Dorothea Neff was a famous Vienna stage actress in the 1930’s. When her good Jewish friend, Lilli Schiff, received a ”resettlement” order and had to leave Vienna, Ms. Neff decided to help. She demanded that Ms. Schiff hide in her apartment. In order to mislead the Gestapo, Ms. Neff went to Ms. Schiff’s apartment and forged a suicide note, signed ”Lilli.” Ms. Schiff hid in the back of the apartment from October 1941 through May 1945. During those years, Ms. Neff hosted numerous post-performance parties in her home, inviting Nazi officials. Not once was Lilli Schiff detected. Both women survived the war. In 1979, Ms. Neff received the title, ”Righteous Among the Nations” by Yad Vashem.
Edited by Matthew London
Source: The Simon Wiesenthal Center
