. Her dream was to become a professional pianist.
Joining Youth Groups and Moving to Berlin
In 1924, while still a student, Judith joined the Young Communist League of Germany. This was a group for young people who believed in communist ideas. The next year, in 1925, she moved to Berlin, Germany.
In Berlin, she met Erich Auer. He worked for the Communist Party of Germany (KPD). They got married in 1926. In 1927, Judith also joined the KPD. A year later, in 1928, Judith and Erich went to Moscow. There, Judith worked in the offices of the Comintern. This was an international organization for communist parties.
In 1929, Judith and Erich had a daughter named Ruth. To help earn money for her family, Judith learned how to type and use shorthand. She then got a job at a place connected to the KPD.
Fighting Against the Nazis
In 1933, Adolf Hitler and the Nazis took control of Germany. The new government quickly banned the Communist Party of Germany. This made it very dangerous to be a communist.
Judith Auer eventually found a job at a company called AEG. She worked at their cable factory in Oberspree. First, she was a typist, and later she became a buying agent.
Joining the Resistance Movement
At AEG, Judith met a group of people who were secretly fighting against the Nazis. This group was led by a welder named Fritz Plön. Fritz also knew other resistance fighters, like Anton Saefkow and Franz Jacob. Their group was called the Saefkow-Jacob-Bästlein Organization.
Judith was also good friends with Änne Weiß, who later married Anton Saefkow. Judith played a very important role in her resistance group. She managed their money. She also used her business trips to carry secret messages and information. She helped connect resistance fighters in different parts of Germany, like in Thuringia. She even hid Franz Jacob in her apartment for several months when he was trying to escape from Hamburg.
Arrest and Execution
On July 7, 1944, Judith Auer was arrested at her workplace. The Nazi court, called the Volksgerichtshof, sentenced her to death. Two other resistance fighters, Bruno Hämmerling and Franz Schmidt, were also sentenced with her.
Judith Auer was executed by hanging at Plötzensee Prison in Berlin. This happened on October 27, 1944.
Remembering Judith Auer
Today, there are streets named after Judith Auer in several German cities. You can find them in Berlin, Leipzig, and Jena. In what used to be East Germany, many public places were also named in her honor. She is remembered for her courage and fight against the Nazi regime.
See also
- List of Germans who resisted Nazism
