Professer Agathe Lasch 

vun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal  
(Wienmoond 1992)  

Uns Bundespräsident Roman Herzog hett den 27. Januor to een Dag to'n Andinken an de Opper vun den Holocaust mookt. Den 27. Januor 1945 hebbt de Russen dat KZ Auschwitz befreet. Wat hebbt se vörfunn'? menschliche Wracks, afhungert bet op Huut un Knoken. Vull mit Lüüs un Fleuhn, Typhus un keen weet wat noch allns wüür. Toschann mookt vun Bestien in Minschengestalt. Vun NAZIS! Uter dat Schicksool vun Fro Professer Fraenkel un ehre Fomilje liggt mi as Nedderdüütsche bannig dat vun Agathe Lasch op de Seel. Wat de Fro allns för uns Modersprook doon hett weet de Wenigsten. All' de Stotschoon vun ehr grotet wetenschooplichet Warken optotelln warr ik nochmol moken, dat hebb ik mi to Plicht sett. 

In Hamborg wörr ehr 1916 dat Leit vun dat jüst gründ't ,,Niederdeutsches Wörterbuch-Archiv'' öberdrogen. Mit Professer Dr. Jürgen Meier bün ik in dat Archiv ween un hebb sehn wo akroot se de plattdüütschen Wüür mit schreben Schrift op de lütten veerkantigen Zeddels schreben hett, un wat hebb ik mi freit, nu stoht in dat sülbige Archiv in de sülbigen Kassens ok Zeddels vun mi. 1919, de Universität Hamborg wüür jüst gründ't, hett se habilitiert för de nedderdüütsche Philologie. Den 29.Juni 1923 is Agathe Lasch mit Senootsbeslott to'n Professer neumt worrn. De akademische Schoolmestertiet wüür de Heuchtpunkt vun ehr Lebenswark. De Studentengenerotschoon, de ünner ehr Leit studeert hebbt, sünd mit een besünners good philologisch Utbilln in't Leben gohn. 

Dat fruchtbore Warken vun Agathe Lasch is 1933 dörch dat Nazi-Regim afbroken worrn. Swedsche Professers hebbt mit een Peditschoon dörchsett, datt se in dat Wintersemester 1933/1934 noch Vörlesen hooln dröff. Den 30. Juni 1934 wöör ehr allns verboden. Se kreeg dwors ehr Pangschoon, ober Wetenschupp wüür ehr Leben. Se hett weent un froogt: ,,Wem würde ich schaden, wenn ich arbeiten dürfte?'' Een düster Ohnen sweev boben ehr. Foken is se in Troon utbroken un hett seggt: ,,Sollte ein Krieg ausbrechen ist es unser aller Ende. Wir sind vogelfrei. Tiere werden gepflegt und geschützt, aber wir Juden nicht''. Allns hett man ehr nohm, sogor ehr egen Beuker. Woans ehr quoolvull Leben endt is köönt wi bloots ohnen. Den 15. August 1942 is se mit een Judentransport ut Berlin no Theresienstadt wegkomen, ober de Toog is nie nich in Theresienstadt ankomen. Dat is vun de Nazi-Mörder ober so ploont ween. De armen Minschen sünd al in de Iesenbohnwoggons vergoost worrn, dat hett de ,,Nürnberger 
Prozess'' an den Dag bröcht. Noch twee Utsprüch vun Agathe Lasch: ,,Parias (entrechtete Menschen) und Sklaven haben es besser als wir. Ein Paria kann gehen wohin er will, und ein Sklave kann einen guten Herrn finden''. 

Een Germanistin mit Lief un Seel müss vun dat Land un Volk wat se so leev harr, soveel Sworet hinnehm. Ehre Leev to Düütschland kunn nich deper sitten, denn een vun Professer Agathe Lasch ehr letzten Utsprüch wüür: ,,Das Bewußtsein deutsch zu empfinden kann mir niemand nehmen''. 

Schoom do ik mi för dat wat in Noom vun dat düütsche Volk Agathe Lasch un all' ehr Breuder un Süstern andoon worrn is. Liektiedig segg ik: ,,Danke Professer Agathe Lasch för allns, wat Se för uns düütsche Sprook, besünners för uns lebet Nedderdüütsch, doon hebbt''.

Professor Agathe Lasch 

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal  
(October 1992)  

Our prime minister Roman Herzog has made the 27th of January the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Holocaust. On January 27, 1945, the Russians [= the Soviet Union] liberated the concentration camp Auschwitz. What did they find? Human wrecks, emaciated down to skin and bones, full of lice, flees, typhoid and who knows what else -- victimized by beasts in human form. By NAZIS! Aside from the fate of Professor Fränkel's wife and her family, as a Lowlands German I have a rather heavy heart thinking of Agathe Lasch. Few people know quite what this woman has done for our native language. To present an account of all the phases of her great scientific work is something I still want to accomplish, something I consider my duty. 

In 1916, in Hamburg, she had been entrusted with the supervision of the recently founded Low German [= Low Saxon] Dictionary Archive. I have visited the archive together with Professor Jürgen Meier, and I was able to see how accurately she had hand-written the Low German words onto small, rectangular [sheets =] cards. And how excited I was! There are now cards with material I have provided. In 1919 -- the University of Hamburg had just been founded -- she received her doctorate in Low German philology. Following a senate resolution, Agathe Lasch received her professorate on June 29, 1923. Her years as a university instructor were the high point in her life's work. The generation of students that studied under her went out into the world with particularly good philological training behind them. 

Agathe Lasch's prolific work was stopped abruptly by the Nazi regime in 1933. Thanks to a petition from Swedish professors she was still permitted to lecture during the winter semester of 1933/1934. As of June 30, 1934, everything was prohibited. She was forced to retire, but science was her life. She wept and asked [in German], "To whose detriment would it be if I were allowed to work?" Dark foreboding hung above her. Oftentimes she broke into tears and said [in German], "Should war break out, it would be the end for all of us. We have no protection from the law. Animals are looked after and protected, but not we Jews." Everything had been taken away from her, even her own books. We can only imagine how her life of torment ended. On August she was taken away with a transport of Jews from Berlin to Theresienstadt, but the train never arrived in Theresienstadt. The Nazi murderers had planned it that way. The poor people were gassed inside the carriages, as came to be known during the Nuremburg Trials. Two more quotes by Agathe Lasch [in German]: "Pariahs and slaves are treated better than we are. A pariah may go wherever he wants, and a slave can find a good master." 

A Germanist through and through had to suffer so terribly by the hands of the nation she loved so dearly. Her love for Germany could not have been more ardent, for one of Professor Lasch's last sayings was [in German] "No one can take away from me my awareness of feeling German." 

I am ashamed for that which was done to Agathe Lasch and all her brothers and sisters in the name of the German people. At the same time, I say, "Thank you, Professor Agathe Lasch, for everything you have done for the German language, especially for our beloved Low German."

Professer Agathe Lasch 

fun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal  
(Wiinmaand 1992)  

Uns bundespresident Roman Herzog het d'n 27. [seuven-un-twintigsden] Januaar tou 'n dag tou d'n an-dinken an de opper fun d'n holocaust maakd. D'n 27. Januor 1945 [negentain hunnerd fiiv un feirtig] hebt de Russen dat KZ [ka-tset = Konzentrationslager 'concentration camp'] Auschwitz befreid. Wat hebt sei foer-funnen? Minschliche wraks, af-hungerd bet op huut un knaken. Ful mit luys' un floyen, typhus un kein weit wat noch allens woyr -- tou schanden maakd fun bestijen in minschengestalt. Fun NAZIS! Uter dat schicksaal fun Fro Professer Fränkel un ere familje ligt mii as Nedderduytsche bannig dat fun Agathe Lasch op de seel. Wat de frou allens foer uns mouderspraak daan het weitt de wenigsten. Al de staatschounen fun er groutet weitenschooplichet warken op tou tellen war ik noch maal maken; dat hev ik mii tou plicht sett. 

In Hamborg woer er 1916 [negentain hunnerd soesstain] dat lait fun dat juest gruendt Niederdeutsches Wörterbuch-Archiv euverdragen. Mit Professer Dr. [Dokter] Jürgen Meier buen ik in dat archiiw ween un hev sein wou akraat sei de Platduytschen woyrd' mit schreven schrivt op de luetten feirkantigen tseddels schreven het. Un wat hev ik mi fraid! Nuu staat in dat suelvige archiiw in de suelvigen kassens ouk tseddels fun mii. 1919 [negentain hunnerd negentain] -- de Uniwersiteet Hamborg woyr juest gruendt -- het sei habiliteirt foer de Nedderduytsche filologii. D'n 29. [negen-un-twintigsden] Juni 1923 [negentain hunnerd drei un twintig] is Agathe Lasch mit senaatsbeslot tou 'n professer noymd worden. De akademische schoulmeistertiid woyr de hoygdpunkt fun er levenswark. De studentengeneraatschoun dei uenner er lait studeirt hebt suend mit 'n besuenners goud filologisch uut-bilden in 't leven gaan. 

Dat fruchtbare warken fun Agathe Lasch is 1933 [negetain hunnerd drei un dertig] doerch dat Nazi-reschiim af-broken worden. Sweedsche professers hebt mit 'n peditschoun doerch-sett dat sei in dat wintersemester 1933/1934 [negentain hunnerd feir un dertig] noch foer-lesen holden droev. D'n 30. [dertigsden] Juni 1934 woyr er allens ferboden. Sei kreeg' dwaars er pangschoun, aver weitenschup woyr er leven. Sei het weind un fraagd: ,,Wem würde ich schaden, wenn ich arbeiten dürfte?'' 'n Duyster anen sweev' baven er. Faken is sei in tranen uut-broken un het segd: ,,Sollte ein Krieg ausbrechen, ist es unser aller Ende. Wir sind vogelfrei. Tiere werden gepflegt und geschützt, aber wir Juden nicht''. Allens het man er namen, sogaar er eigen boyker. Wouans er kwaalful leven endt is keunt wii bloots anen. D'n 15. [foevtainden] August 1942 [negentain hunnerd twei un feirtig] is sei mit 'n Judentransport uut Berlin naa Theresienstadt weg-kamen, aver de toug is nii nich in Theresienstadt an-kamen. Dat is fun de Nazi-moerder aver soo plaand ween. De armen minschen suend al in de isenbaanwagongs fergaasd worden. Dat het de Nürnberger Prozess an d'n dag broecht. Noch twee uut-spruech fun Agathe Lasch: ,,Parias (entrechtete Menschen) und Sklaven haben es besser als wir. Ein Paria kann gehen wohin er will, und ein Sklave kann einen guten Herrn finden''. 

'n Germanistin mit liiv un seel muess fun dat land un folk wat sei soo leiv har soo feel swaret hin-nemen. Ere leiv' tou Duytschland kun nich deiper sitten, den ein fun Professer Agathe Lasch er letsten uut-spruech woyr: ,,Das Bewußtsein deutsch zu empfinden kann mir niemand nehmen''. 

Schamen dou ik mii foer dat wat in d'n naam fun dat Duytsche folk Agathe Lasch un al er broyder un suestern an-daan worden is. Liiktidig seg ik: ,,Danke, Professer Agathe Lasch, foer allens wat Sei foer uns Duytsche spraak, besuenners foer uns leivet Nedderduytsch, daan hebt''. 
 

Professor Agathe Lasch 

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal  
(October 1992)  

Our prime minister Roman Herzog has made the 27th of January the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Holocaust. On January 27, 1945, the Russians [= the Soviet Union] liberated the concentration camp Auschwitz. What did they find? Human wrecks, emaciated down to skin and bones, full of lice, flees, typhoid and who knows what else -- victimized by beasts in human form. By NAZIS! Aside from the fate of Professor Fränkel's wife and her family, as a Lowlands German I have a rather heavy heart thinking of Agathe Lasch. Few people know quite what this woman has done for our native language. To present an account of all the phases of her great scientific work is something I still want to accomplish, something I consider my duty. 

In 1916, in Hamburg, she had been entrusted with the supervision of the recently founded Low German [= Low Saxon] Dictionary Archive. I have visited the archive together with Professor Jürgen Meier, and I was able to see how accurately she had hand-written the Low German words onto small, rectangular [sheets =] cards. And how excited I was! There are now cards with material I have provided. In 1919 -- the University of Hamburg had just been founded -- she received her doctorate in Low German philology. Following a senate resolution, Agathe Lasch received her professorate on June 29, 1923. Her years as a university instructor were the high point in her life's work. The generation of students that studied under her went out into the world with particularly good philological training behind them. 

Agathe Lasch's prolific work was stopped abruptly by the Nazi regime in 1933. Thanks to a petition from Swedish professors she was still permitted to lecture during the winter semester of 1933/1934. As of June 30, 1934, everything was prohibited. She was forced to retire, but science was her life. She wept and asked [in German], "To whose detriment would it be if I were allowed to work?" Dark foreboding hung above her. Oftentimes she broke into tears and said [in German], "Should war break out, it would be the end for all of us. We have no protection from the law. Animals are looked after and protected, but not we Jews." Everything had been taken away from her, even her own books. We can only imagine how her life of torment ended. On August she was taken away with a transport of Jews from Berlin to Theresienstadt, but the train never arrived in Theresienstadt. The Nazi murderers had planned it that way. The poor people were gassed inside the carriages, as came to be known during the Nuremburg Trials. Two more quotes by Agathe Lasch [in German]: "Pariahs and slaves are treated better than we are. A pariah may go wherever he wants, and a slave can find a good master." 

A Germanist through and through had to suffer so terribly by the hands of the nation she loved so dearly. Her love for Germany could not have been more ardent, for one of Professor Lasch's last sayings was [in German] "No one can take away from me my awareness of feeling German." 

I am ashamed for that which was done to Agathe Lasch and all her brothers and sisters in the name of the German people. At the same time, I say, "Thank you, Professor Agathe Lasch, for everything you have done for the German language, especially for our beloved Low German." 

Professer Agathe Lasch 

vun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal  
(Wienmoond 1992)  

Uns Bundespräsident Roman Herzog hett den 27. Januor to een Dag to'n Andinken an de Opper vun den Holocaust mookt. Den 27. Januor 1945 hebbt de Russen dat KZ Auschwitz befreet. Wat hebbt se vörfunn'? menschliche Wracks, afhungert bet op Huut un Knoken. Vull mit Lüüs un Fleuhn, Typhus un keen weet wat noch allns wüür. Toschann mookt vun Bestien in Minschengestalt. Vun NAZIS! Uter dat Schicksool vun Fro Professer Fraenkel un ehre Fomilje liggt mi as Nedderdüütsche bannig dat vun Agathe Lasch op de Seel. Wat de Fro allns för uns Modersprook doon hett weet de Wenigsten. All' de Stotschoon vun ehr grotet wetenschooplichet Warken optotelln warr ik nochmol moken, dat hebb ik mi to Plicht sett. 

In Hamborg wörr ehr 1916 dat Leit vun dat jüst gründ't ,,Niederdeutsches Wörterbuch-Archiv'' öberdrogen. Mit Professer Dr. Jürgen Meier bün ik in dat Archiv ween un hebb sehn wo akroot se de plattdüütschen Wüür mit schreben Schrift op de lütten veerkantigen Zeddels schreben hett, un wat hebb ik mi freit, nu stoht in dat sülbige Archiv in de sülbigen Kassens ok Zeddels vun mi. 1919, de Universität Hamborg wüür jüst gründ't, hett se habilitiert för de nedderdüütsche Philologie. Den 29.Juni 1923 is Agathe Lasch mit Senootsbeslott to'n Professer neumt worrn. De akademische Schoolmestertiet wüür de Heuchtpunkt vun ehr Lebenswark. De Studentengenerotschoon, de ünner ehr Leit studeert hebbt, sünd mit een besünners good philologisch Utbilln in't Leben gohn. 

Dat fruchtbore Warken vun Agathe Lasch is 1933 dörch dat Nazi-Regim afbroken worrn. Swedsche Professers hebbt mit een Peditschoon dörchsett, datt se in dat Wintersemester 1933/1934 noch Vörlesen hooln dröff. Den 30. Juni 1934 wöör ehr allns verboden. Se kreeg dwors ehr Pangschoon, ober Wetenschupp wüür ehr Leben. Se hett weent un froogt: ,,Wem würde ich schaden, wenn ich arbeiten dürfte?'' Een düster Ohnen sweev boben ehr. Foken is se in Troon utbroken un hett seggt: ,,Sollte ein Krieg ausbrechen ist es unser aller Ende. Wir sind vogelfrei. Tiere werden gepflegt und geschützt, aber wir Juden nicht''. Allns hett man ehr nohm, sogor ehr egen Beuker. Woans ehr quoolvull Leben endt is köönt wi bloots ohnen. Den 15. August 1942 is se mit een Judentransport ut Berlin no Theresienstadt wegkomen, ober de Toog is nie nich in Theresienstadt ankomen. Dat is vun de Nazi-Mörder ober so ploont ween. De armen Minschen sünd al in de Iesenbohnwoggons vergoost worrn, dat hett de ,,Nürnberger 
Prozess'' an den Dag bröcht. Noch twee Utsprüch vun Agathe Lasch: ,,Parias (entrechtete Menschen) und Sklaven haben es besser als wir. Ein Paria kann gehen wohin er will, und ein Sklave kann einen guten Herrn finden''. 

Een Germanistin mit Lief un Seel müss vun dat Land un Volk wat se so leev harr, soveel Sworet hinnehm. Ehre Leev to Düütschland kunn nich deper sitten, denn een vun Professer Agathe Lasch ehr letzten Utsprüch wüür: ,,Das Bewußtsein deutsch zu empfinden kann mir niemand nehmen''. 

Schoom do ik mi för dat wat in Noom vun dat düütsche Volk Agathe Lasch un all' ehr Breuder un Süstern andoon worrn is. Liektiedig segg ik: ,,Danke Professer Agathe Lasch för allns, wat Se för uns düütsche Sprook, besünners för uns lebet Nedderdüütsch, doon hebbt''.

Professor Agathe Lasch 

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal  
(October 1992)  

Our prime minister Roman Herzog has made the 27th of January the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Holocaust. On January 27, 1945, the Russians [= the Soviet Union] liberated the concentration camp Auschwitz. What did they find? Human wrecks, emaciated down to skin and bones, full of lice, flees, typhoid and who knows what else -- victimized by beasts in human form. By NAZIS! Aside from the fate of Professor Fränkel's wife and her family, as a Lowlands German I have a rather heavy heart thinking of Agathe Lasch. Few people know quite what this woman has done for our native language. To present an account of all the phases of her great scientific work is something I still want to accomplish, something I consider my duty. 

In 1916, in Hamburg, she had been entrusted with the supervision of the recently founded Low German [= Low Saxon] Dictionary Archive. I have visited the archive together with Professor Jürgen Meier, and I was able to see how accurately she had hand-written the Low German words onto small, rectangular [sheets =] cards. And how excited I was! There are now cards with material I have provided. In 1919 -- the University of Hamburg had just been founded -- she received her doctorate in Low German philology. Following a senate resolution, Agathe Lasch received her professorate on June 29, 1923. Her years as a university instructor were the high point in her life's work. The generation of students that studied under her went out into the world with particularly good philological training behind them. 

Agathe Lasch's prolific work was stopped abruptly by the Nazi regime in 1933. Thanks to a petition from Swedish professors she was still permitted to lecture during the winter semester of 1933/1934. As of June 30, 1934, everything was prohibited. She was forced to retire, but science was her life. She wept and asked [in German], "To whose detriment would it be if I were allowed to work?" Dark foreboding hung above her. Oftentimes she broke into tears and said [in German], "Should war break out, it would be the end for all of us. We have no protection from the law. Animals are looked after and protected, but not we Jews." Everything had been taken away from her, even her own books. We can only imagine how her life of torment ended. On August she was taken away with a transport of Jews from Berlin to Theresienstadt, but the train never arrived in Theresienstadt. The Nazi murderers had planned it that way. The poor people were gassed inside the carriages, as came to be known during the Nuremburg Trials. Two more quotes by Agathe Lasch [in German]: "Pariahs and slaves are treated better than we are. A pariah may go wherever he wants, and a slave can find a good master." 

A Germanist through and through had to suffer so terribly by the hands of the nation she loved so dearly. Her love for Germany could not have been more ardent, for one of Professor Lasch's last sayings was [in German] "No one can take away from me my awareness of feeling German." 

I am ashamed for that which was done to Agathe Lasch and all her brothers and sisters in the name of the German people. At the same time, I say, "Thank you, Professor Agathe Lasch, for everything you have done for the German language, especially for our beloved Low German."

Professer Agathe Lasch 

fun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal  
(Wiinmaand 1992)  

Uns bundespresident Roman Herzog het d'n 27. [seuven-un-twintigsden] Januaar tou 'n dag tou d'n an-dinken an de opper fun d'n holocaust maakd. D'n 27. Januor 1945 [negentain hunnerd fiiv un feirtig] hebt de Russen dat KZ [ka-tset = Konzentrationslager 'concentration camp'] Auschwitz befreid. Wat hebt sei foer-funnen? Minschliche wraks, af-hungerd bet op huut un knaken. Ful mit luys' un floyen, typhus un kein weit wat noch allens woyr -- tou schanden maakd fun bestijen in minschengestalt. Fun NAZIS! Uter dat schicksaal fun Fro Professer Fränkel un ere familje ligt mii as Nedderduytsche bannig dat fun Agathe Lasch op de seel. Wat de frou allens foer uns mouderspraak daan het weitt de wenigsten. Al de staatschounen fun er groutet weitenschooplichet warken op tou tellen war ik noch maal maken; dat hev ik mii tou plicht sett. 

In Hamborg woer er 1916 [negentain hunnerd soesstain] dat lait fun dat juest gruendt Niederdeutsches Wörterbuch-Archiv euverdragen. Mit Professer Dr. [Dokter] Jürgen Meier buen ik in dat archiiw ween un hev sein wou akraat sei de Platduytschen woyrd' mit schreven schrivt op de luetten feirkantigen tseddels schreven het. Un wat hev ik mi fraid! Nuu staat in dat suelvige archiiw in de suelvigen kassens ouk tseddels fun mii. 1919 [negentain hunnerd negentain] -- de Uniwersiteet Hamborg woyr juest gruendt -- het sei habiliteirt foer de Nedderduytsche filologii. D'n 29. [negen-un-twintigsden] Juni 1923 [negentain hunnerd drei un twintig] is Agathe Lasch mit senaatsbeslot tou 'n professer noymd worden. De akademische schoulmeistertiid woyr de hoygdpunkt fun er levenswark. De studentengeneraatschoun dei uenner er lait studeirt hebt suend mit 'n besuenners goud filologisch uut-bilden in 't leven gaan. 

Dat fruchtbare warken fun Agathe Lasch is 1933 [negetain hunnerd drei un dertig] doerch dat Nazi-reschiim af-broken worden. Sweedsche professers hebt mit 'n peditschoun doerch-sett dat sei in dat wintersemester 1933/1934 [negentain hunnerd feir un dertig] noch foer-lesen holden droev. D'n 30. [dertigsden] Juni 1934 woyr er allens ferboden. Sei kreeg' dwaars er pangschoun, aver weitenschup woyr er leven. Sei het weind un fraagd: ,,Wem würde ich schaden, wenn ich arbeiten dürfte?'' 'n Duyster anen sweev' baven er. Faken is sei in tranen uut-broken un het segd: ,,Sollte ein Krieg ausbrechen, ist es unser aller Ende. Wir sind vogelfrei. Tiere werden gepflegt und geschützt, aber wir Juden nicht''. Allens het man er namen, sogaar er eigen boyker. Wouans er kwaalful leven endt is keunt wii bloots anen. D'n 15. [foevtainden] August 1942 [negentain hunnerd twei un feirtig] is sei mit 'n Judentransport uut Berlin naa Theresienstadt weg-kamen, aver de toug is nii nich in Theresienstadt an-kamen. Dat is fun de Nazi-moerder aver soo plaand ween. De armen minschen suend al in de isenbaanwagongs fergaasd worden. Dat het de Nürnberger Prozess an d'n dag broecht. Noch twee uut-spruech fun Agathe Lasch: ,,Parias (entrechtete Menschen) und Sklaven haben es besser als wir. Ein Paria kann gehen wohin er will, und ein Sklave kann einen guten Herrn finden''. 

'n Germanistin mit liiv un seel muess fun dat land un folk wat sei soo leiv har soo feel swaret hin-nemen. Ere leiv' tou Duytschland kun nich deiper sitten, den ein fun Professer Agathe Lasch er letsten uut-spruech woyr: ,,Das Bewußtsein deutsch zu empfinden kann mir niemand nehmen''. 

Schamen dou ik mii foer dat wat in d'n naam fun dat Duytsche folk Agathe Lasch un al er broyder un suestern an-daan worden is. Liiktidig seg ik: ,,Danke, Professer Agathe Lasch, foer allens wat Sei foer uns Duytsche spraak, besuenners foer uns leivet Nedderduytsch, daan hebt''. 
 

Professor Agathe Lasch 

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal  
(October 1992)  

Our prime minister Roman Herzog has made the 27th of January the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Holocaust. On January 27, 1945, the Russians [= the Soviet Union] liberated the concentration camp Auschwitz. What did they find? Human wrecks, emaciated down to skin and bones, full of lice, flees, typhoid and who knows what else -- victimized by beasts in human form. By NAZIS! Aside from the fate of Professor Fränkel's wife and her family, as a Lowlands German I have a rather heavy heart thinking of Agathe Lasch. Few people know quite what this woman has done for our native language. To present an account of all the phases of her great scientific work is something I still want to accomplish, something I consider my duty. 

In 1916, in Hamburg, she had been entrusted with the supervision of the recently founded Low German [= Low Saxon] Dictionary Archive. I have visited the archive together with Professor Jürgen Meier, and I was able to see how accurately she had hand-written the Low German words onto small, rectangular [sheets =] cards. And how excited I was! There are now cards with material I have provided. In 1919 -- the University of Hamburg had just been founded -- she received her doctorate in Low German philology. Following a senate resolution, Agathe Lasch received her professorate on June 29, 1923. Her years as a university instructor were the high point in her life's work. The generation of students that studied under her went out into the world with particularly good philological training behind them. 

Agathe Lasch's prolific work was stopped abruptly by the Nazi regime in 1933. Thanks to a petition from Swedish professors she was still permitted to lecture during the winter semester of 1933/1934. As of June 30, 1934, everything was prohibited. She was forced to retire, but science was her life. She wept and asked [in German], "To whose detriment would it be if I were allowed to work?" Dark foreboding hung above her. Oftentimes she broke into tears and said [in German], "Should war break out, it would be the end for all of us. We have no protection from the law. Animals are looked after and protected, but not we Jews." Everything had been taken away from her, even her own books. We can only imagine how her life of torment ended. On August she was taken away with a transport of Jews from Berlin to Theresienstadt, but the train never arrived in Theresienstadt. The Nazi murderers had planned it that way. The poor people were gassed inside the carriages, as came to be known during the Nuremburg Trials. Two more quotes by Agathe Lasch [in German]: "Pariahs and slaves are treated better than we are. A pariah may go wherever he wants, and a slave can find a good master." 

A Germanist through and through had to suffer so terribly by the hands of the nation she loved so dearly. Her love for Germany could not have been more ardent, for one of Professor Lasch's last sayings was [in German] "No one can take away from me my awareness of feeling German." 

I am ashamed for that which was done to Agathe Lasch and all her brothers and sisters in the name of the German people. At the same time, I say, "Thank you, Professor Agathe Lasch, for everything you have done for the German language, especially for our beloved Low German."