Edgewood, Maryland, United States
Anna Rosmus, from Passau, Germany, who as a student discovered her hometown’s concealed National Socialist past, is the award-winning author of 17 books, numerous academic articles and essays. She is the real-life heroine of the 1990 Verhoeven film THE NASTY GIRL. Rosmus has dedicated much of her life to researching and documenting the contributions and subsequent fate of immigrants, US-veterans and other minorities in her native homeland as well as to combatting the extreme right. Among other aspects, Rosmus has published the artwork of Jews who once lived in Passau and were exiled. This inclusion led to threats against her life. She now lives near the Chesapeake Bay. As a free lance writer, Rosmus has contributed essays to various magazines and newspapers, such as "The New York Times", "The European", "Glossen", "La Pensée et les Hommes", "Holocaust and Genocide Studies" and "Aufbau". Professor Robert Herzstein wrote in “The Journal of The Historical Society II": “Anna Rosmus’ remarkable studies of the Passau region in Bavaria stand out as the rare exception. Despite the opposition of her teachers and of the people who ran Bavaria’s educational establishment in the late 1970s, Rosmus decided to examine the history of the town of Passau during the years of the Third Reich. She has never stopped, and in the process has found the bodies and identified living culprits ...” For decades, Rosmus has located and invited Jewish survivors and American liberators to return as guests of honor. To preserve this memory and encourage reconciliation, she sponsored multiple anniversary commemorations in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic, where she introduced victims and heroes to local communities. Rosmus also ensured that effaced memorials in the region be restored and new ones added. That work was the subject of Felix Kuballa’s documentary THE NASTY GIRL IN AMERICA. Twice, Rosmus was featured in a 60 MINUTES profile by Morley Safer. - International research projects since 1983 - International speaking engagements since 1983 - College teaching assignments since 1984 - High profile visits for survivors and emigrés since 1986 - Tours for US WWII veterans since 1994 - Have US WWII veterans decorated since 2005 - Interfaith service with Christians, Jews and Muslims since 1995 - First Public Shabbat service in Passau 2005 - Re-establish memorials for Victims of the Shoah and WWII since 1983