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Amy Carney: »I break my promise to Hitler« by Ernest Pisko–Viennese Journalist and American Citizen

For defending his country’s independence, Viennese journalist and newspaper editor Ernest Pisko was arrested by Nazi officials shortly after Germany annexed Austria in March 1938. This arrest not only meant the loss of his freedom; it also meant the loss of his voice as a journalist.


Following his release from prison in summer 1938, Pisko—now living in Czechoslovakia with his family—attempted to regain his voice by writing about his experience. This private account was only the first reflection, as Pisko wrote a second personal account in spring 1941. By this time, he and  his family had immigrated to the United States. Because he had  quickly mastered the English language, he was able to return to his profession as a journalist working for an American newspaper. Reflecting on Ernest Pisko’s personal narratives and professional articles shows how writing enabled him not only to reflect on his experiences, but also to reclaim his voice as a writer.