Pauline Krautz

**Pauline Krautz** alias **Pauline Rehnus** (dem born am 18 December 1890 - she die 16 September 1941) na she be Sorbian entrepreneur. Na dem dey see ein active den public promotion of Sorbian culture as part of separatist threat for sam tym wey na de German government dey pursue de objective of say dem go move Germany away from ein traditional federalism, towards chaw centralised structure. Krautz die insyd shoddies dema prison insyd Cottbus, wey ecam turn as victim of Nazi persecution.

## Ein Life
Dem born Pauline Rehnus (insyd Sorbian **Pawlina Renusojc**), de eldest of ein parents' five recorded kiddies, insyd Dahlitz (wey now be part of Kolkwitz), sam village wey be short distance outsyd Cottbus for ein western syd. Na Christian Rehnus, wey na ebe ein poppie be carpenter. She attend school insyd nearby Kolkwitz, wey for dis tym na she learn insyd both German den Sorbian. Ein poppy grow up as one of fourteen kiddies of sam farm worker wey na parents no be wealthy, wey after say she lef school she remain plus ein family so say she go help look after ein younger siblings, while she dey work insyd sam Cottbus textile factory. Insyd 1920, she marry Reinhold Krautz wey sana work insyd textiles. De marriage open de way give Pauline make she embark for sam apprenticeship insyd dressmaking, wey she successfully plete plus sam "Masters" qualification.

Insyd 1926, Pauline Krautz (insyd Sorbian **Pawlina Krawkowa**) open sam shop insyd Cottbus wey na she dey specialise insyd Wendish folk costumes, arts den embroidery. However, na public fashion den government views be aligned for dat period insyd wey dey regard traditional folk costume as "quirky" at best, den de young girls for wey dem dey make dresses give dey feel reluctant say dem go wear am. Na de demand be weak so she diversify ein body, wey she start dey produce den sell dolls insyd folk costume. Ecam turn out say ebe extremely popular plus customers, both locally den across de border insyd Czechoslovakia. From 1932, na Krautz dey display ein dolls for sam succession of exhibitions insyd places such as Bautzen, Dresden, Hirschberg, Saarbrücken, Prague den Frankfurt. 

Insyd April 1938, Gestapo agent stop Krautz for street top. Na de authorities dey change de names of de villages insyd de area from Sorbian go German equivalents, wey na edey raise indignation locally. Na chao tyms, dem already Krautz ein opinions for de matter top locally, wey now she bizz ein Gestapo interlocutor how Hitler ein supposed support give menners go fi reconcile plus say dem go change de names of all dema villages. Dem arrest am de next day wey dem take am go investigative custody.

Krautz spen eleven months insyd shoddies demma prison wey dey Cottbus, for de tym wey ein interrogators accuse am of "unpatriotic attacks for de state den party top" (*"heimtückischer Angriffe auf Staat und  Partei"*) while dem dey use all possible means say dem go browbeat den blackmail am so say she go confess say na she be spy wey dey work on behalf of de Czechoslovak intelligence services. After eleven months dem release her, citing lack of evidence wey she return go ein parents' house go recuperate. For de tym of ein release, na dem dey require say she go surrender, for ein writing insyd, all ein legal rights, so say ego set asyd any claims against de state. 

For de 120th anniversary of ein birth, insyd 18 December 2010, dem unveil sam memorial tablet (Stolperstein) give Pauline Krautz for Cottbus, outsyd de site of ein shop insyd de Sandow Street (*"Sandower Straße"*). Dem continue de event plus celebration of ein life for de city hall.

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