Marianne Grunthal

Marianne Grunthal (31 January 1896 - 2 May 1945, Schwerin) was a German teacher who was executed under the Nazi Regime for expressing her wish for peace.

Grunthal was born in Zehdenick, Province of Brandenburg. In 1945, after having heard the news of Hitler's death, she had called out aloud with relief: Gott sei Dank, dann ist der furchtbare Krieg endlich zu Ende (English: "Thank god, then this terrible war will be over at last", different version: "Thank God, then there will be peace").

Marianne Grunthal's call had been heard by SS guards who were on their way to bring prisoners from concentration camps Ravensbrück and Sachsenhausen on so-called death marches towards the west. For having spoken this single sentence, Marianne Grunthal was hanged by SS-men on 2 May 1945 on the central station square in Schwerin - only hours before American troops had entered the city.

Today the station square in Schwerin is named after Marianne Grunthal, also a Street in Zehdenick is named after her. The lamp post on which Marianne Grunthal was hanged is still standing today, bearing a memorial plaque.

Her Grave is situated on the Nordfriedhof (Northern cemetery) in the City of Zehdenick (State of Brandenburg)

Sources

• Hauff, Irmgard: Der Wunsch nach Frieden brachte den Tod : Marianne Grunthal - gemordet am 2. Mai ´45. - In: Mecklenburg-Magazin / Regionalbeilage der Schweriner Volkszeitung. - Schwerin (2005-04-29) = Nr. 17, S. 23.
• City of Schwerin, Germany (Picture of the Grunthalplatz )

Landeshauptstadt Schwerin - Mecklenburg-Vorpommern - Stadtportal at www.schwerin.de

• University of Erlangen, Germany

Johnsons JAHRESTAGE - Der Kommentar - 02.04.1968 at www.ndl.germanistik.phil.uni-erlangen.de