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Erna EiflerMember of the German Resistance.
Date of Birth: 31.08.1908
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Erna Eifler: A Life of Resistance and Sacrifice
- Political Activism and Communist Ties
- Trotskyist Purge and Exile
- Espionage Training and Mission to China
- Parachute Training and Mission to Germany
- Resistance Activities in Berlin and Hamburg
- Arrest, Imprisonment, and Execution
- Legacy and Recognition
Erna Eifler: A Life of Resistance and Sacrifice
Early Life and EducationErna Eifler was born as the third of five children in a working-class family in Berlin, Germany. From 1914 to 1922, she attended the 49th public school. Later, she enrolled in a vocational school at the Unterberg and Helmlle company. However, due to the untimely demise of her parents, she had to discontinue her studies and assume the responsibility of raising her younger siblings. Consequently, she worked as a stenographer at various firms to support her family.
Political Activism and Communist Ties
In 1927, Eifler joined the German Communist Youth League (KJVD). Her political involvement led her to work as a stenographer at the Soviet trade mission in Berlin from 1928 to 1930. She subsequently held the same position at the Metalimport Association in Moscow until January 1931.
Upon her return to Germany in 1931, Eifler joined the Communist Party of Germany (KPD) and became an active member of its clandestine Military Apparatus. She dedicated herself to gathering intelligence about chemical factories considered vital assets for the Nazi regime's war machine.
Trotskyist Purge and Exile
Following the purge of Trotskyist sympathizers from the KPD in 1935, Eifler faced arrest, detention, and release owing to the intervention of influential figures. Subsequently, she relocated to Moscow, where she worked in the Reconnaissance Department of the Red Army from 1936 onwards.
Espionage Training and Mission to China
In late 1936, together with her former KPD Military Apparatus superior Walter Caro, Eifler was dispatched to China. While there, she acquired specialized knowledge in radio technology and transmitter operation, training at the Red Army courses at Khodnya near Moscow. In August 1939, she was ordered to Holland on an espionage mission but returned prematurely to the USSR upon the outbreak of World War II.
Parachute Training and Mission to Germany
From August 1941 to January 1942, Eifler underwent parachute training in Petrovsk. Subsequently, she received radio training near Kuibyshev. In May 1942, she was parachuted into occupied Poland alongside fellow agents Willi Bernhardt, Erwin Panndorf, and Wilhelm Fellendorf. Her assignment was to establish a spy network in Germany and monitor Nazi military activity.
Resistance Activities in Berlin and Hamburg
In Berlin, Eifler established contact with resistance member Ilse Stöbe and sought a secure and reliable apartment. She also made connections with Emil Hübener and Clara Schabbel. After a perilous journey to Hamburg, she found refuge at Fellendorf's mother's residence and with Maria Priss.
Through Wilhelm Guddorf, Eifler established contact with Robert Abshagen and Bernard Bestlein's resistance group. Despite preliminary breakthroughs, her communication with the group was severely hampered due to the arrest of a key resistance member.
Arrest, Imprisonment, and Execution
On October 15, 1942, Eifler was apprehended alongside Maria and Heinz Priss near their Hamburg estate. She was detained at the Gestapo headquarters in Hamburg and later transferred to the Berlin Police Headquarters on Alexanderplatz. However, her case never proceeded to trial.
Around April 1, 1944, Eifler was deported to the Ravensbrück concentration camp. On April 8, 1944, she was executed, becoming one of countless victims of Nazi persecution.
Legacy and Recognition
Erna Eifler's life stands as a testament to her unwavering courage, sacrifice, and commitment to resisting tyranny. Her contributions to the German Resistance have been acknowledged posthumously. In 2019, a memorial was erected in her honor at the site of her execution in Ravensbrück concentration camp.
