Elizabeth Meta Wiskemann (13 August 1899 – 5 July 1971) was an English
journalist
A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalism ...
and
historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the stu ...
of Anglo-German ancestry. She was an
intelligence officer
An intelligence officer is a person employed by an organization to collect, compile or analyze information (known as intelligence) which is of use to that organization. The word of ''officer'' is a working title, not a rank, used in the same way a ...
in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, and the Montagu Burton Chair in International Relations at the
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
.
Early life and education
Wiskemann was born in
Sidcup
Sidcup is an area of south-east London, England, primarily in the London Borough of Bexley. It is south-east of Charing Cross, bordering the London Boroughs of London Borough of Bromley, Bromley and Royal Borough of Greenwich, Greenwich. Before ...
, a suburb of
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, England, on 13 August 1899.
Her mother, Emily Burton, belonged to a prosperous family of local merchants, and her father, Heinrich Odomar Hugo Wiskemann, a businessman from
Hesse-Cassel
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel (german: Landgrafschaft Hessen-Kassel), spelled Hesse-Cassel during its entire existence, was a state in the Holy Roman Empire that was directly subject to the Emperor. The state was created in 1567 when the Lan ...
in Germany, had emigrated to England in order to avoid being conscripted into the Prussian army.
She was educated at
Notting Hill High School
Notting Hill and Ealing High School is an independent school for girls aged 4 – 18 in Ealing, London. Founded in 1873, it is one of the 26 schools that make up the Girls' Day School Trust. It has a Junior Department of 310 girls (ages 4–11) ...
, where she won multiple academic prizes, as well as participating in debating, sports, and drama.
She received a scholarship to read History at
Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College is a women's Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge.
The college was founded in 1871 by a group organising Lectures for Ladies, members of which included philosopher Henry Sid ...
, where she obtained a first in History in 1921. During this time, her family suffered several misfortunes, with her mother dying during an influenza pandemic in 1918, and her father filing for bankruptcy in 1922. Her contemporaries and friends at Cambridge included many linked to the
Bloomsbury set
The Bloomsbury Group—or Bloomsbury Set—was a group of associated English writers, intellectuals, philosophers and artists in the first half of the 20th century, including Virginia Woolf, John Maynard Keynes, E. M. Forster and Lytton Stra ...
, including
Ferenc Bekassy,
Rupert Brooke
Rupert Chawner Brooke (3 August 1887 – 23 April 1915)The date of Brooke's death and burial under the Julian calendar that applied in Greece at the time was 10 April. The Julian calendar was 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar. was an En ...
,
Julian Bell
Julian Heward Bell (4 February 1908 – 18 July 1937) was an English poet, and the son of Clive and Vanessa Bell (who was the elder sister of Virginia Woolf). The writer Quentin Bell was his younger brother and the writer and painter Angelica ...
,
Michael Redgrave
Sir Michael Scudamore Redgrave CBE (20 March 1908 – 21 March 1985) was an English stage and film actor, director, manager and author. He received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in ''Mourning Becomes Elect ...
, and
Kathleen Raine
Kathleen Jessie Raine CBE (14 June 1908 – 6 July 2003) was a British poet, critic, and scholar, writing in particular on William Blake, W. B. Yeats and Thomas Taylor. Known for her interest in various forms of spirituality, most prominently P ...
.
In 1923, her father returned to Germany, where he spent the rest of his life. Supporting herself, Elizabeth Wiskemann briefly worked as a teacher in a girls' boarding school, before beginning her doctoral dissertation, winning a research scholarship from the Gilchrist Educational Trust. She initially made good progress, but missed a research fellowship from Newnham College, receiving instead a small research grant. Her dissertation in later stages was supervised by
H.W.V. Temperley, and received only a D.Litt. instead of a Ph.D. Wiskemann attributed this to Temperley's documented hostility towards female students, noting that other members of the examining committee were inclined to award the Ph.D. but could not oppose him.
Her dissertation examined diplomatic relations between the Vatican, Britain, and France in 1860s, drawing extensively on archives in all three locations. Consequently, she traveled extensively in Europe during these years, taking up tutoring work to fund her travels.
Career
Journalism
In autumn of 1930, Wiskemann visited Berlin, staying for a period of nine months, to continue her historical research and improve her command over the German language. Over the next six years, she divided her time between Cambridge, where she worked as a tutor in history at
Newnham College
Newnham College is a women's constituent college of the University of Cambridge.
The college was founded in 1871 by a group organising Lectures for Ladies, members of which included philosopher Henry Sidgwick and suffragist campaigner Millicent ...
, and Germany, using the time to travel through Europe as well. She socialised there with
Phyllis Dobb
Phyllis is a feminine given name which may refer to:
People
* Phyllis Bartholomew (1914–2002), English long jumper
* Phyllis Drummond Bethune (née Sharpe, 1899–1982), New Zealand artist
* Phyllis Calvert (1915–2002), British actress
* Ph ...
,
Arthur Koestler
Arthur Koestler, (, ; ; hu, Kösztler Artúr; 5 September 1905 – 1 March 1983) was a Hungarian-born author and journalist. Koestler was born in Budapest and, apart from his early school years, was educated in Austria. In 1931, Koestler join ...
,
Erich Mendelsohn
Erich Mendelsohn (21 March 1887 – 15 September 1953) was a German architect, known for his expressionist architecture in the 1920s, as well as for developing a dynamic Functionalism (architecture), functionalism in his projects for department ...
, and
George Grosz
George Grosz (; born Georg Ehrenfried Groß; July 26, 1893 – July 6, 1959) was a German artist known especially for his caricatural drawings and paintings of Berlin life in the 1920s. He was a prominent member of the Berlin Dada and New Objec ...
, recounting her experiences in her memoir, ''The Europe I Saw'', as well as in letters to friends, including
Julian Bell
Julian Heward Bell (4 February 1908 – 18 July 1937) was an English poet, and the son of Clive and Vanessa Bell (who was the elder sister of Virginia Woolf). The writer Quentin Bell was his younger brother and the writer and painter Angelica ...
. In Berlin, she worked as a translator and English teacher, preparing documents for the British Embassy and tutoring German diplomats in English. During this time, she closely observed political developments, witnessing in particular the rise of Nazism, and her interest was enabled by a friendship with the journalist
Frederick A. Voigt, who was reporting for the ''
Guardian
Guardian usually refers to:
* Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another
* ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper
(The) Guardian(s) may also refer to:
Places
* Guardian, West Virginia, Unite ...
''. in 1932, she began writing for the ''
New Statesman
The ''New Statesman'' is a British political and cultural magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first connected with Sidney and Beatrice Webb and other leading members ...
,'' reporting on German politics and warning about the dangers of
Nazism
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
, to which she was firmly opposed, and her writings were widely read.
She also opposed British politicians who advocated a moderate approach to the Third Reich, particularly criticizing the signing of naval treaties between England and Germany during this time. She rapidly became ''The New Statesman''
's main correspondent from Germany, and during this time, also wrote for ''The Contemporary Review'', ''The Scotsman'', and ''The Guardian''. Along with interviews of major German politicians, she also reported on significant political events, including the Saar plebiscite, and during her time in England, frequently attempted to reach out to politicians to convince them of the dangers that Nazism posed, with little success.
In July 1936, she published an article in ''The New Statesman'', sharply criticizing the Third Reich, and particularly, the manner in which Jewish people were treated by the Nazis. As a result, she was arrested and interrogated by the
Gestapo
The (), abbreviated Gestapo (; ), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe.
The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of Prussia into one organi ...
, and finally released on the condition that she would leave Germany.
Her expulsion from Germany attracted a great deal of international attention, and was discussed in the British Parliament as a diplomatic issue.
On her return to England, she was advised by the head of the Foreign Office to continue writing about Germany, but to avoid returning there in person. Following her expulsion from Germany, Wiskemann continued to report from Central Europe, traveling to Poland, Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Romania.
In 1945, after Wiskemann retired from her work as an intelligence officer during World War II, she relocated to Italy to study political conditions there for her next research project. During this time she financially supported herself through journalism, reporting on Italian politics for ''
The Economist
''The Economist'' is a British weekly newspaper printed in demitab format and published digitally. It focuses on current affairs, international business, politics, technology, and culture. Based in London, the newspaper is owned by The Econo ...
'', ''
Spectator
''Spectator'' or ''The Spectator'' may refer to:
*Spectator sport, a sport that is characterized by the presence of spectators, or watchers, at its matches
*Audience
Publications Canada
* ''The Hamilton Spectator'', a Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, ...
'', and ''
The Observer
''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...
.'' She wrote weekly book reviews for the ''
Times Literary Supplement
''The Times Literary Supplement'' (''TLS'') is a weekly literary review published in London by News UK, a subsidiary of News Corp.
History
The ''TLS'' first appeared in 1902 as a supplement to ''The Times'' but became a separate publication ...
'', and in addition, undertook translations for publishers during this time.
Academic career
Wiskemann spent a substantial period of time in Czechoslovakia, following her expulsion from Germany in the 1930s. She published essays and reports on Czech politics, facilitated in part by her acquaintance with Czech diplomat
Jan Masaryk
Jan Garrigue Masaryk (14 September 1886 – 10 March 1948) was a Czech diplomat and politician who served as the Foreign Minister of Czechoslovakia from 1940 to 1948. American journalist John Gunther described Masaryk as "a brave, honest, turbul ...
, to whom she had been introduced by a mutual friend. From 1935, she also frequently lectured at Chatham House on central European politics. In 1937, Wiskemann was commissioned by the historian Arnold Toynbee, to write an account of German minorities outside the Reich, particularly those living in Czechoslovakia, for a series of monographs published by the
Royal Institute of International Affairs
Royal may refer to:
People
* Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name
* A member of a royal family
Places United States
* Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, Iowa, a cit ...
.
Consequently, resigning from Cambridge, she traveled back to Czechoslovakia for research, and in 1938 she published ''Czechs and Germans: A Study of the Struggles in the Historic Provinces of Bohemia and Moravia''. The book, a historical account, received praise, as "indispensable introduction to the closer study of the problem of Czechoslovakia," in ''
International Affairs
International relations (IR), sometimes referred to as international studies and international affairs, is the scientific study of interactions between sovereign states. In a broader sense, it concerns all activities between states—such as ...
'', and "...an excellent account of the relations between Czechs and the Germans in Habsburg times," in the ''
American Historical Review
''The American Historical Review'' is a quarterly academic history journal and the official publication of the American Historical Association. It targets readers interested in all periods and facets of history and has often been described as the ...
.'' The chief limitation of this work was Wiskemann's limited grasp of
Czech
Czech may refer to:
* Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe
** Czech language
** Czechs, the people of the area
** Czech culture
** Czech cuisine
* One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus'
Places
* Czech, ...
, and the book also faced some opposition from the British Foreign Office, who saw it as espousing Czech causes. It also received substantial attention in the press, as
Lord Runciman
Walter Runciman, 1st Viscount Runciman of Doxford, (19 November 1870 – 14 November 1949) was a prominent Liberal and later National Liberal politician in the United Kingdom. His 1938 diplomatic mission to Czechoslovakia was key to the e ...
, delegated to mediate in Czechoslovakia, was photographed by media sources reading the book as he left for Prague.
Following the publication of this book, Wiskemann engaged in a lecture tour, visiting the United States of America, while continuing to publish on issues of central European politics. In New York, she accepted an invitation from Oxford University Press' office to write an account of German politics after the
Munich conference
The Munich Agreement ( cs, Mnichovská dohoda; sk, Mníchovská dohoda; german: Münchner Abkommen) was an agreement concluded at Munich on 30 September 1938, by Nazi Germany, Germany, the United Kingdom, French Third Republic, France, and Fa ...
, publishing ''Undeclared War'' in 1939. The book focused on the impact of the Third Reich on Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia, and Bulgaria, and was written in three months. Noting the haste, the historian
R.W. Seton-Watson
Robert William Seton-Watson (20 August 1879, in London – 25 July 1951, in Skye), commonly referred to as R. W. Seton-Watson and also known by the pseudonym Scotus Viator, was a British political activist and historian who played an activ ...
nonetheless called it a "valuable and welcome contribution to the contemporary history of south-eastern Europe". Richard Coventry, writing for ''The New Statesman'', called it "the best book of the year so far as European politics are concerned."
After World War II, Wiskemann began her next project, on Italian political history. She relocated to Rome, supporting herself through journalism, and published two books on Italian political history. She first published ''Italy'' (1947) for Oxford University Press, a brief overview of the country's politics as part of a larger series for the publisher. In 1949, she published a pioneering study of the relationship between Hitler and Mussolini, titled ''The Rome-Berlin Axis,'' drawing from their personal papers and letters as well as eyewitness accounts''.'' The book received positive reviews and was widely read, becoming a standard text in reading lists on this period with historian Hugh Trevor-Roper describing it as "a definitive work of contemporary history.”, although it was criticised by A.J.P Taylor for being, in his view, too sympathetic to the Italian point of view. In 1953, Wiskemann was invited by historian
Hugh Seton-Watson
George Hugh Nicolas Seton-Watson, CBE, FBA (15 February 1916 – 19 December 1984) was a British historian and political scientist specialising in Russia.
Early life
Seton-Watson was one of the two sons of Robert William Seton-Watson, the act ...
to write a volume about the population of Germans displaced from the eastern German border in 1945, and she published ''Germany’s Eastern Neighbours: Problems Relating to the Oder-Neisse Line and the Czech Frontier Region'', the first English-language book to address the subject, in 1956. In this work she rejected post-war German demands to its former territories now being part of
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
, and concluded that in the past territorial gains brought out the "worst elements" in Germany, she wrote that nobody wanted German minorities back in Eastern Europe, considering their record in the past.
During the 1950s, she continued to publish, writing a history of the Swiss newspaper ''
Neue Zürcher Zeitung
The ''Neue Zürcher Zeitung'' (''NZZ''; "New Journal of Zürich") is a Swiss, German-language daily newspaper, published by NZZ Mediengruppe in Zürich. The paper was founded in 1780. It was described as having a reputation as a high-quality ne ...
,'' a memoir titled ''The Europe I Saw'' (1968), and directing a research project on the territorial dispute in
Trieste
Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into provi ...
for the
Carnegie Foundation.
![Elisabeth Wiskemann (14597794508)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Elisabeth_Wiskemann_%2814597794508%29.jpg)
From 1958 to 1961 she was
Montague Burton Professor of International Relations
The Montague Burton Professorship of International Relations is a named chair at the University of Oxford and the London School of Economics and Political Science. Created by the endowment of Montague Burton in UK universities, the Oxford chair ...
at
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
, becoming the first woman to hold a chair in any field of study at the university.
and was a tutor in
Modern History
The term modern period or modern era (sometimes also called modern history or modern times) is the period of history that succeeds the Middle Ages (which ended approximately 1500 AD). This terminology is a historical periodization that is applie ...
at the
University of Sussex
, mottoeng = Be Still and Know
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £14.4 million (2020)
, budget = £319.6 million (2019–20)
, chancellor = Sanjeev Bhaskar
, vice_chancellor = Sasha Roseneil
, ...
from 1961 until 1964.
In 1965 she received an honorary degree from the
University of Oxford
, mottoeng = The Lord is my light
, established =
, endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019)
, budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20)
, chancellor ...
.
Intelligence
In 1939, Wiskemann applied for jobs in the field of intelligence, and was recruited by the Foreign Office's department at
Electra House
Electra House is a building at 84 Moorgate, London, England. It is notable as the wartime London base of Cable & Wireless Limited, and office of Department EH — one of the three British organisations that merged in World War II to form the Spec ...
, which was primarily working in propaganda, turning down an offer to work with the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
instead. She was sent to Switzerland, where she was ostensibly writing a book for the Oxford University Press, and later worked as an attache to the British legation in Bern, while continuing to report for various publications. During this time, Wiskemann was charged with gathering information, particularly from Germany and territories occupied by the Germans.
Using her contacts, she was able to establish a substantial network of informants, and related information back to the Foreign Office through World War II.
In 1941 she left Switzerland, making her way back to London, returning to Bern with diplomatic rank, at her insistence, a year later. From 1942 to 1944, she provided information from Bern on resistance efforts, socio-economic issues, and continued expanding her network of informants. The Foreign Office provided her with an assistant,
, to enable her to continue sending detailed and extensive reports. The information that she provided to the British Foreign Office included socio-economic conditions, public opinion and morale, details of labor camps and the deportation of Jews from Hungary to Auschwitz, and mass killings and euthanasia programs in Romania and Poland. She often collaborated with American intelligence officer
.
There is some evidence to indicate that Wiskemann's reports were one of the first official reports of the mass killings at
to reach British intelligence, and may have played a role in stopping the deportation of Jewish people from Hungary to the Auschwitz concentration camp. In 1942, Wiskemann provided information about the mass deportation of Jewish people from Hungary and Czechoslovakia to Auschwitz, following warnings from
about plans for the genocide of Jewish people in Germany.
informed Wiskemann of the impending danger to a group of Czech Jewish people who were placed in quarantine and were about to be deported to Auschwitz. Wiskemann, knowing that information was being intercepted by Hungarian intelligence, sent a deliberately unencrypted telegram from
, indicating this danger, and included the names and addresses of Hungarian government officials who were best placed to stop the deportation, recommended that they should be targeted by British intelligence, and also passing it on to
, an American intelligence officer. Historian
described what happened next that led the Hungarian Regent, Admiral Horthy, to halt to the deportations:
:The immediate cause of Horthy's intervention was an American daylight bombing raid on Budapest on 2 July. This raid had nothing to do with the appeal to bomb the railway lines to Auschwitz; it was part of a long-established pattern of bombing German fuel depots and railway marshalling yards. But the raid had gone wrong, as many did, and several government buildings in Budapest, as well as the private homes of several senior Hungarian Government officials, had been hit.
During her time as an intelligence officer, Wiskemann remained closely involved with German resistance members, passing on information about the Holocaust to British intelligence officials despite receiving instructions that she was not to report on the subject, receiving a letter in 1944 instructing her that they were "not interested at this stage in the war in German atrocities in the occupied territories or in the shootings of Jews in Poland and Hungary." As public attitude changed in 1945, Wiskemann's reports of the genocide of Jewish people gained more attention.
After the end of World War II, Wiskemann was invited to remain in intelligence work, primarily to stay in Germany and work in 're-education' of German citizens. She refused the offer, and returned to working in academia and journalism.
Wiskemann never married, but had a wide circle of friends which at one time another included
and Guglielmo Alberti. At Cambridge, she had a brief affair with the poet
, during which the discovery of contraceptives in his rooms at the university (in breach of university rules) led to his expulsion from the university. Later, travelling in Europe after completing her D. Litt, she dated the poet
, who was then living in Paris, but the affair did not survive her return to England. While working in Switzerland as an intelligence agent, she was in a relationship with Harry Bergholz, a German scholar who had fled to Switzerland after being suspected of anti-Nazi activity, and made efforts to assist him in his status as a refugee, and they maintained a close friendship long after the relationship ended. She was also romantically involved with
, an Italian diplomat and official who had acted as a liasion between Hitler and Mussolini, and had provided information about them to British intelligence.
In 1955, Wiskemann began experiencing difficulties with her vision, and in 1959, underwent a cataract surgery which was unsuccesful, resulting in the loss of vision in one eye. Increasingly concerned by the loss of her vision, and with it, her independence, she wrote to friends, including Leonard Woolf, about her concerns, particularly her increasingly difficulty with reading. She completed suicide at her home in London on 5 July 1971, taking a lethal amount of barbiturates in addition to attempting to gas herself.
'' (1949)
*''Germany's Eastern Neighbours'' (1956)
*''A Great Swiss Newspaper: the Story of the 'Neue Zürcher Zeitung (1959)
*''The Europe of the Dictators 1919-1945'' (1966)
*''The Europe I Saw'' (1968)
*''Fascism in Italy'' (1969)
*''Italy Since 1945'' (published posthumously, 1971)
*James Joll, "Wiskemann, Elizabeth Meta", ''The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Vol. 59 (2004) OUP
*Anne Seeba, ''Battling for News: the Rise of the Woman Reporter'' (1994) Hodder & Stoughton
*Elizabeth Wiskemann, ''The Europe I Saw'' (1968) Collins
*Mark Cornwall, 'Elizabeth Wiskemann and the Sudeten Question: A Woman at the "Essential Hinge" of Europe', Central Europe, 1/1 (May 2003)
*Peter Kamber, 'Geheime Agentin', Berlin 2010