| Maria Bauer | |
| Fictional Character | |
| The Hot War POD: November, 1950 | |
| Appearance(s): | Fallout; Armistice |
| Type of Appearance: | Direct |
| Nationality: | West Germany (born in Germany) |
| Date of Birth: | c. 1920 |
Maria Bauer[1] (b. c. 1920) was a West German woman taken into custody by the Soviet Union during World War III. She was sent to a prison camp in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast not far from the town of Smidovich. In spring of 1952, she and four other inmates, after having sex with several guards, were able to escape.[2]
Bauer made her way towards Smidovich. She met Vasili Yasevich in the woods. After agreeing not to turn her in, Yasevich enlisted the help of David Berman, a Jewish neighbor, who agreed to claim Bauer as his niece and give her a place to live. Berman was amused by the prospect of helping a German; Bauer was astonished a Jew was willing to help her.[3] As the weeks passed, Berman looked much less disheveled than he had before Bauer came to live with him. Berman admitted he was quite a bit happier with Bauer there.[4]
This status quo didn't last: the MGB discovered Maria, and arrested Yasevich and Berman in short order. Berman was given a 25-year sentence to a gulag. However, as the MGB hadn't found any records for him, they decided to give Yasevich a choice between the gulag or joining the Red Army. Yasevich chose the army.[5]
Maria was sent back to the same camp she'd escaped from, and remained there until all the women of the camp were repatriated in August, 1952.[6]
References[]
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