Eva Rittmeister (born 5 July 1913 in
Zeitz, died 19 July 2004) was a German
paediatric nurse, later office worker who became a resistance fighter against the Nazis.
During
World War II, Rittmeister became involved a Berlin-based resistance group that later became known as the
Red Orchestra ("Rote Kapelle").
Life
Eve Rittmeister
née
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
Knieper was the daughter of a merchant.
After school, Rittmeister initially trained as a paediatric nurse, then worked as an office worker.
Several sources indicate, however, that she was an actress.
In 1939, Rittmeister married
John Rittmeister
John Friedrich Karl Rittmeister (21 August 1898–13 May 1943), often also abbreviated John F. Rittmeister, was a German neurologist, psychoanalyst and resistance fighter against Nazism. Rittmeister was a humanist and socialist who based his opp ...
who was a
neurologist and
psychoanalyst
PsychoanalysisFrom Greek language, Greek: + . is a set of Theory, theories and Therapy, therapeutic techniques"What is psychoanalysis? Of course, one is supposed to answer that it is many things — a theory, a research method, a therapy, a bo ...
and fifteen years older than her, aged 40. John Rittmeister considered her "life-affirming", who often enriched his life by relieving his chronic depression.
Education
To prepare for her
Abitur
''Abitur'' (), often shortened colloquially to ''Abi'', is a qualification granted at the end of secondary education in Germany. It is conferred on students who pass their final exams at the end of ISCED 3, usually after twelve or thirteen year ...
in 1940, Rittmeister attended the ''Heil'schen Abendschule''
Abendgymnasium ("Berliner Städtische Abendgymnasium für Erwachsene") (BAG) at Berlin W 50, Augsburger Straße 60 in
Schöneberg. While there she met a number of people that would eventually become close friends including
Ursula Goetze
Ursula Goetze (29 March 1916 – 5 August 1943) was a Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to pop ...
,
Liane Berkowitz
Liane Berkowitz (7 August 1923 – 5 August 1943) was a German resistance fighter and was most notable for being a member of the Berlin-based pro-Soviet resistance group that coalesced around Harro Schulze-Boysen, that was later called the Re ...
,
Fritz Thiel
Fritz Thiel (17 August 1916 – 13 May 1943) was a German precision engineer and German resistance to Nazism, resistance fighter against the Nazi regime. He became part of a Berlin-based anti-fascist resistance group during World War II, that w ...
and
Friedrich Rehmer
Friedrich Rehmer (2 June 1921 in Berlin – 13 May 1943 in Plötzensee Prison) was a German factory worker and resistance fighter against the Nazi regime. While attending an evening school in Schöneberg, Rehmer met a group of friends that incl ...
.
They gradually formed a group of young people that met to discuss ideological, humanist and political views that gradually led to their opposition to Nazis.
Rote Kapelle
In December 1941, Eva and her husband met
Harro Schulze-Boysen and his wife, the aristocrat
Libertas Schulze-Boysen.
Arrest
On 26 September 1942, Eva and her husband were arrested by the Gestapo while at home.
Eva was temporarily released but re-arrested on 5 January 1943. Her husband was sentenced to the death penalty by the 2nd Senate of the
Reichskriegsgericht "for preparation for high treason and enemy favouritism". During the same trial Eva was sentenced to three years in prison "for listening to enemy transmitters".
On 13 May 1943, John Rittmeister was executed by the guillotine in
Plötzensee Prison.
Eva was released in April 1945 by the
Red Army and survived the end of the war.
Awards
In 1979, Rittmeister received the John F. Rittmeister Medal from the Gesellschaft für Ärztliche Psychotherapie (GÄP) (East German Society for Medical Psychotherapy) of the
GDR
East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...
in recognition of her special services to
psychotherapy
Psychotherapy (also psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy) is the use of psychological methods, particularly when based on regular personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase happiness, and overcome pro ...
and
social psychiatry.
The medal was awarded to 21 people, only three of whom were women. In addition to Eva Rittmeister, the medal was awarded to the German psychotherapists and Leipzig professor
References
Further reading
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rittmeister, Eva
1913 births
2004 deaths
Red Orchestra (espionage)
People from Zeitz