Mariya Fortus: Difference between revisions

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| awards = [[Order of Lenin]] [[File:SU Order of Lenin ribbon.svg |30px]]
| awards = [[File:SU Order of Lenin ribbon.svg |30px]] [[Order of Lenin]] <br />
[[File:SU Order of the Red Banner ribbon.svg |30px]] [[Order of the Red Flag]]
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Fortus was born in 1900 in [[Kherson, Ukraine|Kherson]] to the family of a rich [[Jews|Jewish]] banker. Her father abandoned the family in 1913, forcing Mariya and her sister Adelaida to work. She would work as an [[Embroidery|embroiderer]] while studying in a local[[Gymnasium (school)|gymnasium]] for boys. In 1916 she would join the [[Socialist Revolutionary Party]], before leaving it for the [[Bolsheviks]] in 1917 with whom she participated in the [[Russian Civil War]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Maria Fortus |url=https://www.yadvashem.org/research/research-projects/soldiers/maria-fortus.html |access-date=August 17, 2023 |website=www.yadvashem.org |language=en}}</ref>
Fortus was born in 1900 in [[Kherson, Ukraine|Kherson]] to the family of a rich [[Jews|Jewish]] banker. Her father abandoned the family in 1913, forcing Mariya and her sister Adelaida to work. She would work as an [[Embroidery|embroiderer]] while studying in a local[[Gymnasium (school)|gymnasium]] for boys. In 1916 she would join the [[Socialist Revolutionary Party]], before leaving it for the [[Bolsheviks]] in 1917 with whom she participated in the [[Russian Civil War]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Maria Fortus |url=https://www.yadvashem.org/research/research-projects/soldiers/maria-fortus.html |access-date=August 17, 2023 |website=www.yadvashem.org |language=en}}</ref>


Fortus married the Catalan anarchist {{Ill|Ramon Casanellas|es|Ramon Casanellas}}, who had fled to the Soviet Union as a refugee. Fortus and her husband spent time together in Spain, allowing her to develop a familiarity with the Spanish language and culture. This familiarity assisted her when she was appointed to a Soviet military delegation to Spain during the [[Spanish Civil War]] in 1936, where she served as a translator. While working in Spain, she used the false name Julia Jiménez Cárdenas. Fortus became an intelligence agent in [[World War II]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Rodríguez-Espinosa |first=Marcos |date=2016-01-02 |title="¡No Pasarán!": Translators under siege and ideological control in the Spanish Civil War |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0907676X.2015.1073765 |journal=Perspectives |language=en |volume=24 |issue=1 |pages=22–35 |doi=10.1080/0907676X.2015.1073765 |s2cid=147259319 |issn=0907-676X}}</ref> She primarily operated in the [[Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic|Ukrainian SSR]], where she trained other intelligence officers. She was also involved in operations in the [[Kingdom of Romania]] and the [[Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946)|Kingdom of Hungary]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Zalietok |first=Nataliia |date=2018-11-02 |title=British and Soviet Women in the Military Campaign of 1939-45: A Comparative Review |url=https://www.usmcu.edu/Outreach/Publishing/Marine-Corps-University-Press/MCU-Journal/SpecialIssue2018/ |journal=MCU Journal |issue=Gender |pages=25 |doi=10.21140/mcuj.2018si01|s2cid=187108179 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Fortus received the [[Order of Lenin]] for her service.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Baigorri-Jalón |first=Jesús |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4B0vEAAAQBAJ |title=Languages in the Crossfire: Interpreters in the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) |publisher=Routledge |year=2021 |isbn=978-1-000-39610-2 |language=en |chapter=Appendix: Honors and Awards Received by Interpreters}}</ref>
Fortus married the Catalan anarchist {{Ill|Ramon Casanellas|es|Ramon Casanellas}}, who had fled to the Soviet Union as a refugee. Fortus and her husband spent time together in Spain, allowing her to develop a familiarity with the Spanish language and culture. This familiarity assisted her when she was appointed to a Soviet military delegation to Spain during the [[Spanish Civil War]] in 1936, where she served as a translator. While working in Spain, she used the false name Julia Jiménez Cárdenas. Fortus became an intelligence agent in [[World War II]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Rodríguez-Espinosa |first=Marcos |date=2016-01-02 |title="¡No Pasarán!": Translators under siege and ideological control in the Spanish Civil War |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0907676X.2015.1073765 |journal=Perspectives |language=en |volume=24 |issue=1 |pages=22–35 |doi=10.1080/0907676X.2015.1073765 |s2cid=147259319 |issn=0907-676X}}</ref> She primarily operated in the [[Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic|Ukrainian SSR]], where she trained other intelligence officers. She was also involved in operations in the [[Kingdom of Romania]] and the [[Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946)|Kingdom of Hungary]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Zalietok |first=Nataliia |date=2018-11-02 |title=British and Soviet Women in the Military Campaign of 1939-45: A Comparative Review |url=https://www.usmcu.edu/Outreach/Publishing/Marine-Corps-University-Press/MCU-Journal/SpecialIssue2018/ |journal=MCU Journal |issue=Gender |pages=25 |doi=10.21140/mcuj.2018si01|s2cid=187108179 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Fortus received the [[Order of Lenin]] and the [[Order of the Red Flag]] for her service.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Baigorri-Jalón |first=Jesús |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4B0vEAAAQBAJ |title=Languages in the Crossfire: Interpreters in the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) |publisher=Routledge |year=2021 |isbn=978-1-000-39610-2 |language=en |chapter=Appendix: Honors and Awards Received by Interpreters}}</ref>


Upon her return to the Soviet Union in 1945, Fortus continued her military service. In 1955 she retired with the rank of [[colonel]]. She wrote her memoirs and, in the late 1950s, defended  a thesis in the field of [[sociology]]. She died in 1981.<ref name=":1" />
Upon her return to the Soviet Union in 1945, Fortus continued her military service. In 1955 she retired with the rank of [[colonel]]. She wrote her memoirs and, in the late 1950s, defended  a thesis in the field of [[sociology]]. She died in 1981.<ref name=":1" />
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[[Category:Soviet colonels]]
[[Category:Soviet colonels]]

Revision as of 01:25, 18 August 2023

Col.

Mariya Fortus
Native name
Мария Фортус
Birth nameMariya Alexandrovna Fortus
Born1900 (1900)
Kherson, Russian Empire
Died1981 (aged 80–81)
Allegiance Soviet Union
Years of service1917 - 1955
RankColonel
Battles/wars
Awards Order of Lenin
Order of the Red Flag

Mariya Alexandrovna Fortus (Russian: Мария Фортус; 1900–1980)[1] was a Soviet Jewish translator and intelligence officer. She participated in the Russian Civil War, the Spanish Civil War, and World War II.

Biography

Fortus was born in 1900 in Kherson to the family of a rich Jewish banker. Her father abandoned the family in 1913, forcing Mariya and her sister Adelaida to work. She would work as an embroiderer while studying in a localgymnasium for boys. In 1916 she would join the Socialist Revolutionary Party, before leaving it for the Bolsheviks in 1917 with whom she participated in the Russian Civil War.[2]

Fortus married the Catalan anarchist Ramon Casanellas [es], who had fled to the Soviet Union as a refugee. Fortus and her husband spent time together in Spain, allowing her to develop a familiarity with the Spanish language and culture. This familiarity assisted her when she was appointed to a Soviet military delegation to Spain during the Spanish Civil War in 1936, where she served as a translator. While working in Spain, she used the false name Julia Jiménez Cárdenas. Fortus became an intelligence agent in World War II.[1] She primarily operated in the Ukrainian SSR, where she trained other intelligence officers. She was also involved in operations in the Kingdom of Romania and the Kingdom of Hungary.[3] Fortus received the Order of Lenin and the Order of the Red Flag for her service.[4]

Upon her return to the Soviet Union in 1945, Fortus continued her military service. In 1955 she retired with the rank of colonel. She wrote her memoirs and, in the late 1950s, defended  a thesis in the field of sociology. She died in 1981.[2]

Portrayal in Media

The 1970 film Hail, Mary! was based on Fortus's life.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b Rodríguez-Espinosa, Marcos (2016-01-02). ""¡No Pasarán!": Translators under siege and ideological control in the Spanish Civil War". Perspectives. 24 (1): 22–35. doi:10.1080/0907676X.2015.1073765. ISSN 0907-676X. S2CID 147259319.
  2. ^ a b "Maria Fortus". www.yadvashem.org. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  3. ^ Zalietok, Nataliia (2018-11-02). "British and Soviet Women in the Military Campaign of 1939-45: A Comparative Review". MCU Journal (Gender): 25. doi:10.21140/mcuj.2018si01. S2CID 187108179.
  4. ^ Baigorri-Jalón, Jesús (2021). "Appendix: Honors and Awards Received by Interpreters". Languages in the Crossfire: Interpreters in the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939). Routledge. ISBN 978-1-000-39610-2.
  5. ^ "Feature Film Premiered". Soviet Life. 1971-10-27. p. 27.
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