Maria Anne Hirschmann

Maria Anne Hirschmann
Maria Anne Hirschmann
Born	1926 (age 97–98); Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia
Citizenship	Czechoslovakia (until 1938); Third Reich (1938–1945); Stateless (1945–1949); West Germany (1949–1955); United States (since 1955)
Occupations	Author; evangelist; speaker;
Spouse	Rudy Hirschmann (m. 1950, died 2014)
Children	5

Maria Anne Hirschmann (born c. 1926) is a Czechoslovak-American author and public speaker on Christian subjects.^[1]

Hirschmann was caught in the events of World War II when the Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia and the local Sudeten German population came under the influence of Nazism. During this time, she was sent to Prague and educated to be a local leader of the Nazi Youth.^[2] When the Soviets came, she was imprisoned by Russian and Czech communists in a labor camp. Eventually, she managed to escape to American-occupied Germany, or West Germany.^[3] In 1955 she emigrated to America as a teacher and wrote a book about her life, originally published as I Changed Gods, and more popularly published later as Hansi, The Girl Who Loved the Swastika in 1973.^[4] The book has sold more than 400,000 copies; later editions are titled Hansi: The Girl who Left the Swastika.^[5] It was also published as a comic book by Spire Christian Comics.^[6]^: 121

Hirschmann founded Hansi Ministries in 1974.^[7]

In 2009, Hirschmann's scheduled appearance at a US Air Force Academy symposium was canceled after Colorado Springs Gazette religion columnist Mark Barna quoted her as saying "Obama is the result of a trend in America that is going away from the Judeo-Christian ethic. Obama is a socialist, one step from communism. He could pave the way for a future Antichrist. Obama scares me because he has no record and people flock to him. Hitler also had no record, people flocked to him and both wrote a book. Christians laid flat and Hitler came to power, just like with Obama. Obama is the result of the secular news media brain washing America. The media put Obama into power. He is so inexperienced."^[8] She clarified her views about the president in her February 2009 newsletter stating the adulation he received "reminded me of former times in Germany when Adolf Hitler was selected in a jubilant election to become the new leader of Germany, and within short years also the 'Fuehrer' for Austria and Czechoslovakia, etc. I was accused that I called Obama another Hitler, but I never did that. I am still not saying such a thing, but I do pray for President Obama very often; he needs it."^[9]

As of 2024, Hirschmann is retired and living in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.^{[needs update]}

Published works[edit]

Books[edit]

I Changed Gods, Pacific Press Pub. Association, 1968.

Hansi: The Girl Who Loved the Swastika, Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois, 1973.^[10]

Hansi's New Life, Revell, 1975.

Please Don't Shoot! : I'm Already Wounded: The Story of A Heartbreak and A Ministry, Tyndal House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois, 1979.^[11]

Learn of Me (co-author Betty Pershing), Hansi Ministries, 1979.

Will the East Wind Blow?: Hansi reports on the Middle East, S.P.A.R.C. Pub. Co., 1979.

Beyond Words - Bible Pictures for Daily Living, Volume 1 (co-author Betty Pershing), 2004.

Whispering Streams - Bible Pictures for Daily Living, Volume 2, 2004

Never Grow Old, ForPress, 2011.

As a Man Thinketh So Is He, ForPress, 2013.

Cuándo murieron mis dioses.

Recordings[edit]

Hansi: I Love You - A Patriotic Message

The True American

External links[edit]

Hansi Ministries

References[edit]

^ "Ex-Nazi urges U.S. to value freedom". The Globe. 12 September 2007. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
^ May 4th 2010 - 1pm, Woodbury Newsroom | (4 May 2010). "Prayer breakfast speaker captivates". RiverTowns. Retrieved 2020-08-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ Morgan, Gus (12 November 2017). "Casey Hirschmann, A champion of diversity and inclusion". spiritnow stories. Retrieved 2020-09-06. Highlighting this point is the story of Casey's grandmother, Maria Anne Hirschmann, who was a member of the Hitler Youth. Casey said "Grandma Hansi" initially viewed Adolf Hitler as a visionary and savior for the German people. But after being captured and imprisoned in a Russian concentration camp, Hirschmann escaped, only to be rescued by American soldiers, an enemy she was raised to hate and fear. Hirschmann's positive interactions with the Americans changed her perspective, making her realize that she was brainwashed and disillusioned because she hadn't interacted with anyone else. She had relied on others to shape her thoughts and opinions. Since those days, Hirschmann has been an advocate for diversity and inclusion. This life lesson continues to be advanced by her granddaughter, Casey.
^ "Church celebrities: assessing an old but contemporary challenge". ADvindicate. 26 August 2014. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
^ Hirschmann, Maria Anne (1973). Hansi : the girl who left the swastika. Internet Archive. Wheaton, Ill. : Living Books. ISBN 978-0-8423-1294-3.
^ Strömberg, Fredrik (2010). Comic art propaganda : a graphic history. Lewes, East Sussex: IIex. ISBN 978-1-905814-70-1. OCLC 535456843.
^ "Welcome to Hansi Ministries". hansiministries.org. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
^ BARNA, MARK (29 April 2009). "THE PULPIT: Ousted speaker says academy caved to pressure". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
^ Anderson, Jim (February 28, 2010). "Prayer breakfast speaker, an ex-Nazi, stirs up talk in Woodbury". Star Tribune. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
^ Hirschmann, Maria Anne (1973). Hansi; the girl who loved the swastika. Internet Archive. Wheaton, Ill., Tyndale House Publishers. ISBN 978-0-8423-1290-5.
^ Hirschmann, Maria Anne (1979). Please don't shoot! : I'm already wounded : the story of a heartbreak and a ministry. Internet Archive. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers. ISBN 978-0-8423-4837-9.

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[1] "Ex-Nazi urges U.S. to value freedom". The Globe. 12 September 2007. Retrieved 2020-08-30.

[2] May 4th 2010 - 1pm, Woodbury Newsroom | (4 May 2010). "Prayer breakfast speaker captivates". RiverTowns. Retrieved 2020-08-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

[3] Morgan, Gus (12 November 2017). "Casey Hirschmann, A champion of diversity and inclusion". spiritnow stories. Retrieved 2020-09-06. Highlighting this point is the story of Casey's grandmother, Maria Anne Hirschmann, who was a member of the Hitler Youth. Casey said "Grandma Hansi" initially viewed Adolf Hitler as a visionary and savior for the German people. But after being captured and imprisoned in a Russian concentration camp, Hirschmann escaped, only to be rescued by American soldiers, an enemy she was raised to hate and fear. Hirschmann's positive interactions with the Americans changed her perspective, making her realize that she was brainwashed and disillusioned because she hadn't interacted with anyone else. She had relied on others to shape her thoughts and opinions. Since those days, Hirschmann has been an advocate for diversity and inclusion. This life lesson continues to be advanced by her granddaughter, Casey.

[4] "Church celebrities: assessing an old but contemporary challenge". ADvindicate. 26 August 2014. Retrieved 2020-08-30.

[5] Hirschmann, Maria Anne (1973). Hansi : the girl who left the swastika. Internet Archive. Wheaton, Ill. : Living Books. ISBN 978-0-8423-1294-3.

[6] Strömberg, Fredrik (2010). Comic art propaganda : a graphic history. Lewes, East Sussex: IIex. ISBN 978-1-905814-70-1. OCLC 535456843.

[7] "Welcome to Hansi Ministries". hansiministries.org. Retrieved 2020-08-30.

[8] BARNA, MARK (29 April 2009). "THE PULPIT: Ousted speaker says academy caved to pressure". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2020-08-30.

[Anderson-9] Anderson, Jim (February 28, 2010). "Prayer breakfast speaker, an ex-Nazi, stirs up talk in Woodbury". Star Tribune. Retrieved August 10, 2018.

[10] Hirschmann, Maria Anne (1973). Hansi; the girl who loved the swastika. Internet Archive. Wheaton, Ill., Tyndale House Publishers. ISBN 978-0-8423-1290-5.

[11] Hirschmann, Maria Anne (1979). Please don't shoot! : I'm already wounded : the story of a heartbreak and a ministry. Internet Archive. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers. ISBN 978-0-8423-4837-9.

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