My idol

The person who inspires me the most, and has gradually become my idol, is Ella Lingens.

The first time I heard about her was when I was searching for an appropriate high school to attend. While looking on the internet for details about the school, I actually found more articles about its patron, Ella Lingens, than about the school itself.

She was born on November 18, 1908, in Vienna. After graduating from high school, she studied law and medicine and developed into a politically-minded person. She was recognized as a powerful woman, willing to stand up for her humanitarian ideals and was also famous for her bravery.

The trigger for her political involvement was the invasion of Austria by German troops on the 12th of March 1938. The day, better known as the day of ‘Anschluss’, represented a changing point for Ella that defined her entire professional and private life.

During the November pogrom known as the “Night of Broken Glass”, Ella Lingens sheltered Jewish families from the Nazis in her rooftop apartment in Vienna. She also helped many Jews to flee to Hungary, and supported the parents of her friends who had emigrated.

She is the one who has inspired me to become a more tolerant and kinder person when judging others and their actions. She also taught me two very important lessons: first, to not judge anybody if they look different or speak a different language or have a different nationality; and second, to always help someone who is in trouble or in need.

Charmed by her legend, I chose the Ella Lingens Gymnasium, where I have been since then.

Irina Cengher, 4E