August Landmesser Dissent Spiral notebook

On that fateful day, June 13th, 1936, in the shipyard of Blohm + Voss, Hamburg, Germany, a hero named August Landmesser etched his name in our hearts. His tale is one that shall forever be etched in memory, a testament to courage, sacrifice, and the harrowing depths of love.

In the 1930s, when Hitler's reign cast its spell of fanaticism upon the nation, a law emerged, compelling all Germans to raise their hands in the infamous "sieg heil" salute.

Yet amidst this sea of conformity, one man, August Landmesser, stood resolute. Behold him in this poignant image, his arms defiantly crossed. His story weaves a tapestry of unyielding bravery, selflessness, and unspeakable tragedy, all in the name of love.

In 1931, Landmesser found himself compelled to join the Nazi Party, for it was the sole permissible affiliation in Germany. Fate conspired, and in time, he encountered the love of his life, Irma Eckler. But a cruel twist of destiny awaited them, for Irma was Jewish, and prejudice began to surge through the land.

In 1935, defying the odds, August proposed to Irma. Their engagement, however, was discovered by Nazi officials, leading to his expulsion from the party. Undeterred, they sought to marry in another city, only to be denied by the Nuremberg Laws. Hate failed to diminish their spirits, and in October 1935, they welcomed their first daughter, Ingrid, into a world brimming with uncertainty.

And then, on that momentous day, June 13, 1936, with his infant daughter nestled in his arms and Irma waiting anxiously at home, August Landmesser, unwavering, assumed his defiant pose as Hitler christened a German naval vessel.

In 1937, the Landmessers sought refuge in Denmark, their hearts buoyed by the arrival of their second daughter. Alas, misfortune seized them at the border, as they were captured and detained. August faced charges of "dishonoring the race" under the Nuremberg Laws but was eventually acquitted. Yet, the authorities forbade him from seeing his beloved wife.

Undaunted by the evil decrees of the Nazi officials, August continued to resist. In 1938, he was arrested once more, destined for the dreaded Börgermoor Penal Camp. There, amidst the harshest of conditions, he bid farewell to his family, knowing not that it would be his last.

Meanwhile, the Gestapo seized a pregnant Irma, relocating her to various internment camps—Oranienburg, Lichtenburg, and Ravensbrück. Behind bars, she brought their daughter Irene into a world shadowed by despair.

In 1942, Irma was transferred from Ravensbrück to the heart-wrenching abyss of the Bernburg death camp. Alongside countless others, she met her tragic end in the gas chambers.

Their two daughters, survivors of the Holocaust, owed their lives to the love and courage of countless individuals. Yet, the ordeals they endured within orphanages inflicted unimaginable suffering and abuse. Remarkably, the youngest, Irene, was rescued by a courageous woman, while her orphanage companions perished at the hands of the Nazis.

August, conscripted by the very regime he defied, vanished into the annals of history, presumed dead in 1945.

In August's stance, we witness not only heroism in the face of evil but also the toll that such defiance extracts. Let us forever celebrate the Landmesser family as martyrs of love, their indomitable spirits shining bright through the darkest chapters of history.

This custom wire-bound notebook will be a great daily companion whenever you need to put your thoughts down on paper!

• Covers with soft-touch coating
• Cover weight: 10.38 oz/yd² (352 g/m²)
• Page weight: 2.62 oz/yd² (89 g/m²)
• Metal wire-o binding
• 140 dotted pages
• US fulfilled notebooks measure 5.5″ × 8.5″ (13 × 21 cm)
• EU fulfilled notebooks measure 5.7″ × 8.5″ (14.5 × 21 cm)
• Blank product sourced from the US and Sweden