Born: 15 September 1879, Germany
Died: 30 May 1960
Country most active: United Kingdom
Also known as: NA
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Anna Essinger was a prominent German Jewish educator renowned for her contributions to education. Essinger’s journey in the field of education began at the age of 20 when she pursued further studies in the United States. During her time there, she was profoundly influenced by the Quaker community, adopting their principles as her own.
In 1919, Anna Essinger returned to Germany, having been part of a Quaker war relief mission. It was during this period that her sister, the founder of a children’s home, enlisted her aid in establishing an educational institution. Together with her family, Anna founded the Landschulheim Herrlingen in 1926, where she assumed the role of headmistress.
The year 1933 marked a pivotal moment in Anna Essinger’s life as the specter of Nazi oppression loomed. With unanimous parental consent, she orchestrated the relocation of the school, predominantly composed of Jewish children, to safety in England. In its new English home, the institution was reborn as the Bunce Court School.
Throughout World War II, Anna Essinger demonstrated unwavering dedication. She established a reception camp that provided shelter to an astounding 10,000 German children transported to England through the Kindertransports, some of whom found sanctuary within her school.
In the post-war era, Anna Essinger’s commitment to education persisted. Her doors remained open to child survivors of Nazi concentration camps, offering them not only education but also solace and hope. When Bunce Court School closed in 1948, Anna Essinger had nurtured and educated over 900 children, who affectionately referred to her as “Tante Anna” or “TA.”
Anna Essinger’s influence extended far beyond her immediate students. Her enduring legacy embodies resilience, compassion, and an unyielding dedication to the welfare of young lives.