Božena Hauserová, otherwise known as Barbara Lauwers, was born on April 22nd, 1914, in Brno. She was a lawyer turned CIA operative for the United States to help fight against Germany during the World War. Before the war, Hauserová attended Masaryk University, where she became a practicing lawyer and eventually married a man named Charles Lauwers.

Once Hauserová heard the news of the war in Europe, she and Charles moved to the United States in 1941, where her husband enlisted in the army. Hauserová followed in his footsteps, saying, "It will be a great adventure I do not want to miss." During this time, she became an American citizen, serving in different states before joining the CIA.

In 1944, Hauserová was sent to Rome, Italy, to participate in Operation "Sauerkraut." Her duty was to spread rumors, provide fake orders, and discouraging leaflets. Her mission was to interview German prisoners, selecting a small group to help spread propaganda among German soldiers. Hauserová provided them with new names, cover stories, German uniforms, and even fake papers to help infiltrate the troops. Operation "Sauerkraut" was successful in demoralizing German troops and even providing their locations. Because of the mission's success, they kept it ongoing and expanded the operation to France.

Since the continuation of Operation "Sauerkraut", Hauserová also assisted in creating the propaganda, becoming the only woman on the staff. She was credited with creating the "League of Lonely War Women" campaign, which promised that women in the league would offer German soldiers companionship if they wore the league's symbol, a heart. The goal was to undermine the soldiers' morale and spread doubt that they were being unfaithful to their partners.

Following her successful mission in 1945, Hauserová was awarded the Bronze Star after convincing hundreds to surrender to the Allies. After the conclusion of the Second World War, Hauserová settled in the United States, where she eventually became a research analyst for the Library of Congress until her retirement in 1968. Most of her work remained a secret until the records were declassified following her death in 2009.

Written by Pressley Reeve

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Sullivan, P. (2009, August 31). Barbara Lauwers Podoski dies at 95; launched Psychological Campaign against Germans in WWII. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-barbara-lauwers-podoski31-2009aug31-story.html

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