On 21 April 1937, the “Pariser Tageszeitung“ announced on its front page that it would be printing Maria Leitner’s novel “Elisabeth, ein Hitlermädchen” (Elisabeth, a Hitler Girl). The novel was said to be “a literary depiction of the destiny of today’s youth” that took the reader “right to the heart of modern Germany”.

The novel is based on research carried out by Leitner, who travelled to Germany from her place of exile using forged documents. It was intended to be a counterpart to “Ulla, ein Hitlermädel”” (Ulla, a Hitler Girl), a Nazi book written for young people by Helga Knöpke-Joest (1933). The young protagonist Elisabeth is initially a staunch supporter of National Socialist ideology. However, she undergoes experiences that shake her convictions. Her doubts are eventually confirmed during a spell in a re-education camp. The episode printed here describes a shooting exercise at the camp, in which Elisabeth suddenly becomes the deliberate target of a fanatical camp comrade.

German scholar Julia Killet has the following to say about the novel: “Maria Leitner skilfully interweaves quotations from songs, statute books and National Socialist educational theory with the plot to increase its documentary impact.” (Maria Leitner oder: im Sturm der Zeit, 2013)

The title masks the novel’s educational, anti-Nazi intentions. Leitner hoped that it would serve as a vehicle enabling her to reach young people in Nazi Germany. However, the newspaper serial, which continued until 21 June 1937, was probably only read by people in exile. The novel first appeared in book form in 1985, when it was published in the GDR.

Further reading:
Maria Leitner: Elisabeth, ein Hitlermädchen. Ein Roman und Reportagen (1934–1939). Berlin: Aviva, 2014.