Anny Blau was born on 13 May 1905 in Remich. The eldest daughter of the Blau-Prinz couple, she worked as an ironer. The young woman did not marry and lived with her aunt in the rue de la gare in Remich.
After the outbreak of the Second World War and the forced conscription of young Luxembourgers, Anny fought in the Resistance and volunteered to hide Luxembourg draft dodgers. In her aunt's house, she takes care of the young people with dedication. She is denounced by her pro-German neighbours, who are not unaware of the massive purchase of bread.
This was the beginning of an ordeal for both the young woman and the hidden draft dodgers. Two people could not escape their tragic fate. Félix Berchem, a young resistance fighter, died of wounds inflicted during his escape, and Anny Blau was imprisoned, first in the Grund, before dying in the concentration camp at Anrath on 14 June 1944. While the official German report states that her death was due to natural causes, UNIO'N writes: "Because she hid 11 boys whom she did not want to denounce, the Gestapo beat her to death".
An article in the Luxemburger Wort published on 15 December 1945 pays her a posthumous tribute: 'Önner dene villen unbekannten Helden, vun dene leider ze we'neg geschwat get, befönnt sech och d'Joffer Anny Blau vu Re'mech. Vun dem Dag un, wo' ons Jongen entge'nt alle Menschenrechter an d'preisesch Uniform gezwonge guewen, huet si mat alle Möttelen gént d'Önnerdréckung vun onsem Vollek geschafft. An der Wunneng, an der si zesummen mat hierer Tata gewunt huet, huet si onsen Deserteuren Önnerkonft, jo eng zwét Hémecht gin. Si huet muncher Jong d'Liewen gerett, a munch Elteren, denen hir Kanner erem dohém sin, hun d'Joffer Anny a stëller Erönnerong. Nodém si während langer Zeit siewen Jongen verstoppt hat, go'f den 22. Dezember 1943 d'Joffer Blau verhaft an vun engem Prisong an den aneren geschléft. D'Nouvelle vun hirem Do't, de 14. 6. 1944 am Prisong vun Onrath, wor fir hir Familjen e schwe're Schlâg vu Schmierz a Lèd. Mir werten d'Joffer Anny an hir Verdengschter fir d'Freihét vum Land an e'wegem Undenken behalen. Hiren Numm könnt op d'E'ereblat niewent den vun déne villen fir d'Hémecht gestuerwenen Helde stoen."
The funeral of Anny Blau which took place in Remich on 20 June 1944 was pompous and a large number of the inhabitants of Remich paid their last respects to her.
Sources:
● Chorale Ste-Cécile Remich 1848-1998.
● 150thAnniversary E Stéck Réimech of Pol Wagener.
● Luxemburger Wort: 15.12.1945 Wënzereck.