Maria Grollmuß

Maria Karoline Elisabeth Grollmuß (Sorbian: Marja Grólmusec) (April 24, 1896, in Leipzig – August 6, 1944, in Ravensbrück) was a Catholic Sorbian publicist and a socialist resistance member against the Nazi government.

Biography Maria Grollmuß was born on April 24, 1896, to principal and linguist Dr. Johannes Grollmuß (Sorbian: Jan Grólmus) in Leipzig. After having finished her formation at Gaudigsches Lehrerinnenseminar in Leipzig in 1917, she shortly worked as an elementary school teacher at Bürgerschule Leipzig-Reudnitz before studying linguistics and history in Berlin and Leipzig. She graduated in 1928, earning a PhD for her thesis ('Joesph Görres and Democracy'). While studying, she was a member of the Windhorstbund at first, and later, she also became a member of the Socialist Students Union .

Maria Grollmuß was especially interested in political journalism. Accordingly, she wrote various articles for Rhein-Mainische Volkszeitung, a newspaper close to the left wing of Zentrumspartei,

After the NSDAP took over in, she continued her political activity illegally. In close cooperation with the Arbeitskreis Revolutionärer Sozialisten, she supported political prisoners, transported illegal literature and helped endangered comrades to escape to Czechoslovakia. She operated from the village of Radibor in Upper Lusatia, her father's place of birth. She was in contact with resistance groups of the SPD, KPD, SAPD and the Austrian socialist Otto Bauer. At first, she was imprisoned in Dresden. She was sentenced to six years of prison by the Volksgerichtshof on November 23, 1935 (Reinmuth got seven years) and sent to Waldheim prison. During her imprisonment, she turned to Catholic spirituality. The Nazi government offered her freedom and cancer therapy if she agreed to spy for them in the Sorbian resistance movement once having served her term. She refused. Therefore, she was sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp. In Ravensbrück, she tried to support Polish and Czechoslovak prisoners using her language skills.

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