Resisters Research Project by Audrey Harrison

Song: Stand Up

audreyharrison4 — 2025-04-28 16:40:45 UTC

By Cynthia Erivo

audreyharrison4 — 2025-04-28 16:41:40 UTC

Who was Rosa Marie Burger?

audreyharrison4 — 2025-04-28 16:42:22 UTC

She was daughter to Cathy and Lionel Burger, born in 1921. Her father was a German citizen his entire life and her mother was a English citizen her entire life, even when she moved to Southern Germany after World War I. Rosa was around the age of 17 when the Germans started truly acting upon their hatred for the Jews.

Unlike many teenagers at that time, Rosa stood against the Jews with her mother. They knew that actively speaking out against Hitler and the Nazi Party would only get them put in prison or killed, so they worked more silently and behind the backs of those in authoritative roles.

audreyharrison4 — 2025-05-03 03:08:25 UTC

Holocaust Survivor Accounts: Rosa Marie Burger

audreyharrison4 — 2025-05-03 03:56:26 UTC

Impact and Influence

audreyharrison4 — 2025-05-03 04:01:26 UTC

Although Rosa did not necessarily work directly with the Jewish community during this time, Rosa and her mother did a lot of behind-the-scenes work. One of the things that they did was trying to listen to foreign radio secretly at night, even though it was forbidden, and passing on that information to Jewish neighbors and trusted friends against the law. Her mother also taught her to speak English, and Jewish people would come to them to learn the language in case they ever needed to escape

Representation of Rosa and her mother listening to the outlawed radio stations

audreyharrison4 — 2025-05-03 04:03:33 UTC

Fate after the war

audreyharrison4 — 2025-05-03 04:07:18 UTC

After the War ended, Rosa ended up leaving Germany in 1948. She met an American soldier who had been stationed in Germany, and they settled in Battle Creek, Michigan. The adjustment from Germany to America was hard for Rosa, especially because of the much larger atmosphere compared to the small village she had grown up in. She also found it hard to live without her mother.

End of World War II

audreyharrison4 — 2025-05-03 04:15:40 UTC

When the Allies started to break German forces and enter Germany, the people left in Rosa's town were terrified. Everyone nominated her to speak to the American soldiers. Rosa went up to one of the tanks to speak with them, and the solider held a gun up to her head. Rosa remained calm and simply asked if they needed anything. After a moments time, the solider responded that he would like some eggs. Rosa and another farmer brought him a basket of eggs, and in return he gave them a basket of chocolate, which had been a rationed food.

Modern Day image of Rosa's village

audreyharrison4 — 2025-05-03 04:17:51 UTC

More about Rosa Marie Burger

audreyharrison4 — 2025-05-03 04:19:45 UTC

"Who knew what would happen to the women and children, with no one to protect us?" -Rosa Marie Burger

audreyharrison4 — 2025-05-03 04:22:20 UTC

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Elie Wiesel on the topic of resisting the Germans

audreyharrison4 — 2025-05-03 04:24:38 UTC

Upbringing

audreyharrison4 — 2025-05-03 04:29:45 UTC

Rosa had a very traditional German upbringing in her village. All of the women would dress up in folk costumes on Sundays and special occasions, and they always wore their hair long. The entire family would live together in a large house, specifically those made out of stone. The household responsibilities were also divided and shared amongst all.

Starting violence

audreyharrison4 — 2025-05-03 04:32:43 UTC

The first Rosa truly noticed the violence against the Jewish community was on November 9, 1938 during "Kristallnacht," or the "Night of Broken Glass." After that event, the Nazi came into the Jewish homes in her village and destroyed everything in their homes. Then, the Jews were taken away onto train cars, which Rosa watched with one of her friends. Rosa did not speak out in this moment because she was severely outnumbered and could have been punished in she had been seen trying to say goodbye to any of her Jewish friends.