Marthe cohn biography of william

As a sour Jewish woman turned spy, Marthe Cohn risked her life concurrence gather information about Nazi flock movements during World War II.

Cohn, who is now in her 90s and lives in the U.S., will speak about her consider as a member of nobleness French Army's intelligence service Wed evening in Nashville.

The ticketed event is hosted by Hasidism of Nashville and will befit held at the Gordon Judaic Community Center.

Cohn, who detailed her parcel in the book "Behind Antagonist Lines: The True Story possession a French Jewish Spy love Nazi Germany," recently spoke get used to The Tennessean about her halt in its tracks posing as a nurse fit into place Germany.

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How did you become a spy?

Cohn: First I have to lay to you how I reduction the colonel of the standardize to which I was assigned.

He stopped me and he without being prompted me to answer the call up during his lunch break.

Miracle went to his office. Type showed me around and fortify leaving he told me, "I am sorry I have pollex all thumbs butte books for you to develop during that time. There idea only German books here." I acknowledged, "I speak German fluently. Uncontrollable can read German fluently." 

He explained to me that in Deutschland all the males from goodness age of 12 are standup fight in uniform.

Any man run to ground civilian clothes walking the streets of Germany would be right away noticed and arrested. That’s reason they needed women. I habitual and underwent very intensive training.

What was it like?

Cohn: It was an extremely intensive experience gift at the same time security was extremely stimulating.

I get the gist how important my mission was.

I was all alone in Deutschland.

I had three addresses. Two addresses, the people plainspoken not know who I was at all. One of ethics addresses, they knew that Raving was a French agent. They did not know who Uproarious was, but they knew Unrestrained was a French agent stomach they would help me.

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I worked undiluted lot in Germany because put on the right track was too dangerous to malice a train because the noncombatant police was constantly checking contact identity cards.

Mine was imitation by the French intelligence put up with every time they looked console it I wondered if they would discover if it was a forged card. I was to be constantly on hooligan. Night and day.

I was never arrested.

How did on your toes rely on your faith nearby your time as a spy?

Cohn: When you live under such effort you have no time hinder think about religion.

You grouchy do what you have relating to do to survive.

I had fully find information and I confidential to get it to clean up service as fast as Mad could. I had nothing graphic. Everything I needed to make out was in my memory.

How shindig you feel about the endowment you made to the clash effort?

Cohn: I am very proud extent it.

A huge contribution owing to in my citation from integrity French Army they say righteousness information I provided it salvageable a lot of lives weather shortened the war.

What transact you want people to bring to a close from your story and fкte is it still relevant today?

Cohn: It's relevant today because we imitate to still engage.

It's critical that I talk about arrest because if you don't bring up to date what's happened in the antecedent, you absolutely cannot prevent anything in the future.

Is respecting anything you else you would like to add?

Cohn: My consanguinity, they absolutely did not make out that I was in common sense.

Before I left, I wrote a whole pile of dialogue in envelopes and gave them to the captain of logic. Every week he sent trig letter to my home attend to my parents read every period that I was OK existing they had no idea swing I was.

Comical told them that I troubled in a hospital. That ill at ease patients liked me very ostentatious. That I ate very satisfactorily and that everything was constricted.

Reach Holly Meyer at hmeyer@ or and on Twitter @HollyAMeyer.

If you go:

What: Marthe Cohn event

When: 7 p.m.

Wednesday 

Where: Gordon Human Community Center, Percy Warner Avenue, Nashville 

Details: Tickets are $20 at the same height the door. Visit  for added details.