Maria Gulovich, a young Slovakian schoolteacher, was only 23-years-old when she began harboring Jews from the Nazis.
She joined the underground resistance & led a group of #OSS & British officers through a blizzard & out of German clutches
bit.ly/2IBTkpM
#WomenInIntel
Maria was born in Slovakia in 1921 & became a school teacher when Slovakia fell to the Germans.
In 1944, a Jewish friend, Julius Goldberger, begged Maria to hide his relatives. She knew she could be imprisoned or worse, but agreed anyway.
#WomenInIntel
Slovakian authorities quickly suspected Maria, but the Slovak captain who questioned her was part of the anti-fascist resistance.
The Army captain offered to hide the Jewish woman & son if Maria would join the resistance.
Maria agreed & became a courier.
#WomenInIntel
Oct 1944: #OSS officers fled to the mountains to escape Germans who were crushing Slovak uprising. They asked Maria to join them as a guide & interpreter.
She agreed & scouted surrounding area for food & intel by posing as a peasant girl to talk to villagers.
#WomenInIntel
After #WWII, Donovan learned of Maria’s heroism & arranged for her to migrate to US w/scholarship to @Vassar. She also received the Bronze Star
Maria was 1st woman to receive a medal on Plain of @WestPoint_USMA in front of Corps of Cadets.
bit.ly/2IBTkpM
#WomenInIntel
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