The Story of Anna Essinger

A True Testament to the Transformative Power of Education and the Indomitable Spirit that Refuses to Yield Even in the Darkest of Times Nazi Fuhrer Adolf Hitler's flaming antisemitism was well known long before World War II or the horrific Holocaust began. The appearance of Mein Kampf, Hitler's political book chronicling the process by which he became antisemitic and outlining his ominous aspirations for the future, alarmed Germany's Jewish population. They envisioned a dismal future and feared for their own and others' lives. Among them was Anna Essinger, a German schoolteacher and brave woman responsible for establishing the school and devising the strategy to rescue it from the clutches of the Nazis. It was one of the most astonishing mercy missions of WWII: a head teacher who smuggled her whole school out of Nazi Germany, right under Hitler's nose.
If it became evident that an entire school would accompany Anna on this covert journey, how would her personal cover story of a brief sabbatical abroad hold up under scrutiny by the Gestapo? In 1933, 70 primarily Jewish students escaped the school, known as Landschulheim Herrlingen, to safeguard their studies. However, it quickly became very clear that the her swift decision had ultimately saved their lives. This is the amazing story of Anna Essinger, a trailblazing educator who dared to illuminate the minds of young students during the darkest hours of history, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire and impact educational approaches today.