| Hannah Steiner | |
| Birth Date: | 27 April 1894 |
| Birth Place: | Česká Lípa, Austria-Hungary |
| Death Place: | Auschwitz concentration camp |
| Occupation: | Social worker |
| Known For: | Czech kindertransport |
Hannah Steiner (27 April 1894 – 1944) was a Czech Zionist activist, humanitarian, and co-founder and first president of the Czech branch of the Women's International Zionist Organization (WIZO).
Hannah Steiner (née Dub) was born on 27 April 1894 in Česká Lípa.[1] She spent three years of her teens studying London.[1] [2] There, she joined the Zionist movement, before returning to the Czech lands via Palestine.[1] [2]
After her marriage in 1920 to Ludwig Steiner, a secondary school teacher, Steiner settled in Prague.[2] She subsequently led the transformation of the Zionist Women’s and Girls' Club to co-found Czechoslovakia's branch of the Women's International Zionist Organization (WIZO) in 1925, and became its first president.[2] [3] [4] Her work with the Czech branch of WIZO earned her membership to the World WIZO organization.[1] At that time, her role chiefly revolved around education and vocational training.[1] From 1927 she also edited, with Miriam Scheuer, the periodical that she established, titled Blätter der Jüdischen Frau, a woman's supplement of the Jewish weekly Selbstwehr.[1] [2]
Following Hitler's rise to power, Steiner's role increasingly focussed on German refugees.[1] With Marie Schmolka, she led programmes in refugee relief.[1] In December 1938, along with Schmolka and Martin Blake, she asked Nicholas Winton to hold off his skiing holiday in the Alps and visit Prague instead.[5] The Czech police helped the Gestapo arrest both Steiner and Schmolka in March 1939, and they were sent to Pankrác Prison, where they were tortured.[2] [6] Having spent several months there, they were released following action by Františka Plamínková.[6]
Following the onset of the Second World War, when Schmolka was in Paris before moving to London, Steiner took over her roles at Prague.[6] As a result, Steiner was held answerable for Schmolka's escape from Nazi occupied Europe.[6]
Steiner was again arrested and sent to Theresienstadt Ghetto, along with her husband.[7] They were subsequently moved to Auschwitz where, in 1944, they were killed in the gas chambers.[2] [7]