Mary Kümmermann was born on 24 August 1904 in Wandsbek to a Jewish family.[1] After graduating from the Wandsbeker Lyzeum high school in 1922, Mary initially worked as a saleswoman in her parents' women's clothing store.[2] In 1929 she married a schoolfriend, Fritz Pünjer, who was not Jewish.[2] On 24 July 1940, she was arrested and was interned in the Fuhlsbüttel concentration camp in Hamburg for three months.[3] The camp's entry register described her as “anti-social” and, as an addendum - “a very active lesbian”.[3] She also supposedly “exchanged tendernesses” with another woman.[4] The fact that she was Jewish was not included in these records.[3]
In October 1940 Pünjer was transferred to the Ravensbrück concentration camp.[3] On her admission to the concentration camp, “lesbian” was not noted as the main reason, but only as an addition.[5] Between October 1940 and March 1941, Mary Pünjer was interrogated several times by the Hamburg Police Department for Sexual Offenses.[3] On 15 March 1941 she was sent back to Ravensbrück and assigned to the physician and eugenicist Friedrich Mennecke (de).[3] Mennecke had other patients who were lesbian, including Henny Schermann.[6] He was also involved in the Nazi murders of the T4 campaign and the selection of concentration camp prisoners to be murdered in Action 14f13. The timing of Pünjer's repatriation to the camp coincides with the beginning of Action 14f13 in various concentration camps. However, she did not appear on Mennecke's list until his second visit in January 1942.[3]
In 1942 Pünjer was assigned to Action 14f13. On her death warrant it stated that she was a “married Jew” and “actively lesbian”.[3] There are no indications of a disability or illness, rather, her sexual orientation was viewed as an “anti-social act” which the Nazis used to condemn her to death.[3]
Aside from the allegations made on entry forms by concentration camp attendants, there is no additional evidence about Pünjer's sexuality.[2] The historian Carol Mann wrote that Jewish, lesbian women in prison were generally murdered for their Jewish faith rather than their sexuality, and she gives Mary Pünjer as an example of this.[8] However, Pünjer was not the only lesbian to be murdered at Ravensbrück: Elli Smula and Margarete Rosenberg arrived there on 30 November 1940, identified as lesbians.[5] In some concentration camps brothels were established to punish lesbian women by raping them. Sex with Jewish women was forbidden on grounds of racial disgrace by the Nazis, but rape was not considered a racial disgrace in concentration camps.[8]
^ abSchlagdenhauffen, Régis (2011-01-26). Triangle rose: La persécution nazie des homosexuels et sa mémoire (in French). Autrement. ISBN978-2-7467-3020-5.
^Stella, Gian Antonio (2011-05-12). Negri, froci, giudei & co (in Italian). Bur. ISBN978-88-586-2151-6.
^Luján, David Rodríguez (2014-08-15). Las Mujeres, Alemania y el Nazismo (in Spanish). Lulu.com. ISBN978-1-291-97123-1.
^ abMann, Carol (2010-06-25). Femmes dans la guerre. 1914–1945 (in French). Pygmalion. ISBN978-2-7564-0447-9.
January 01, 1970
mary, pünjer, august, 1904, 1942, german, lesbian, murdered, bernburg, euthanasia, centre, during, holocaust, bornmary, kümmermann, 1904, august, 1904wandsbekdied28, 1942, 1942, aged, bernburg, euthanasia, centrecause, deathgassed, death, action, 14f13citizens. Mary Punjer 24 August 1904 28 May 1942 was a German lesbian Jew who was murdered in the Bernburg Euthanasia Centre during the Holocaust Mary PunjerBornMary Kummermann 1904 08 24 24 August 1904WandsbekDied28 May 1942 1942 05 28 aged 37 Bernburg Euthanasia CentreCause of deathGassed to death in Action 14f13CitizenshipGermanyOccupationShop assistantKnown forAs a lesbian who was murdered in the HolocaustParentsJoel Kummermann father Lina Kummermann nee Korn mother Contents 1 Life 2 Remembrance 3 Historiography 4 See also 5 ReferencesLife editMary Kummermann was born on 24 August 1904 in Wandsbek to a Jewish family 1 After graduating from the Wandsbeker Lyzeum high school in 1922 Mary initially worked as a saleswoman in her parents women s clothing store 2 In 1929 she married a schoolfriend Fritz Punjer who was not Jewish 2 On 24 July 1940 she was arrested and was interned in the Fuhlsbuttel concentration camp in Hamburg for three months 3 The camp s entry register described her as anti social and as an addendum a very active lesbian 3 She also supposedly exchanged tendernesses with another woman 4 The fact that she was Jewish was not included in these records 3 In October 1940 Punjer was transferred to the Ravensbruck concentration camp 3 On her admission to the concentration camp lesbian was not noted as the main reason but only as an addition 5 Between October 1940 and March 1941 Mary Punjer was interrogated several times by the Hamburg Police Department for Sexual Offenses 3 On 15 March 1941 she was sent back to Ravensbruck and assigned to the physician and eugenicist Friedrich Mennecke de 3 Mennecke had other patients who were lesbian including Henny Schermann 6 He was also involved in the Nazi murders of the T4 campaign and the selection of concentration camp prisoners to be murdered in Action 14f13 The timing of Punjer s repatriation to the camp coincides with the beginning of Action 14f13 in various concentration camps However she did not appear on Mennecke s list until his second visit in January 1942 3 In 1942 Punjer was assigned to Action 14f13 On her death warrant it stated that she was a married Jew and actively lesbian 3 There are no indications of a disability or illness rather her sexual orientation was viewed as an anti social act which the Nazis used to condemn her to death 3 Punjer was murdered on 28 May 1942 in the Bernburg Euthanasia Centre 7 Remembrance edit nbsp Stolperstein Wandsbeker Marktstrasse 57 in Hamburg Wandsbek A stolperstein dedicated to Mary Punjer is in Hamburg Wandsbek at Wandsbeker Marktstrasse 57 1 Historiography editAside from the allegations made on entry forms by concentration camp attendants there is no additional evidence about Punjer s sexuality 2 The historian Carol Mann wrote that Jewish lesbian women in prison were generally murdered for their Jewish faith rather than their sexuality and she gives Mary Punjer as an example of this 8 However Punjer was not the only lesbian to be murdered at Ravensbruck Elli Smula and Margarete Rosenberg arrived there on 30 November 1940 identified as lesbians 5 In some concentration camps brothels were established to punish lesbian women by raping them Sex with Jewish women was forbidden on grounds of racial disgrace by the Nazis but rape was not considered a racial disgrace in concentration camps 8 See also editLesbians in Nazi GermanyReferences edit a b Stolpersteine in Hamburg Search for Names Places and Biographies www stolpersteine hamburg de Retrieved 2021 01 28 a b c Rosa Winkel Die Verfolgung Homosexueller im Nationalsozialismus www cultpress de Retrieved 2021 01 28 a b c d e f g h i Schlagdenhauffen Regis 2018 09 18 Queer in Europe during the Second World War Council of Europe ISBN 978 92 871 8863 2 Mary Punjer nee Kummermann 1904 1942 a b Schlagdenhauffen Regis 2011 01 26 Triangle rose La persecution nazie des homosexuels et sa memoire in French Autrement ISBN 978 2 7467 3020 5 Stella Gian Antonio 2011 05 12 Negri froci giudei amp co in Italian Bur ISBN 978 88 586 2151 6 Lujan David Rodriguez 2014 08 15 Las Mujeres Alemania y el Nazismo in Spanish Lulu com ISBN 978 1 291 97123 1 a b Mann Carol 2010 06 25 Femmes dans la guerre 1914 1945 in French Pygmalion ISBN 978 2 7564 0447 9 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mary Punjer amp oldid 1177463800, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
