Peggy Parnass, an acclaimed author, columnist, actress, and witness of the Nazi era, has died at the age of 97. She passed away this morning surrounded by friends and family in her adopted home of Hamburg, as announced by a family spokesperson to the German Press Agency.
Renowned for Court Reporting
Parnass gained prominence for her court reports published in the magazine Konkret between 1970 and 1978, earning numerous accolades for her work. She was also recognized as a fierce advocate against injustice, intolerance, and forgetfulness, remaining politically active until the end of her life, driven by a sense of self-respect and the desire to make a difference.
Early Life and Education
Her father, a Polish Jew, and her mother, of partial Portuguese descent, were murdered by the Nazis at the Treblinka concentration camp. In 1939, Parnass was brought to Stockholm via a children’s transport along with her four-year-old brother, where they were placed with various foster families. After studying in Stockholm, London, and Paris, she returned to her birthplace, where she worked as a language teacher, film critic, author, and actress.
Notable Works and Political Engagement
Her book Prozesse 1970-1978, a compilation of her court reports, received significant attention, along with her works Unter die Haut (1983) and her autobiographically infused anthology Süchtig nach Leben (1990). Additionally, she was politically active against state tyranny and hypocrisy, advocating for the weak in society. She once stated, „The world was right for me when many people took to the streets for the same cause, or when I felt the approval of a full theater during my readings.“
A Legacy of Recognition
As a journalist and committed civil rights advocate, Peggy Parnass received numerous awards, including the Joseph Drexel Prize for excellence in journalism, the Biermann-Ratjen Medal from the city of Hamburg, and the Federal Cross of Merit. Following a fall in the autumn of 2019, she resided in a senior living facility in Hamburg’s St. Georg district.
Honorary Membership
In 2021, Parnass was appointed an honorary member of the German PEN Center. The PEN honored her as a woman who courageously and steadfastly fought for democracy and human rights throughout her life, opposing every form of fascism and oppression, despite facing decades of often overt antisemitic hostility and death threats.