Franceska Mann, a renowned Polish ballerina, is believed to have killed a Nazi guard at the Auschwitz concentration camp on October 23, 1943. After being lured into a trapy by the Nazis, Mann reorganized her final moments into an act of resistance. Upon arrival at the camp, she managed to seize a firearm from a guard and shoot two SS officers, killing one and wounding another, before she was ultimately executed by the Nazis.
Early Life and Career as a Polish Ballerina
Born on February 4, 1917, in Warsaw, Poland, as Franceska Manheimer, Mann was an exceptionally talented dancer. She specialized in freestyle, ballet, and tap dancing, and was recognized as one of the most promising Polish dancers of the late 1930s, as documented by the Warsaw Ghetto Museum. Her professional success was marked by performances in operas, cabarets, and the short film Polki słyną (Polish Women Are Known For). One of her highest achievements was winning fourth prize at the International Dance Competition in Brussels, where she outperformed 120 other competitors.
Imprisonment in the Warsaw Ghetto
Following the Nazi invasion of Poland in September 1939, the lives of many Polish Jews, including Franceska Mann, were forced into the Warsaw Ghetto. The ghetto was a small, crowded area of 1.3 square miles, where thousands of struggled to survive under brutal conditions. Mann, who had a husband, Mark Rosenberg, and a daughter, and was at the peak of her peak of her career, saw her life upended by the regime’s systemic persecution.
The Hotel Polski Affair and Deportation to Auschwitz
After the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, Mann and other Jews went into hiding. However, they were lured by a Nazi ruse known as the Hotel Polski affair. The Nazis promised that Jews with foreign passports would be allowed to leave Poland, and rumors spread that they would be exchanged for German prisoners of war, possibly heading to Switzerland.
Instead of safety, the trains boarded by Mann and October 1943, were directed to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Upon arrival on October 23, 1943, the prisoners were ordered to remove their clothing for “disinfection” before crossing the border—a standard Nazi procedure to mask the gas chambers.
How Franceska Mann Fought Back at Auschwitz
Franceska Mann’s act of resistance occurred in the undressing room of the gas chambers. As the guards ordered the women to strip, Mann realized the true nature of the camp’s extermination process. In a sudden move, she managed to seize a firearm from a senior squad leader, Walter Quakernack, and shot two guards: Joseph Schillinger and Wilhelm Emmerich.
According to the Jewish Women’s Archive, accounts of the exact sequence of events vary. Some reports suggest she used a distraction—such as throwing a shoe or a bra—to surprise the guards. Other versions claim she refused to undress and fought back when Schillinger tried to force her artistically.
The act of courage sparked a brief uprising among other women in the room, but the Nazis quickly suppressed the remaining prisoners. Mann, along with the others, was executed that same day, October 23, 1943, at the age of 26.
Identity Confirmation and Historical Records
The event is historically documented, and the death of Joseph Schillinger was caused by a woman in the transport. This detail emerged during the 1960s trial of Adolf Eichmann, during which Schillinger was described as one of the camp’s most brutal guards.
While the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum acknowledges that a woman in the undressing room shot Schillinger and Emmerich in October 1943, they have noted that her identity is not 100 percent confirmed. However, most sources and witnesses identify the woman as Franceska Mann. The lack of total certainty is due to the majority of witnesses and the victim herself being murdered by the Nazis.
What is the book The Ballerina of Auschwitz about?
While there are various accounts of the Holocaust, stories like those of Franceska Mann provide the narrative foundation for many works of describing the resistance. The Ballerina of Auschwitz typically refers to narratives that highlight the resilience and the bravery of female prisoners who used their talents or their resistance to survive or sabotage the Nazi regime.
Franceska Mann cause of death
Franceska Mann died on October 23, 1943, through execution by the Nazi guards at Auschwitz. After her act of resistance and the subsequent brief uprising of other prisoners, she was immediately killed by the other guards to regain control of the room.
Summary of Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Franceska Mann (born Franceska Manheimer) |
| Date of Birth | February 4, 1917 |
| Date of Death | October 23, 1943 |
| Location of Death | Auschwitz-Birkenau |
| Role | Polish Ballerina |
| Notable Act | Killed Nazi Guard Joseph Schillinger |
