Katja Sturm-Schnabl: Life story of a survivor of the Nazi regime

Katja Sturm-Schnabl: Life story of a survivor of the Nazi regime

Katja Sturm-Schnabl, an 89-year-old contemporary witness and member of the Slovenian minority persecuted by the Nazi regime, will be a guest at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt on Monday, March 24th. This event as part of the media workshop of the journalism bachelor's degree program begins at 4 p.m. [ku.de reports that ...] Katja Sturm-Schnabl was expelled from her hometown of Zinsdorf as a child at the age of six and then experienced a traumatic deportation to a forced labor camp in Eichstätt.

Sturm-Schnabl grew up in a large Slovenian family on a farm near Klagenfurt. With her sister Veronika and her brothers Andrej and Franci, she experienced a childhood that was characterized by loving interaction from adults. But the idyll of her early years ended abruptly when soldiers stormed into the family home and forced them to flee. The first shock came when a family friend showed the family a map showing the threats posed by the “Nemci”. [nationalfonds.org describes that…]

Experiences in forced labor camps

In the forced labor camp in Eichstätt, Katja Sturm-Schnabl experienced hunger, forced labor and brutal treatment by the guards. Her father was sent to work in Karlsruhe, while her mother worked under extreme conditions in various households and factories. This time was marked by privations and dangers. The death of her sister Veronika, who died after an injection by the camp doctor, was particularly traumatic, which left a deep, lasting impression on Katja.

In the camp, children had to be separated from their parents and the living conditions were appalling. The children were fed in a “children’s dining room,” where the camp leader walked the tables with a whip. Such experiences are part of a shocking reality that many forced laborers had to live through. [bpb.de highlights that...] During the Second World War, the German war economy lacked workers, which led to the mass recruitment of foreign workers. These forced laborers suffered from extreme conditions and were often discriminated against.

Life after the war

After the end of the war, Katja Sturm-Schnabl decided to pursue an academic career. She became a respected linguist and literary historian at the University of Vienna. Their services were recognized by the Golden Medal of Merit of the Republic of Austria. As part of the upcoming event, she will be interviewed by Antonia Titze, a journalist who also has an impressive career. [ku.de provides further information about…]

Antonia Titze studied journalism in Eichstätt and then completed a master's degree at the University of Vienna. Her experience includes work for Bayerischer Rundfunk and ZDF. In 2023 she was listed in the ranking of the “Best 30 under 30” in journalism by the Austrian magazine “Journalistin”. The upcoming exchange between Katja Sturm-Schnabl and Antonia Titze is a valuable opportunity to hear first-hand memories and experiences and to shine a light on the horrors of the past.

Remembering the painful history of forced labor and persecution is important to understand how such incredible injustices could have happened in the past and to ensure that the stories of survivors are not forgotten.