Podcast
Invisible Women
Hosted by Diane Greig · EN
Invisible Women is about eight women who worked in espionage during World War II. They were from different countries, cultures and backgrounds. What they had in common was the opportunity to step outside societal norms, while at the same time working in the shadows. This podcast is an opportunity to hear their stories, to explore their roles in society and discover what we can learn from these stories, that is relevant today.
9episodes
Episodes
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Heroine’s Journey
Jun 11, 202100:39:39Tap to summarizeIn this episode, you’ll meet Jennis, a young American woman who grew up in Middle America. She chose to challenge the conventions of the 1940s by holding a sit-in to protest her university’s policy of not allowing women to study Japanese. WW 2 was underway and she wanted to help the war effort in a way that would maximise her contributions. She won her fight and learned Japanese. After being vetted, she was recruited and trained by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) to become an espionage agent in India, Burma and Ceylon. Episodes include war-related content that some listeners may find disturbing and/or traumatizing. This content includes graphic references to sexual assault and suicide. Episode Details Episode NamePodcast Episode #08 Created by: Diane GreigProduced by: Robert OuimetRuns: 39:45 Credits Host and Writer: Diane GreigEdie: Tanja Dixon-WarrenCasting Director: Eileen BarrettProducer: Robert OuimetSound engineer: Matt James and Scott Whittaker Show Notes Visiting temples in IndiaHow Jennis’s espionage experience was so different than the other womenHow Diane’s journey unfolded after doing the researchJennis: Growing up in KansasTwo degrees, but still not allowed to study Japanese at university because she was a womanA one-person sit-in at the classroom finally wins the dayRecruited by the OSS after learning JapaneseTranslating Japanese documents, newspapers and confiscated articlesSent to India, doing research and analysisTravelling and learning Hindi, moving in with an Indian familyMeeting GandhiFascinated by Satyagraha, becoming “violently non-violent”Using Satyagraha to diffuse a dangerous personal situationBack in the US after the war, a PhD and a life long love and study of India Links and Resources Psychology/philosophyHinduismJung psychologyReview: The Evolutionary Journey of Woman: From the Goddess to Integral Feminism by Sarah NicholsonThe Heroine Journeys ProjectSatyagraha HistoryA Largely Indian Victory in World War II, Mostly Forgotten in India (NY Times article, pay wall)Strategic Operations Executive in IndiaSecret Agents, Secret Armies: The Short Happy Life of the OSSThe Burma CampaignThe Bizarre Ways America’s First Spy Agency Tried to Overthrow HitlerThe Women Whose Secret Work Helped Win World War II (NY Times article, pay wall) All Episodes in this Series Episode 8: Heroine’s Journey Episode 7: Embodiment Episode 6: Madonnas Episode 5: Sisterhood <a href="https://invisiblewomen.ca/shadow-projections/" data-t...
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Embodiment
May 11, 202100:57:48Tap to summarizeIn this episode you’ll hear Celine’s story. She was a young French woman who first joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in the UK, and then later became a British Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent. She parachuted into France to courier, sabotage and coordinate among Maquis groups. You’ll hear how she challenged biased cultural beliefs about women and her references that underscore the personality of many of the women I interviewed ~ independent, strategic, compassionate, courageous and instinctual. Celine made crucial contributions in one of the most turbulent times of WW 2; during the D-Day invasion and the weeks that followed. Post war, the British government honoured some SOE agents with medals ~ the men received far more than the women. And for those women like Celine who did survive and receive commendation, their medals were civilian, rather than military. Episodes include war-related content that some listeners may find disturbing and/or traumatizing. This content includes graphic references to sexual assault and suicide. Episode Details EmbodimentPodcast Episode #07 Created by: Diane GreigProduced by: Robert OuimetRuns: 57:48 Credits Host and Writer: Diane GreigCeline: Emily Bett RickardsCasting Director: Eileen BarrettProducer: Robert OuimetSound engineer: Scott Whittaker Show Notes About the British SOE (Special OperationsExecutive) and attitudes about women Bipolar stereotype of women Projections, repression and fear of ‘other’ Celine’s story, leaving France to finish school in England Joining the WAAF, Women’s Auxiliary Air Force Training at SOE ‘finishing school’ in Scotland Explosives, guns and safe cracking Getting married before deployment to France Dropping into France and a rough landing Recruiting and supplies for the underground teams D-day and close calls Staying to help the allied forces A final tragic encounter Links and Resources A list of SOE agentsSecret Scottish training campsSOE Training, Transport and EquipmentThe Female Spies of the SOEThe Witch huntsA Brief Guide to Embodied CognitionReductionismLhasa Pilgrim Circuits and KoraYangon’s Shwedagon PagodaThe maquisWomen’s Auxiliary Air ForceSpecial Operations SOE Tempsford Secret Airfield WWII Spy Base (YouTube Video)The Free FrenchFalais PocketD-DayShaving women’s heads after liberation All Episodes in this Series <div role="region" aria-expanded="false" class="wp-block-ub-content-toggle-accordion-content-wrap ub-hide" id="ub-content-to...
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Madonnas
Apr 11, 202100:42:40Tap to summarizeThere have been two Madonnas worshiped throughout Europe for centuries, reflecting the splitting of the feminine archetypal energy in the mind and lives of western people. This episode is about Zosia, a young woman who couriered for the Polish resistance in 1939, went into forced labor and found strength in the teachings of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa. This icon of the Polish people and women symbolizes the power of independence, freedom, resistance, character and integrity. Episodes include war-related content that some listeners may find disturbing and/or traumatizing. Episode Details MadonnasPodcast Episode #06 Created by: Diane GreigProduced by: Robert OuimetRuns: 42:46 Credits Host and Writer: Diane GreigZosia: Jane HeymanCasting Director: Eileen BarrettProducer: Robert OuimetSound engineer: Matt James Show Notes The great mother: Interconnectedness and continuityEarly spiritualityThe two MadonnasFeminine and masculine archetypesBlack IsisMadonna above, Madonna belowPoland and The Black MadonnaZosia’s story12 year old Girl Guide CourierA family of resistanceHiding arms from the enemyFleeing the RussiansForced labour in GermanyInspiration from the Black MadonnaDisplaced Person after the war, an a new lifeCanada Links and Resources HistoryIsis nursing HorusBlack Madonna of CzęstochowaChartres CathedralThe Black Madonna of Poland (YouTube)The Black Madonna of Czestochowa PolAmJournalHallowed Be Her Name: The Language of the GoddessForced labour under German rule during World War IIWorld War II: The Invasion of Poland and the Winter WarPoland still counts losses from WW2 invasion PsychologicalThe Chalice and the Blade: Our History, Our FutureLonging for Darkness: Tara and the Black Madonna : a Ten-year JourneyDancing in the FlamesDescent to the Goddess: A Way of Initiation for WomenMaureen Murdock’s Heroine’s Journey ArcMarion Woodman: Dancing in the Flames – ‘Two Marions’ (YouTube) All Episodes in this Series Episode 8: Heroine’s Journey Episode 7: Embodiment Episode 6: Madonnas Episode 5: Sisterhood Episode 4: Shadow Projections <a href="...
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Sisterhood
Mar 8, 202100:39:02Tap to summarizeInvisible Women is celebrating International Women’s Day with the release of Episode 5. This episode is about the power of Sisterhood and women leading, supporting and empowering women and others with compassion, strategy, intelligence and bravery so everyone may benefit. In this episode you’ll hear Pet’s story, a young woman who lived in Amsterdam during WW 2. At the behest of her mother, she couriered for the Dutch resistance, traveling into the countryside carrying documents and funds for downed Allied pilots. Pet talks about how the women in her household and in the resistance demonstrated a parallel way to resist without male oversight. Sisterhood resisting was coupled with extreme risk, strategy, and compassion. Episodes include war-related content that some listeners may find disturbing and/or traumatizing. Episode Details SisterhoodPodcast Episode #05 Created by: Diane GreigProduced by: Robert OuimetRuns:39:08 Credits Host and Writer: Diane GreigPet: Lucia FrangioneCasting Director: Eileen BarrettProducer: Robert OuimetSound engineer: Matt James Show Notes The Newgrange passage monument in County Meath, Ireland The great goddess , great mother archetypeWomen working together as resistorsPet’s story in the Dutch resistanceIntroduced to espionage by her motherFirst harrowing experience as a courierA Dutch pilot’s tragic consequencesHiding under the floorboardsHiding a Jewish family in the atticGetting Father out of prisonQuick minded and not excitable, my cover was my innocenceA close call on the trainWhat you need to do, you don’t talk about itMother was a role model, defiant and compassionateMoving to Canada Links and Resources Holland’s occupation during WWIIDutch Resistance ambushes SS officerDutch citizens resist Nazi occupation, 1940-1945WWII Netherlands Escape LinesHow a Young Audrey Hepburn Helped the Dutch ResistanceSisters in the Resistance: How Women Fought to Free France – Margaret Collins WeitzHow a Jewish teenager infiltrated a Nazi headquarters (YouTube video)Psychological – ArchetypalIn Search of The Divine Feminine with Jungian Analyst Anne Baring (Audio)Marion Woodman: Dancing in the Flames (YouTube video)The Great Mother (Wikipedia)The Great Mother: An Analysis of the Archetype – Erich NeumannNewgrange prehistoric monument All Episodes in this Series Episode 8: Heroine’s Journey Episode 7: Embodiment Episode 6: Madonnas E<...
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Shadow Projections
Feb 11, 202100:36:18Tap to summarizeAyla, a young Jewish woman, walked for miles in the middle of the night through mountainous regions with snowdrifts and freezing temperatures toward the German front. Nearing the front with its watchful snipers, Ayla would leave her African commando escort behind and continue on alone. Pretending to be a nurse searching for her soldier boyfriend, Ayla put her life at seemingly unsurmountable risk, but she crossed into German territory many times providing crucial information to the Free French Army regarding enemy troop strongholds and movements. Episodes include war-related content that some listeners may find disturbing and/or traumatizing. Episode Details Shadow ProjectionsPodcast Episode #04 Created by: Diane GreigProduced by: Robert OuimetRuns: 36:23 Credits Host and Writer: Diane GreigAyla: Nicola LipmanCasting Director: Eileen BarrettProducer: Robert OuimetSound engineer: Scott WhittakerArchival audio: Divide and Conquer, Don’t be a Sucker, from the Prelinger Archive, used under Creative Commons and/or public domain. Show Notes Gendered cultural assumptionsProjected stereotypic beliefs about women in espionage persist todayAbout projectionDiscovering my own personal shadowAyla’s storyEscaping to MarseilleBasic training and then the Alsatian frontFrom the front lines to undercover reconnaissance workRelying on instinct and having a sixth sense about danger Links and Resources Free FranceArmy of Africa (France)Vichy France article in Smithsonian magazineMarseille – First Capital of the ResistanceAntigone – Anouilh playLA Times: The Agony of ‘Antigone’ : Anouilh’s Heroine Symbolized Nazi Resistance, Its Validity HoldsRodenhurt, Nigel. 2012 (downloadable PDF). Dis/Simulation as Post-Traumatic Symptom and Literary Strategy in Jewish-American FictionShadow and ProjectionMarie Louise Von Franz on the “Shadow.”Carl Jung and “You see, our whole mental life, our consciousness, began with projections.”Jung and the Trumpian ShadowOwning Your Own Shadow: Understanding the Dark Side of the PsycheMeeting the Shadow: The Hidden Power of the Dark Side of Human Nature All Episodes in this Series </di...
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Propaganda
Jan 11, 202100:55:45Tap to summarizeOn her wedding day Liliana discovered that she was not only saying yes to marriage, but also to the perilous work of a wireless operator in one of the first resistance cells in France. Speaking 5 languages by the age of 19 she was instrumental in encoding messages sent to Bletchley Park from a Polish Military cell in Lyon, run by her husband. The cultural beliefs about women, and the relationship power gradient between women and men, supported her fiancé’s action to decide her fate. In this episode, the patriarchal monopoly on power is easily exposed in the Allied propaganda of the era. In juxtaposition to this power, Liliana’s story reflects her authentic contributions, and her matchless abilities and ingenuity that saved them from certain capture when the cell was infiltrated by the Nazis. Episodes include war-related content that some listeners may find disturbing and/or traumatizing. Episode Details PropagandaPodcast Episode #03Created by: Diane GreigProduced by: Robert OuimetRuns: 55:53 Credits Host and Writer: Diane GreigLiliana: Colleen WintonCasting Director: Eileen BarrettProducer: Robert OuimetSound engineer: Matt JamesArchival audio: Danger Women at Work, Arm Behind the Army. From the Prelinger Archive, used under Creative Commons and/or public domain. Show Notes The honourable and respectful origins of propagandaThe WW2 propaganda campaign reinforces the societal stereotypes and expectations of women and menBringing women into the work force in order to keep the economy goingPropaganda used to shift the perspective of women being capable not only in the home, but also working in factoriesContradictory stereotypes – how women were portrayed in propagandaPost war propaganda Modern computational propagandaLiliana’s storyWar breaks outWorking with the Red Cross in VichyA young lieutenant proposes marriageWedding day surprise – the young lieutenant has a different nameA new husband and a new role in the resistanceIn Lyon, learning about wireless machines and codesTrouble in Lyon, and the move to MarseilleEscape from Marseille to SwitzeralndSlipping by the authorities thanks to food couponsDivorced after the war, a new husband and a move to Canada Links and Resources World War 2 Propaganda & SurveillancePolish resistance in France during World War IIWomen at WorkHistory of Women in the Red CrossThe Story of PropagandaThe hypodermic effect: How propaganda manipulates our emotionsAdvertising, Public Relations and PropagandaSurveillance and Espionage in a Free SocietyFeminismFeminismWhat Is Feminism, And Why Do So Many Women And Men Hate It?French Red Cross poster All Episodes in this Series <div class="wp...
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Spy Craft
Dec 11, 202000:33:07Tap to summarizeWhat is it about secrets and spying that holds such interest, curiosity and energy for us? And, why were these women agents, who were living ordinary lives pre-war, exhilarated by being undercover in dangerous circumstances? In this episode I’ll discuss the high stakes of being involved in espionage, whether behind the lines or on the home front. Then, I’ll introduce you to Garnet, a young woman from the UK who was decoding enemy messages in the secret facility at Bletchley Park. Later it was boots on the ground for her to aid Czechoslovakian resistance cell members escape the Russians. That’s the focus of this episode of Invisible Women, different kinds of Spy Craft. Episodes include war-related content that some listeners may find disturbing and/or traumatizing. Episode Details Episode Name: Spy CraftPodcast Episode #02 Created by: Diane GreigProduced by: Robert OuimetRuns: 33:11 Credits Host and Writer: Diane GreigGarnet: Eileen BarrettProducer: Robert OuimetSound engineer: Scott Whittaker Show Notes Diane discusses the role of espionage and some of its history.How women agents were recruited and trained.Garnet explains how she was recruited to work at Bletchley Park.Working in the huts decoding enemy encrypted messages.Never seeing the big picture and not being allowed to talk about it.High stakes.The camaraderie at Bletchley Park.The end of the war in Europe, and on to a different type of workHelping the resistance in Czechoslovaki. Links and Resource Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, WAAF (Wikipedia)Women’s Royal Naval Service (Wikipedia)History of Espionage (Wikipedia)Security Service – MI5 Women in Bletchley Park (Wikipedia)Bletchley Park websiteBritannica entry on Czechoslovakia German occupation of Czechoslovakia (Wikipedia)Prague uprising (Wikipedia)The Turing-Welchman Bombe, The National Museum of ComputingA recent find of a German Enigma machine in the Baltic SeaRussian woman sniper article Psychology-related LinksThe Ethics of Silence: An Interdisciplinary Case Analysis Approach by Nancy BilliasThe Female Trickster: The Mask That Reveals, Post-Jungian and Postmodern Psychological Perspectives on Women in Contemporary by Ricki Stefanie TannenC.G. Jung defines intuition, YouTube video All Episodes in this Series <a href="https://invisiblewo...
Transcribe →Service Zero
Nov 11, 202000:48:50Tap to summarizeWhen real life stories have been kept secret for over 60 years, it’s difficult to coax them into existence. This episode introduces eight such stories and the challenges involved in uncovering them — from the male gatekeepers I had to traverse to inviting the women to share their stories, most of whom had not previously done so. We begin with Edie’s story, a young woman who worked for Service Zero, a large resistance cell in Belgium. Episodes include war-related content that some listeners may find disturbing and/or traumatizing. Episode Details Service ZeroPodcast Episode # 01 Runs: 48:50 Credits Host and Writer: Diane GreigEdie: Patti AllanCasting Director: Eileen BarrettProducer: Robert OuimetSound engineer: Scott Whittaker Show Notes Invisible Women is a podcast about eight women who worked in espionage during World War 2They were six different countriesWhat they had in common was the opportunity to step outside societal norms while at the same time working in the shadowsThe podcast is about cultural shadow. Its also about projections, and societal expectationsDidn’t plan to search out women in espionageIntrigued by image of agents being flown in behind enemy lines by the light of the full moonThe challenge in finding these women and the men gate keepersAll were living ordinary lives until war struck and then they were thrust into this unusual workIntroduction to EdieEdie’s storyIn 1939 was 16 and living at home in Ghent, BelgiumMay 1940 was on a family vacation in Ardennes when Belgium was invadedHarrowing trip back to Ghent, now occupied by German soldiersIntroduced to resistance work by her brother – a cell called Service ZeroReported on rail , troop movement, airfields and construction to British IntelligenceTyped up and couriered reports to wireless operatorsThe every day risks and dangers of inspections at train stations and on the roadAvoiding going to a forced labour campFamily has been through this kind of things before, mother was a role modelResistance work ended in 1943 when her brother is arrestedHer final assignment – to warn the head of Service Zero that someone has exposed the groupFather is arrestedAfter liberation, reunited with her father and later her brother Links and Resources Canadians in Belgium WW 2German Occupation of Belgium WW 2Overview of Belgium Resistance WW 2 including Service ZeroUntold Stories of Belgium’s Female Resistance WW 1Belgium Resistance with photos WW 2Hidden Children of the Holocaust: Belgian Nuns and Their Daring Rescue of Young Jews from the Nazis (review) Resistance movie (2003)Belgian resistance during World War (library talk)Psychology-related LinksOwning Your Own ShadowMeeting the ShadowMap of the Soul and BTS LyricsRomancing the Shadow All Episodes in this Series Episode 8: Heroine’s Journey Episode 7: Embodiment ...
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Introducing Invisible Women
Oct 27, 202000:00:54Tap to summarizeBased on her years of research and in-person interviews, Diane Greig hosts this podcast about eight women who worked in espionage during World War 2. The women worked undercover in dangerous territory between 1939-1946, in countries such as France, Poland, India, Holland, Belgium and Czechoslovakia. Most were young, in their teens and early twenties. These women were from different cultures and backgrounds, and worked for military and non-military cells. Two were from France, and the other six were Russian, Irish, Polish, Belgian, Dutch and American born. What they had in common was the opportunity to step outside societal norms, while at the same time working in the shadows. While their contributions were incredibly important, they’ve been hidden. Invisible women is an opportunity to hear their stories, to explore their roles in society and discover what we can learn from these stories, that is relevant today. The series is called Invisible Women because the roles of these women spies were invisible to the enemy. This podcast is a thought-provoking series about cultural shadow and contemporary issues — what is endarkened in our culture and therefore, invisible and unavailable to us in our daily lives. It’s also about projection — what we project onto others because of individual shadow and societal expectations. And, it’s about the unperceived lenses that we grow up with — invisible lenses — that affect our potential, creativity and empowerment. How do these invisible lenses affect your relationships? How may you become more aware and re-imagine, revision and deepen your life? These are a few of the topics covered in upcoming episodes. Episodes include war-related content that some listeners may find disturbing and/or traumatizing. Episode Details Introducing Invisible WomenPodcast Episode #00 (promo)Runs: 0:56 Show Notes This is a promo for up-coming episodes.Diane Grieg introduces herself and the series. Links and Resources More about Diane GreigArmy Museum (Paris, France)Camp X (Ontario, Canada) *SOE training campCamp Z (Fraser Island, Australia) *SOE training campCanadian War Museum (Ottawa, Ontario)Imperial War Museum (London, UK)International Spy Museum (Washington, USA)Military Museums (Alberta, Canada) Vietnamese Women’s Museum (Hanoi, Vietnam) *large section dedicated to women and war All Episodes in this Series Episode 8: Heroine’s Journey Episode 7: Embodiment Episode 6: Madonnas Episode 5: Sisterhood Episode 4: Shadow Projections Episode 3: Propaganda Episode 2: Spy Craft Episode 1: Service Zero Promo Sign up for the Newsletter Get updates directly to your email. We promise, no spam. SIGN UP
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