Gisella Perl (10 December 1907 – 16 December 1988) was a Hungarian Jewishgynecologist deported to Auschwitz concentration camp in 1944, where she helped hundreds of women, serving as an inmate gynecologist for them. She worked without the bare necessities for practicing medicine. Perl survived the Holocaust, emigrated to New York, and was one of the first women to publicize the Holocaust experience in English, in her 1948 memoir I Was a Doctor in Auschwitz. She became a specialist in infertility treatment at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York and eventually moved with her daughter to live in Herzliya, Israel, where she died.
Gisella Perl
Gisella Perl on the cover of her Auschwitz memoir first published in 1948
Gisella Perl was born and grew up in Máramarossziget (now Sighetu Marmaţiei), then part of Hungary, which after the Trianon peace treaty of 1920 became part of Romania (and was again part of Hungary in 1940-44). In 1923, when she was 16, she graduated from secondary school first in her class, the only woman and the only Jew. Her father, Maurice Perl, refused to allow her to study medicine at first, because he feared she was going to "lose her faith and break away from Judaism". He relented a few months later.[1]
Career
Perl became a successful and well known gynecologist in Sighetu Marmaţiei. She married an internist, Dr. Ephraim Krauss,[2] and practiced until 1944, when Nazi Germany occupied her hometown during its invasion of Hungary and deported Perl to the Auschwitz concentration camp along with her family. Josef Mengele gave her the task to work as a gynecologist within the women's camp, attending to inmates without bare necessities such as antiseptics, clean wipes, or running water.
She is best known for temporarily saving the lives of hundreds of women by aborting their pregnancies, as pregnant women were often beaten and killed or used by Dr. Josef Mengele for vivisections.[1]
She was transferred to Bergen-Belsen, her final Holocaust destination, and soon liberated. She found that her husband, only son, her parents and her extended family had all been murdered in the Holocaust. She tried to commit suicide by poisoning herself and was sent to recuperate in a convent in France until 1947.[3]
In March 1947 she arrived in New York City on a temporary visa to lecture, sponsored by the Hungarian-Jewish Appeal and the United Jewish Appeal. She moved to an upper class neighborhood in New York. New York Representative Sol Bloom unsuccessfully petitioned the Justice Department for permanent residency of the United States.[3]
On March 12, 1948, President Truman signed a bill allowing Perl to stay in the US. The INS interrogated her on suspicion of assisting the Nazi doctors of Auschwitz in carrying out human rights abuses. In 1948, Eleanor Roosevelt convinced her to start practicing medicine again. She began work as a gynecologist at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, starting as the only female phsyician in labor and delivery, and becoming a specialist in infertility treatment.[3] In 1951, at the age of 44 she was granted U.S. citizenship.
Perl was the sole author or coauthor of nine papers on vaginal infections published between 1955 and 1972.
I was a doctor in Auschwitz
In June 1948, Gisella Perl published the story of her incarceration at Auschwitz, detailing the horrors she encountered as an inmate gynecologist. The book was titled I Was a Doctor in Auschwitz and included Perl's description of operations on young women's breasts without anesthetics, using a knife as her only instrument.[4] She described Irma Grese, a 19 year old Aufseherin or warden from Auschwitz who observed the procedures and derived pleasure from their suffering.[5] She wrote that Grese's “face [was] clear and angelic and her blue eyes the gayest, the most innocent eyes one can imagine.”[6] Her words helped paint a picture of Grese when the notorious guard was put on trial and subsequently executed.
Perl's memoir was one of at least eight similar accounts by female prisoners, corroborated by the testimonies of other women.[7]
The infirmary encounters with Irma Grese had first been described by Olga Lengyel, a Hungarian Jewish woman and surgical assistant imprisoned at Auschwitz, in her 1947 book Five Chimneys, originally published in French.[8][9] Lengyel was the first survivor to have her testimony published in English, wrote Zoë Waxman.[9]
Perl's account of the treatments was virtually identical in every detail to the court testimony of Dr. Olga Sulima, an inmate physician at Auschwitz from the Soviet Union, according to historian Bernard Braxton.[10]
Personal life and death
Perl was later reunited with her daughter, Gabriella Krauss Blattman, whom she managed to hide during the war. In 1979, both moved to live in Herzliya, Israel. Perl died in Israel on December 16, 1988, at the age of 81.[3]
Publications
In 2003, a film entitled Out of the Ashes was released. It was based upon the story of Dr. Perl's life, and starred Christine Lahti as Dr. Perl.
References
^ abBrozan, Nadine (November 15, 1982). "Out of Death, a Zest for Life". New York Times.
^hersh (2022-06-26). "The Abortionist of Auschwitz - aish.com People, History, Featured, Holocaust Studies". aish.com. Retrieved 2022-07-05.
^ abcdAnne S. Reamey Gisella Perl: Angel and Abortionist in the Auschwitz Death Camp phdn.org
^Perl, Dr. Gisella I was a doctor in Auschwitz. Ayer Co., ISBN0-405-12300-0.
^Sonja Maria Hedgepeth, Rochelle G. Saidel, Sexual Violence Against Jewish Women During the Holocaust. UPNE 2010, page 187. ISBN1584659041.
^Kater, Michael H. Hitler Youth. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2006.
^Roger S. Gottlieb (1990). Thinking the Unthinkable: Meanings of the Holocaust. Paulist Press. pp. 151, 164. ISBN0809131722.
^Laura Catherine Frost (2002). Sex drives: fantasies of fascism in literary modernism. Cornell University Press. p. 174. ISBN0801438942.
^ abZoë Waxman (6 August 2012). Sorcha Gunne; Zoe Brigley Thompson (eds.). Feminism, Literature and Rape Narratives: Violence and Violation. p. 124. ISBN9781136615849.
^Bernard Braxton (1977). Sexual, Racial and Political Faces of Corruption: A View on the High Cost of Institutional Evil. Verta Press. pp. 48–49.
External links
Gisella Perl: Angel and Abortionist in the Auschwitz Death Camp 2010-12-12 at the Wayback Machine holocaust-history.org
novelguide.com
Roni Peleg.Profiles: Dr. Gisella Perl Journal of Women's Health. September 2005, 14(7): 588-591. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2005.14.588(subscription required)
February 19, 2023
gisella, perl, december, 1907, december, 1988, hungarian, jewish, gynecologist, deported, auschwitz, concentration, camp, 1944, where, helped, hundreds, women, serving, inmate, gynecologist, them, worked, without, bare, necessities, practicing, medicine, perl,. Gisella Perl 10 December 1907 16 December 1988 was a Hungarian Jewish gynecologist deported to Auschwitz concentration camp in 1944 where she helped hundreds of women serving as an inmate gynecologist for them She worked without the bare necessities for practicing medicine Perl survived the Holocaust emigrated to New York and was one of the first women to publicize the Holocaust experience in English in her 1948 memoir I Was a Doctor in Auschwitz She became a specialist in infertility treatment at Mount Sinai Hospital New York and eventually moved with her daughter to live in Herzliya Israel where she died Gisella PerlGisella Perl on the cover of her Auschwitz memoir first published in 1948Born 1907 12 10 10 December 1907Maramarossziget Austria Hungary Modern day Sighetu Marmației Romania Died16 December 1988 1988 12 16 aged 81 Herzliya IsraelNationalityHungarian Jewish Romanian JewishOccupationDoctorKnown forHolocaust memoir I was a doctor in Auschwitz OCLC 2355040SpouseEphraim Krauss murdered in the Holocaust ChildrenOne son Imre murdered in the Holocaust and one daughter Gabriella Krauss Blattman Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 I was a doctor in Auschwitz 4 Personal life and death 5 Publications 6 References 7 External linksEarly life and education EditGisella Perl was born and grew up in Maramarossziget now Sighetu Marmaţiei then part of Hungary which after the Trianon peace treaty of 1920 became part of Romania and was again part of Hungary in 1940 44 In 1923 when she was 16 she graduated from secondary school first in her class the only woman and the only Jew Her father Maurice Perl refused to allow her to study medicine at first because he feared she was going to lose her faith and break away from Judaism He relented a few months later 1 Career EditPerl became a successful and well known gynecologist in Sighetu Marmaţiei She married an internist Dr Ephraim Krauss 2 and practiced until 1944 when Nazi Germany occupied her hometown during its invasion of Hungary and deported Perl to the Auschwitz concentration camp along with her family Josef Mengele gave her the task to work as a gynecologist within the women s camp attending to inmates without bare necessities such as antiseptics clean wipes or running water She is best known for temporarily saving the lives of hundreds of women by aborting their pregnancies as pregnant women were often beaten and killed or used by Dr Josef Mengele for vivisections 1 She was transferred to Bergen Belsen her final Holocaust destination and soon liberated She found that her husband only son her parents and her extended family had all been murdered in the Holocaust She tried to commit suicide by poisoning herself and was sent to recuperate in a convent in France until 1947 3 In March 1947 she arrived in New York City on a temporary visa to lecture sponsored by the Hungarian Jewish Appeal and the United Jewish Appeal She moved to an upper class neighborhood in New York New York Representative Sol Bloom unsuccessfully petitioned the Justice Department for permanent residency of the United States 3 On March 12 1948 President Truman signed a bill allowing Perl to stay in the US The INS interrogated her on suspicion of assisting the Nazi doctors of Auschwitz in carrying out human rights abuses In 1948 Eleanor Roosevelt convinced her to start practicing medicine again She began work as a gynecologist at Mount Sinai Hospital New York starting as the only female phsyician in labor and delivery and becoming a specialist in infertility treatment 3 In 1951 at the age of 44 she was granted U S citizenship Perl was the sole author or coauthor of nine papers on vaginal infections published between 1955 and 1972 I was a doctor in Auschwitz EditIn June 1948 Gisella Perl published the story of her incarceration at Auschwitz detailing the horrors she encountered as an inmate gynecologist The book was titled I Was a Doctor in Auschwitz and included Perl s description of operations on young women s breasts without anesthetics using a knife as her only instrument 4 She described Irma Grese a 19 year old Aufseherin or warden from Auschwitz who observed the procedures and derived pleasure from their suffering 5 She wrote that Grese s face was clear and angelic and her blue eyes the gayest the most innocent eyes one can imagine 6 Her words helped paint a picture of Grese when the notorious guard was put on trial and subsequently executed Perl s memoir was one of at least eight similar accounts by female prisoners corroborated by the testimonies of other women 7 The infirmary encounters with Irma Grese had first been described by Olga Lengyel a Hungarian Jewish woman and surgical assistant imprisoned at Auschwitz in her 1947 book Five Chimneys originally published in French 8 9 Lengyel was the first survivor to have her testimony published in English wrote Zoe Waxman 9 Perl s account of the treatments was virtually identical in every detail to the court testimony of Dr Olga Sulima an inmate physician at Auschwitz from the Soviet Union according to historian Bernard Braxton 10 Personal life and death EditPerl was later reunited with her daughter Gabriella Krauss Blattman whom she managed to hide during the war In 1979 both moved to live in Herzliya Israel Perl died in Israel on December 16 1988 at the age of 81 3 Publications EditIn 2003 a film entitled Out of the Ashes was released It was based upon the story of Dr Perl s life and starred Christine Lahti as Dr Perl References Edit a b Brozan Nadine November 15 1982 Out of Death a Zest for Life New York Times hersh 2022 06 26 The Abortionist of Auschwitz aish com People History Featured Holocaust Studies aish com Retrieved 2022 07 05 a b c d Anne S Reamey Gisella Perl Angel and Abortionist in the Auschwitz Death Camp phdn org Perl Dr Gisella I was a doctor in Auschwitz Ayer Co ISBN 0 405 12300 0 Sonja Maria Hedgepeth Rochelle G Saidel Sexual Violence Against Jewish Women During the Holocaust UPNE 2010 page 187 ISBN 1584659041 Kater Michael H Hitler Youth Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 2006 Roger S Gottlieb 1990 Thinking the Unthinkable Meanings of the Holocaust Paulist Press pp 151 164 ISBN 0809131722 Laura Catherine Frost 2002 Sex drives fantasies of fascism in literary modernism Cornell University Press p 174 ISBN 0801438942 a b Zoe Waxman 6 August 2012 Sorcha Gunne Zoe Brigley Thompson eds Feminism Literature and Rape Narratives Violence and Violation p 124 ISBN 9781136615849 Bernard Braxton 1977 Sexual Racial and Political Faces of Corruption A View on the High Cost of Institutional Evil Verta Press pp 48 49 External links EditGisella Perl Angel and Abortionist in the Auschwitz Death Camp Archived 2010 12 12 at the Wayback Machine holocaust history org Gisella Perl novelguide com Roni Peleg Profiles Dr Gisella Perl Journal of Women s Health September 2005 14 7 588 591 https doi org 10 1089 jwh 2005 14 588 subscription required Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gisella Perl amp oldid 1128918159, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
