Adrienna Thomas German writer Date of Birth: 24.06.1897 Country: Germany

1. Early Life and Family
2. Relocation and World War I
3. Artistic Pursuits
4. Nazi Persecution and Exile
5. Internment and Escape
6. Life in Exile and Literary Success

Early Life and Family

Adriane Thomas was born into an Orthodox Jewish family. Her father was the manager of a small department store. From an early age, she was fluent in both German and French.

Relocation and World War I

After her birth, Thomas's family moved to Metz. With the outbreak of World War I, they relocated to Berlin. However, they soon returned to Metz, where Thomas worked as a nurse for the Red Cross.

Artistic Pursuits

After the war, Thomas pursued vocal and acting studies. In 1930, her debut anti-war novel, "Catherine Becomes a Soldier," was published. The book became an instant success, translated into 16 languages.

Nazi Persecution and Exile

With the Nazi rise to power, Thomas's books were banned. She fled to Switzerland and later France and Austria. After the Anschluss, she settled in France again.

Internment and Escape

In 1940, Thomas was interned in the Gurs concentration camp as a German citizen. However, with the help of the Emergency Rescue Committee, she was able to escape to the United States.

Life in Exile and Literary Success

In the US, Thomas met Austrian political exile Julius Deutsch. In 1946, they returned to Vienna and married in 1951. Thomas wrote about her experiences in exile in the novels "Leave, Mademoiselle!" (1944) and "Window on the East River" (1945).