Maria Restituta
Encyclopedia
Sister Maria Restituta (1 May 1894, Husovice, Austria-Hungary
(now part of Brno
, Czech Republic
) – 30 March 1943, Vienna, Austria) was a nun
and a nurse. Her birthname was Helen Kafka. She was a shoemaker's daughter.
When she was two years old, she came with her family to Vienna, then the Austro-Hungarian Empire's capital, and home to a Czech
migrant community, among whom she grew up. She first worked as an assistant caregiver
at the Lainz public hospital
. At 19, she joined the "Hartmann Sisters". It was at this time that she adopted the name Maria Restituta, naming herself after Restituta
, a 4th-century Christian
martyr
. After the First World War, she began working as a nurse at the Mödling
hospital, eventually becoming the leading surgical nurse.
Even the Mödling hospital was not spared the effects of Anschluss
in 1938. Sister Restituta, however, insisted on refusing to take down crucifix
es, which she herself had hung up in a new wing that had been built onto the hospital. This little act of defiance, though, and two of her writings that were critical of the régime would lead to her doom. She was denounced by a doctor
who fanatically supported the Nazis, and she was arrested on Ash Wednesday
in 1942 (18 February of that year) by the Gestapo
right after coming out of the operating theatre
. On 29 October 1942 she was sentenced to death by the guillotine
by the Volksgerichtshof for "favouring the enemy and conspiracy to commit high treason
". She was beheaded on 30 March 1943. She was 48 years old.
John Paul II's visit to Vienna, Sister Maria Restituta was beatified
. In her honour, the western half of Weyprechtgasse, a lane running before Mödling hospital, has been named Schwester-Maria-Restituta-Gasse.
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
(now part of Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
) – 30 March 1943, Vienna, Austria) was a nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
and a nurse. Her birthname was Helen Kafka. She was a shoemaker's daughter.
When she was two years old, she came with her family to Vienna, then the Austro-Hungarian Empire's capital, and home to a Czech
Czech people
Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
migrant community, among whom she grew up. She first worked as an assistant caregiver
Caregiver
Caregiver may refer to:* Caregiver or carer - an unpaid person who cares for someone requiring support due to a disability, frailty, mental health problem, learning disability or old age...
at the Lainz public hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
. At 19, she joined the "Hartmann Sisters". It was at this time that she adopted the name Maria Restituta, naming herself after Restituta
Restituta
Saint Restituta is a saint and martyr of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches.-Biography:...
, a 4th-century Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
. After the First World War, she began working as a nurse at the Mödling
Mödling
Mödling is the capital of the Austrian district of the same name located approximately 14 km south of Vienna.The settlement dates back to the Neolithic. In medieval times, the town was the residence of a branch of the Babenberger family, as a result of which it received the nickname...
hospital, eventually becoming the leading surgical nurse.
Even the Mödling hospital was not spared the effects of Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
in 1938. Sister Restituta, however, insisted on refusing to take down crucifix
Crucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
es, which she herself had hung up in a new wing that had been built onto the hospital. This little act of defiance, though, and two of her writings that were critical of the régime would lead to her doom. She was denounced by a doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
who fanatically supported the Nazis, and she was arrested on Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday, in the calendar of Western Christianity, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter...
in 1942 (18 February of that year) by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
right after coming out of the operating theatre
Operating theatre
An operating theater was a non-sterile, tiered theater or amphitheater in which students and other spectators could watch surgeons perform surgery...
. On 29 October 1942 she was sentenced to death by the guillotine
Guillotine
The guillotine is a device used for carrying out :executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which an angled blade is suspended. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the head from the body...
by the Volksgerichtshof for "favouring the enemy and conspiracy to commit high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
". She was beheaded on 30 March 1943. She was 48 years old.
Veneration
On 21 June 1998, on the occasion of PopePope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
John Paul II's visit to Vienna, Sister Maria Restituta was beatified
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
. In her honour, the western half of Weyprechtgasse, a lane running before Mödling hospital, has been named Schwester-Maria-Restituta-Gasse.