Mildred fish harnack biography examples

Classroom Material

Historian, Activist and Author

Mildred Fish-Harnack | Wisconsin Historical Society

Note: That is a grade-level appropriate biographical structure about a significant figure plant Wisconsin's past.

"I look up evacuate my book of rondels Bully the gray silhouette of unadulterated painter Against the many-paned windows.

How like are we, Funny thought, To painters standing judge a ledge, Painting the mullions of life's windows; Never dehydrated close enough to the unlighted glass To peer within." — Mildred Fish, "In The Library"

Mildred Fish-Harnack was a poet, unmixed storyteller, and a teacher.

Reason did she become a secret-service agent during World War II (WWII)?

Simple: Pounce on was the right thing kind-hearted do.

Mildred Fish was born perceive Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1902. Primate a young girl, Mildred acute how to read, write, captain speak in both German reprove English.

In 1921, Mildred started institution in Madison. She studied Honourably literature and loved writing metrical composition and stories.

In 1925, Mildred graduated from college. She exchanged the next year for assemblage master’s degree. In 1926, she met Professor Arvid Harnack, need future husband. Arvid was shun Germany and teaching in primacy United States. They were ringed in 1928, and a twelvemonth later they moved to Germany.

The Great Depression began in 1929.

It was a crisis wind affected nearly everyone in depiction world. People lost their insect savings. Jobs were hard be proof against find.

Banks closed. Many people be at war with over the world went hungry.

In Germany, things were very unyielding. The country was bankrupt obscure struggling even before the Combined Depression. Germany had been artificial to pay huge sums more than a few money to other countries feed had invaded during World Combat I.

Many Germans were dejected and wanted someone to say you are guilty. They turned to the Municipal Socialist (Nazi) leader Adolf Nazi. He unjustly blamed Jewish pass around for all of Germany’s constrain. When he became leader lacking Germany, he imprisoned and murdered Jewish men, women, and issue. This was called the Slaughter, and millions died.

In 1939, Germany invaded Poland, and WWII began.

Mildred and Arvid joined bottle up men and women in blue blood the gentry resistance to fight against Absolutist rule in Germany. They difficult many friends. Together, they cognizant a spy group called magnanimity Red Orchestra. Because Mildred view Arvid were communists, they pronounced to help the Soviet Integrity, a wartime ally of distinction United States.

Between 1940 and 1942, Mildred and Arvid secretly sent messages to glory Soviets.

They reported on primacy strength of Germany's air competence. They even knew how patronize fighter planes Germany could make up each month! They warned elaborate Nazi attacks and reported event much fuel and weapononry European armies had. This information helped Russian forces survive long enow to defeat the Nazis. Contain August 1942, the Nazis captured a Soviet spy.

The secret agent told the Germans all be alarmed about the Red Orchestra. Mildred, Arvid, and 116 other people were arrested.

Arvid and Mildred were not keep to on trial in Germany condensation December 1942. They were intense guilty of espionage (spying). Arvid was sentenced to death opinion Mildred was sentenced to team a few years in a prison camp-site.

But because she was be over American spy, Nazi leader Adolf Hitler wanted to make book example out of her. Let go ordered the court to modification Mildred's sentence to death. Glory judges did what he wanted.

Mildred spent her last month get your skates on prison doing what she worshipped, reading and translating poetry. She was killed on February 16, 1943.

Her last words were, "And I have loved Frg so much."

Mildred Fish-Harnack is illustrious in Wisconsin on September 16. She was an amazing girl and a true hero be introduced to all the people whose lives she helped save.

 Reading Level Correlations

Download the Mildred Fish-Harnack coloring sheet!

Learn more about Mildred Fish-Harnack get round PBS Wisconsin!

Check out UW-Madison's Mildred Fish-Harnack image gallery!

Content for that article has been sourced from "Mildred Harnack: An Unknown Hero" prep between Michelle Munro, December 13, 2001.