Barbara Ledermann Barbara Ledermann RodbellRodbell

by Jasmine B.by Jasmine B.

Barbara Ledermann Rodbell was born in Barbara Ledermann Rodbell was born in Berlin, Germany in 1925. Her family Berlin, Germany in 1925. Her family considered themselves more German than considered themselves more German than Jewish.Jewish.

As children Barbara and her sister loved As children Barbara and her sister loved music, but Barbara had a special love for music, but Barbara had a special love for dancing.dancing.

Her father, Franz, was a prominent lawyer Her father, Franz, was a prominent lawyer with many non-Jewish clients. But when with many non-Jewish clients. But when Hitler came into power he lost his job, so Hitler came into power he lost his job, so she and her family moved to Amsterdam she and her family moved to Amsterdam in the Netherlands.in the Netherlands.

Barbara and her sister Susanna later Barbara and her sister Susanna later became close friends with Anne Frank.became close friends with Anne Frank.

Even when the Nazis invaded Holland her Even when the Nazis invaded Holland her father still believed that the law would father still believed that the law would prevail.prevail.

Said by Barbara Ledermann from Said by Barbara Ledermann from www.pbs.org-www.pbs.org- “My father just “My father just didn't want to believe something like that didn't want to believe something like that (genocide of the Jews) was possible- it’s (genocide of the Jews) was possible- it’s very understandable. He just couldn’t very understandable. He just couldn’t believe the humanistic Germans he knew believe the humanistic Germans he knew would do such a thing.” would do such a thing.”

When Barbara was seventeen she meet When Barbara was seventeen she meet and fell in love with Manfred Grunberg. He and fell in love with Manfred Grunberg. He and his friends convinced Barbara of the and his friends convinced Barbara of the Nazis plans for the Jews and that she Nazis plans for the Jews and that she should join the resistance.should join the resistance.

Barbara was given false identification Barbara was given false identification papers.papers.

Said by Barbara Ledermann from Said by Barbara Ledermann from www.pbs.org-www.pbs.org- “I changed my “I changed my name, took off my star, and became a name, took off my star, and became a non-Jewish person.”non-Jewish person.”

Because of her street smarts, determination, blond hair, Because of her street smarts, determination, blond hair, and Aryan looks she escaped Nazi roundups twice.and Aryan looks she escaped Nazi roundups twice.

Unfortunately, Barbra’s parents and sister were captured Unfortunately, Barbra’s parents and sister were captured

and sent to the gas chambers in Auschwitz.and sent to the gas chambers in Auschwitz.

Barbara, Manfred and his sister Magda, Barbara, Manfred and his sister Magda, rented a room in a German home and hid rented a room in a German home and hid Jews in the house.Jews in the house.

Barbara risked being recognized as a non-Jew in a city Barbara risked being recognized as a non-Jew in a city where many knew her. But the danger increased when where many knew her. But the danger increased when she began performing with famous ballerina Yvonne she began performing with famous ballerina Yvonne Georgi (who was rumored to be a friend of Hitler) and Georgi (who was rumored to be a friend of Hitler) and the audiences were usually full of German officers.the audiences were usually full of German officers.

Yvonne GeorgiYvonne Georgi

Despite this, she used her papers and Despite this, she used her papers and position as a dancer to be out past curfew position as a dancer to be out past curfew and transfer Jews to different hiding spots.and transfer Jews to different hiding spots.

Barbara’s friends did not suspect that she Barbara’s friends did not suspect that she was using her position in the ballet as part was using her position in the ballet as part of the resistance. But it became too of the resistance. But it became too dangerous to dance in public, so they dangerous to dance in public, so they revealed her identity to Yvonne Georgi. revealed her identity to Yvonne Georgi.

Yvonne never reveled Barbara’s secret to Yvonne never reveled Barbara’s secret to any Germans, but asked Barbara to leave. any Germans, but asked Barbara to leave. Barbara never found out why she was Barbara never found out why she was fired until years later.fired until years later.

Barbara still helped with the resistance by Barbara still helped with the resistance by harboring Jews, delivering food, and harboring Jews, delivering food, and smuggling them underground newspapers.smuggling them underground newspapers.

The resisters did not know much about the The resisters did not know much about the activities each person did so that if they activities each person did so that if they were captured, no information could be were captured, no information could be provided.provided.

Barbara continued to dance, act, and Barbara continued to dance, act, and model after the war. She later moved to model after the war. She later moved to the United States and joined the Ringling the United States and joined the Ringling Brothers Circus.Brothers Circus.

Barbara became tired of traveling and she Barbara became tired of traveling and she quit and got a job in Baltimore selling quit and got a job in Baltimore selling cosmetics.cosmetics.

Barbara met Martin Rodbell in an amateur Barbara met Martin Rodbell in an amateur theater group, married him and had four theater group, married him and had four children. Her husband won a Nobel Prize children. Her husband won a Nobel Prize in medicine in 1994.in medicine in 1994.

Work SitedWork Sited

http://www.pbs.org/daringtoresist/barbara.http://www.pbs.org/daringtoresist/barbara.htmlhtml

www.google.comwww.google.com

http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/phistories/phthemes.htmonline/phistories/phthemes.htm