Anna Seghers

Overview

Anna “Netty” Seghers (née Reiling) born Mainz, Germany November 19, 1900 (d. 1983). Anti-fascist author; Jewish; Communist. Co-founder of East German freedom movement. Arrested by Gestapo for anti-fascist novel Die Gefährten, 1932; exiled, 1933. Her novel The Seventh Cross was one of few contemporary pieces of art to depict concentration camps, 1939. The Outing of the Dead Girlsillustrated futility of both World Wars, 1946. Awarded Stalin Peace Prize, 1951. Wrote unpublished story “Stone Age” about Vietnam veteran.

Quotations

“In the very first month of the Hitler régime hundreds of our leaders had been murdered. . . A whole generation had to be annihilated. . . if we were to be destroyed on that scale, all would perish because there would be none to come after us. . . If we fight and fall, and another takes up the flag. . . and falls too. . . —that is natural, for nothing can be gained without sacrifice.” (The Seventh Cross, p. 140; photo wikipedia)