Maria Gulovich was just 23 when she led #OSS & British officers through a blizzard & out of German clutches.
bit.ly/2tcjWpN
#OSS75
1921: Maria born in Slovakia
1939: attended school for teachers when Slovakia fell to Germans
Early 40s: taught in Jarabina & Hriňová
#OSS75
1944: Jewish friend, Julius Goldberger, begged Maria to hide his relatives
Knowing she could be imprisoned or worse, she still agreed
#OSS75
Slovakian authorities quickly suspected Maria.
But, Slovak Army captain who questioned her was part of anti-fascist resistance.
#OSS75
The Army captain offered to hide the Jewish woman & son if Maria would join the resistance.
Maria agreed & became a courier.
#OSS75
Fluent in 5 languages—Russian, Slovak, Hungarian, German & English—Maria started translating messages for Russian military intel.
#OSS75
October 1944: Russians & American #OSS officers fled to the mountains to escape Germans who were crushing the Slovak uprising.
#OSS75
#OSS officers asked Maria to join as a guide & interpreter.
As she wasn’t comfortable working for the Russians, she said yes to OSS.
#OSS75
Maria’s work for #OSS included scouting for food & intel, & scoping out surroundings by posing as peasant girl to talk to villagers.
#OSS75
NOV 1944: Maria’s group hiked through a blizzard to a mountain hunting lodge & met up with other British & American team members.
#OSS75
DEC 26, 1944: Maria, 2 #OSS officers & 2 British airmen went on recon mission.
Germans attacked the lodge & burned it to the ground.
#OSS75
Maria & the 4 others escaped into the mountains & headed toward Romania.
After 9 weeks of hiking in winter cold they reached safety.
#OSS75
#OSS officer who escaped w Maria: “…I am & will be grateful forever to her... no doubt that I owe her my safety & perhaps my life.”
#OSS75
After #WWII Maria met Allen Dulles who told Donovan of her exploits
Donovan arranged for her to migrate to US & a @Vassar scholarship
#OSS75
@Vassar 1946: Donovan awarded Maria a Bronze Star
She was 1st woman to receive medal on Plain of @WestPoint_USMA in front of Corps of Cadets
#OSS75
1952: Maria became a US citizen, settled in California & developed an excellent reputation as real estate agent in Ventura County.
#OSS75
Maria Gulovich:
"All I knew is I wanted to help those guys in any way I could, I believe in freedom."
bit.ly/2tcjWpN
#OSS75
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.