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86: Lilly Wust and Felice Schragenheim, Berlin Brides - Publication Date |
- Jan 29, 2020
- Episode Duration |
- 00:48:51
We’re back with Part 2 of our episode on Lilly Wust and Felice Schragenheim. When we last left off Lilly – a proud Nazi and wife of a German soldier, had just met Felice – who was an undercover Jew and a Resistance Fighter against Hitler’s evil regime. It was the height of World War...
The post 86: Lilly Wust and Felice Schragenheim, Berlin Brides appeared first on Your Queer Story.
We’re back with Part 2 of our episode on
Lilly Wust and Felice Schragenheim. When we last left off Lilly – a proud Nazi and wife of a German soldier, had just met Felice – who was an undercover Jew and a Resistance Fighter against Hitler’s evil regime. It was the height of World War 2 in 1942 and Germany was winning.
Thousands of Jews had fled the country before the mass deportations to death camps began. It was in the middle of the chaos that Lilly and Felice met at a lunch arranged with Lilly’s maid Ulla. Felice had gone on a dare to see if Lilly could really “smell a Jew” as she had claimed to Ulla. But the young mother was far too smitten with the attractive woman across the table from her. She couldn’t shake her desire to see Felice again and waited in anticipation for an opportunity to arise.
A few weeks later Lilly saw Felice picking Ulla up from work. She invited the young woman to dinner. In time she invited Felice and Ulla to bring more of the friends over for dinner parties. Thus began a very unique situation as Lilly, an ardent Hitler supporter who’s own husband now fought for the German Army, regularly hosted members of the Jewish underground in her home. It was late 1942 when Felice entered the picture and Lilly’s husband was often able to return home from his position in Berlin.
Felice flirts with Lilly
Typically he was stationed 14 days on-site and 14 days off on leave. And when he was home he also enjoyed the company of Lilly’s new friends. In fact, it was one evening as he sat in the parlor with Ulla and a few other resistance fighters that Felice went into the kitchen to help Lilly. Felice had not been very coy in her open flirtations with Lilly. She regularly brought the young mother flowers and complimented her at every turn.
And perhaps Lilly’s acceptance of Felice’s flirting is what prompted the brazen woman to take Lilly in her arms and attempt to kiss her. The timid wife quickly pushed Felice away and told her “Let’s just be friends”. To which Felice conceded and apologized. But as her friends all later recounted, Felice was very shrewd. She knew when someone wanted her and she knew how to play the game. She was also reckless enough to continue pursuing such a dangerous target. But taking a step back, Felice respectfully kept her distance while still making her intentions known. Every single day she called Lilly and the two women would talk endlessly on the phone. When Felice was away on “work” – though she never told Lilly that the work was for the Underground – she would write to her muse. One postcard read as such:
Dear and Most Gracious Madam,
I admit I am the most laziest of letter writers but I mean to replace my daily telephone calls with these postcards. Though the whispered nothings of phone calls don’t translate too well onto paper. But I’ll make up for that later. So, what’s new? Air raid warnings? Trouble with Ulla? Various love entanglements? I want to know all about it. So I may send you my address tomorrow. Will you answer? I hope so…and I hope for much else besides. ‘Til then, my friendliest regards,
Your Felice
Yet Felice never did send her address. She couldn’t afford the risk and at the same time she couldn’t bring herself to walk away from Lilly. On March 18, 1943 Lilly went into the hospital for an operation. She was still in the hospital three days later when Felice returned from one of her missions and went to see her.
Lilly Wust falls in love with Felice Schragenheim
Upon entering the room Felice once again took Lilly in her arms and this time Lilly says “I didn’t resist”. They shared their first kiss and professed their love for one another. Felice visited every day and stayed with Lilly as much as possible until her release on April 2nd. That evening the two women had a secret wedding ce...
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