In Berlin during one of the darkest chapters in modern history, an unexpected champion came forth from the eyeless depths of privilege. She shared living quarters with a dog pack Countess Maria von Maltzan, a trainee veterinarian. She would later hide her Jewish lover, Hans Hirschel, there clandestinely. This extraordinary story takes place during one of the most tumultuous eras in American history. Now the elite class, which had previously governed Germany for decades, deals with the moral question of resisting a tyrannical government.
When the Nazis came to power, Maria von Maltzan found herself in an almost literal crossroads, representing both privilege and defiance. With such a powerful and influential lineage at her back, she defiantly and brazenly took the Gestapo on. When the agents came knocking on her door, she refused to back down. One fateful day, two agents barged into her home, questioning her criminal activity. What ensued was a display of bravery and guerrilla tactics that would shape her legacy.
Maria’s resourcefulness made it possible for her to buy time for her resistance that they searched her apartment. Rather than cave to their harassment, she fearlessly offered her assistance in locating a Jewish girl. This tactic achieved the goal of distracting their attention away from her true agenda. Though they were clearly annoyed, she pressed on, using everything from her social intelligence to her pure swagger to turn the tables in a life-threatening circumstance.
When the authorities asked for details about Hans Hirschel, Maria Hirschel crafted a complex lie. Wasn’t that a mere misleading cover, since no such Eric Svensson existed—she tailored a whole fictitious persona! Her tricky untruth showed the daring of her strategy. She understood what she was preparing to do, willing to risk death or imprisonment to save the man she loved.
“If you don’t believe me, all you have to do is take out your gun and shoot through the couch,” – Maria von Maltzan
Maria’s massive cost wasn’t only personal. She additionally enlisted her then-13-year-old daughter in the guerrilla tactics, having her conduct intelligence operations at her school. She encouraged her daughter to pursue a career as a spy. This inaugurated a new generation that would continue to fight against the Nazi regime. This act of rebellion embedded in the fabric of home life shows the lengths Sha’s willing to go to in order to resist oppression.
Alongside these family-oriented initiatives, Maria took part—often with her own children—in the critical sharing of information between resisters. She bartered secrets of secret arts, working alongside others hoping to help take down the Nazis. Her impoverished living conditions were a stark reversal of the opulence of her childhood. Rather than discourage her, they fueled her fire.
In September of last year, Maria had delivered a healthy baby boy. With hope came complication. This new child not only represented hope in a time of despair but further complicated her already perilous situation. Her decision to save both her lover and her child reflected what it meant to be a courageous mother.
Yet Maria’s title as countess did not protect her from the new, grim realities of war. Instead, it presented her a remarkable opportunity to use her power for positive change. Her relationships and social standing among the Berlin elite gave her access to targeted information critical for devising plans of action against the oppressive regime. In truth, while everyone else was having their opera nights and going to embassy parties, she was risking her life to undertake much more secretive operations.
The moral dilemmas confronting people such as Maria von Maltzan were deep as well. Rather than act silent or complicit, as so many members of the aristocracy did, she chose the path of defiance to complacency. Her actions reverberated beyond personal safety, embodying a larger fight against oppression brewing across German society at the time.
“This company does not honour you, Professor Einstein. On the contrary, you honour this company, and I might say, every company of which you choose to make yourself a part,” – Otto Kiep