Born: March 3, 1882 (Strasbourg, Germany)
Died: August 8, 1974 (Berlin)
Biography:
Luise Wilhelmine Elisabeth Abegg, known as Elisabeth Abegg, was a German educator and resistance fighter against Nazism. She was born on March 3, 1882, in Strasbourg, which was then a part of Germany. Her parents were Johann Friedrich Abegg, a jurist, and Marie Caroline Elisabeth Rähm Abegg. In 1912, Abegg enrolled at Leipzig University, where she studied history, classical philology, and Romance studies. She graduated with a doctorate in 1916.
After the Alsace region was reclaimed by France, Abegg moved to Berlin in 1918. It was in Berlin that she became involved in postwar relief work organized by the Quaker community. In 1924, she became a teacher at the Luisengymnasium Berlin in Berlin-Mitte and was an active member of the German Democratic Party. Abegg openly criticized the Nazi regime after Adolf Hitler assumed power in 1933. As a result of her outspoken opposition, she was transferred to another school as punishment and was questioned by the Gestapo in 1938.
In 1941, Abegg was forced to retire from teaching and officially converted to Quakerism. Despite the risks to her own safety, she began helping persecuted Jews find safe shelter in 1942. Abegg established an extensive network of rescuers, including her Quaker friends and former students, to provide accommodation for Jews in hiding. She temporarily housed dozens of Jews in her Tempelhof apartment, which she shared with her mother and disabled sister, as well as in vacant neighboring apartments. She also secured permanent accommodation for them across Berlin, East Prussia, and Alsace.
Abegg’s dedication to helping Jews extended beyond providing shelter. She sold her jewelry to pay for the escape of some Jews to Switzerland and tutored Jewish children who were in hiding at her apartment. Overall, Abegg sheltered approximately 80 Jews between 1942 and 1945. Her courageous actions saved numerous lives during the Holocaust.
After the Second World War, Abegg resumed teaching in Berlin. She became a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany and remained active in Quaker groups. In 1957, a group of Jews whom Abegg had rescued during the Holocaust published a book titled And a Light Shined in the Darkness, dedicating it to her.
Elisabeth Abegg passed away on August 8, 1974, in Berlin, leaving behind a legacy of bravery and compassion. Her selfless actions in risking her own safety to save countless lives during the Holocaust have earned her admiration and respect.
Awards:
– Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Verdienstkreuz am Bande) in 1957
– Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem in 1967