Who Were the Women of Ravensbrück? Lynne Olson on Courage in Captivity

Overview

This episode explores the untold story of the women of Ravensbrück, Hitler’s only all-female concentration camp, as chronicled in Lynne Olson’s book The Sisterhood of Ravensbrück. Through historical insights and personal accounts, Olson reveals how these French women, captured for their resistance efforts, banded together to survive, resist, and defy the Nazis. The conversation also delves into broader themes of resistance, community, and the lessons history offers for confronting modern challenges.

Notable Quotes

- By yourself, there's really nothing you can do, but if you form a collective, there are things you can do, and you can change history. – Lynne Olson, on the power of unity in resistance.

- We were prepared to die for a country that was not giving us our basic human freedoms, but it was our country. – Lynne Olson, quoting a Ravensbrück survivor on patriotism and sacrifice.

- How could this be? Without women, there would have been no French resistance. – Lynne Olson, on the erasure of women’s contributions to history.

📖 The Untold Story of Ravensbrück

- Ravensbrück was Hitler’s only all-female concentration camp, where over 140,000 women were imprisoned, many of whom were French resistance fighters.

- The camp’s obscurity in history is partly due to its liberation by Soviet troops, which lacked accompanying journalists to document the atrocities.

- Olson highlights how the women formed a “sisterhood,” supporting each other emotionally and physically to survive and resist within the camp.

- The camp was a slow death camp, where women were subjected to slave labor, starvation, disease, and executions.

👩‍👩‍👧‍👧 The Power of Sisterhood

- The women of Ravensbrück created a unique bond, rooted in mutual care and collective survival strategies.

- Olson attributes this to societal norms that raised women to care for others, which translated into a communal approach to survival.

- Unlike men in other camps, these women were explicitly told by peers that their survival depended on cooperation and mutual support.

🕊️ Lessons from Resistance Movements

- Olson draws parallels between historical resistance movements and modern challenges, emphasizing the importance of collective action.

- She notes that resistance often takes time to build momentum, as seen in France during WWII, where the movement became a significant force only years into the war.

- Modern forms of resistance, such as community organizing and boycotts, are highlighted as impactful strategies.

⚖️ The Erasure of Women in History

- Despite their critical role in the French resistance, women were largely excluded from recognition, with only six women receiving the prestigious Companion of Liberation award out of 1,038 recipients.

- Olson critiques the post-war narrative that sidelined women’s contributions, a reflection of the broader sexism in French society at the time.

- She celebrates the recent resurgence of interest in women’s historical achievements, though laments the delay in their acknowledgment.

🌍 Parallels Between History and Today

- Olson and Kawasaki discuss the troubling similarities between pre-WWII Germany and modern political climates, including authoritarian tendencies, scapegoating, and polarization.

- Olson remains cautiously optimistic, emphasizing the resilience of democratic institutions and the potential for ordinary people to enact change.

- The conversation underscores the importance of community and individual responsibility in resisting oppression and safeguarding democracy.