In this Book
- The Blessed Abyss: Inmate #6582 in Ravensbrück Concentration Camp for Women
- Book
- 2000
- Published by: Wayne State University Press
summary
On February 4, 1941, Nanda Herbermann, a German Catholic writer and editor, was arrested by the Gestapo in Münster, Germany. Accused of collaboration with the Catholic movement, Herbermann was deported to Ravensbrück Concentration Camp for Women in July 1941 and later released upon direct orders from Heinrich Himmler on March 19, 1943. Although she was instructed by the Gestapo not to reveal information about the camp, Herbermann soon began to record her memories of her experiences. The Blessed Abyss was originally published in German under the imprint of the Allied occupation forces in 1946, and it now appears in English for the first time. Hester Baer and Elizabeth Baer include an extensive introduction that situates Herbermann's work within current debates about gender and the Holocaust and provides historical and biographical information about Herbermann, Ravensbrück, and the Third Reich.
Table of Contents
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- Introduction
- pp. 13-52
- The Blessed Abyss
- pp. 53-56
- Dedication
- pp. 57-60
- Contents to The Blessed Abyss
- pp. 59-62
- 1. Under persecution by the Gestapo
- pp. 61-63
- 2. The SS and Gestapo in Holland
- pp. 64-65
- 3. "You are under arrest!"
- pp. 66-68
- 4. The first interrogation
- pp. 69-70
- 5. The police prison
- pp. 71-73
- 6. "You have power!"
- pp. 74-78
- 7. In the court prison
- pp. 79-81
- 8. Fellow prisoners
- pp. 82-84
- 9. Sundays in prison
- pp. 85-86
- 10. Horror and injustice
- pp. 87-89
- 11. Air raids on Miinster!
- pp. 90-92
- 12. Toward an uncertain future
- pp. 93-97
- 13. "Please don't beat the priests!"
- pp. 98-101
- 14. On a transport
- pp. 102-104
- 15. Berlin-Alexanderplatz
- pp. 105-108
- 16. Into the concentration camp
- pp. 109-111
- 17. Shocking impressions
- pp. 112-114
- 19. As "barracks elder" with the prostitutes
- pp. 124-127
- 20. Alone no more!
- pp. 128-133
- 21. Block elder over fourhundred prostitutes
- pp. 134-139
- 23. We inmates are people, too
- pp. 147-166
- 24. The sick among us
- pp. 167-170
- 25. Clothing and laundry problems
- pp. 171-173
- 26. Camp punishments
- pp. 174-176
- 27. The lice plague
- pp. 177-178
- 28. Reverie
- pp. 179-182
- 29. Heinrich Himmler's "visit"
- pp. 183-184
- 30. Small performances
- pp. 185-187
- 31. Mail censorship
- pp. 188-182
- 32. Taking leave of Block II
- pp. 193-194
- 33. In the office of the chief overseer
- pp. 195-198
- 34. Comrades
- pp. 199-202
- 35. My brother's visit
- pp. 203-204
- 36. Dignified endings
- pp. 205-208
- 38. Sick transports
- pp. 211-212
- 39. Heydrich murdered!
- pp. 213-214
- 40. Little black-haired Gypsy girl
- pp. 215-217
- 41. It was enough to drive one mad
- pp. 218-219
- 42. Hope for salvation
- pp. 220-222
- 43. How did Himmler's telegram come about?
- pp. 223-225
- 44. The last weeks
- pp. 224-229
- 45. March 19,1943
- pp. 230-235
- 46. Freedom! Freedom!
- pp. 236-238
- 47. Going home
- pp. 237-239
- 48. The Gestapo yet again
- pp. 240-241
- 49. Epilogue
- pp. 242-243
- 50. A final word
- pp. 244-246
- Suggestions for Further Reading
- pp. 252-260
- Bibliography
- pp. 261-270
Additional Information
ISBN
9780814337684
Related ISBN(s)
9780814329207
MARC Record
OCLC
868219495
Pages
280
Launched on MUSE
2014-01-01
Language
English
Open Access
No