Ilse Hertha Christoph

Ilse Hertha Christoph, age 97, passed away on April 26, 2015 at Sunrise at Hunter Mill in Oakton, VA. She was born on September 12, 1917 in Breslau, Germany to the late Richard and Hertha (Neumann) Hoffman. Ilse's early years were spent in Goldberg, Silesia, where her grandfather, Max Neumann, owned a large hat factory. She moved to Hombressen, Germany in 1924 after her mother married Fritz Grebe, a Forstmeister. She remained in Hombressen until her marriage to Dr. Walter Christoph in 1939. The couple lived in Leipzig and Grimma, Germany during WWII. Ilse and her family escaped from this area in 1945 as the Russian Army was taking over what would become East Germany. The family returned to Hombressen where they remained until coming to America in 1950. Ilse began her professional career in the late 1950’s when she began teaching German for the Foreign Service Institute (FSI). She remained at FSI for nine years and during that time wrote a textbook on Basic German. She also collaborated on an additional textbook with her colleague Samuel E. Brown. In the 1960’s, Ilse taught German four years at Georgetown University’s Program for the Blind, after which she taught at Dunbarton College. The last twenty years of her professional career she taught German at the Central Intelligence Agency CIA. In her late eighties, Ilse wrote a memoir outlining her family’s history from her birth through the 1920’s and 1930’s in Germany and through World War II and through her immigration to the United States. As a present for her 95th Birthday, her family published her book “My Memoirs” to fulfill her wish that she hoped her story would serve as a reminder of what happens to families when war and violence take over a country. She is predeceased by her husband Walter and her son Lutz. Survivors include her children: Klaus Christoph (Barbara), Henning Christoph (Mara) and Ute Christoph-Hill; grandchildren: Jenny, Christoph, Eric (Teresa) and Jeffrey; great grandchildren: Casey, Erin, Ryan and Reagan. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2015 at 1:00 PM at Pierce Funeral Home, 9609 Center Street, Manassas, VA. Interment will be held in Germany at a later date. In Lieu of flowers donations may be made to: Capital Caring, 2900 Telestar Court, Falls Church, VA 22042 in loving memory of Ilse Hertha Christoph. Condolences may be sent to: www.piercefh.com

Ilse Hertha Christoph

September 12, 1917 - April 26, 2015