Lise Meitner

Lise Meitner, 1906

It was the summer of 1938. For Lise Meitner, a prominent Jewish scientist living in Germany, the time had come to escape. Emigrating was no longer an option, as Nazi-enacted laws prevented her from doing so.

A group of scientist friends who had become increasingly worried for her safety assembled a plan to smuggle Lise out of Germany and into the Netherlands. They arranged for a Dutch immigration officer to let her into the country.

On July 12th, with two small suitcases of summer clothes in hand and a diamond ring, accompanied by a male Dutch scientist, Lise made it to the Netherlands by train. Then, a few weeks later, she went to Sweden. Where she settled and, while struggling with adjusting to her new life, continued to work.