Born in Leningrad and trapped behind enemy lines, Zinaida Portnova chose to fight back. She joined the underground resistance, carried out daring acts of sabotage, and avenged her family’s suffering. Even under torture, she revealed nothing. Executed at just 17, she remains one of the youngest and bravest heroines of World War II—a teenage girl who became a legend of defiance.
Up Next in Season 1
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Jan Verleun: The Priest Who Became a ...
Born into a devout Catholic family, Jan Verleun dreamed of becoming a priest. When Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands, his faith was tested by war. Wounded in battle, he vowed to dedicate his life to freeing his country from occupation.
Joining the underground resistance group CS-6, Verleun use... -
Liane Berkowitz: Berlin’s Young Voice...
At just nineteen, Liane Berkowitz stood against Hitler’s regime with nothing but courage and conviction.
A Berlin student, she joined the Red Orchestra resistance network and risked everything to expose Nazi lies.
Arrested, tortured, and condemned while pregnant, she faced death with faith and di... -
Hannie Schaft: The Red-Haired Symbol ...
Hannie Schaft, a 24-year-old law student from Haarlem, risked everything to fight Nazi tyranny.
She smuggled Jewish families to safety, sabotaged German operations, and executed collaborators — earning the title “the girl with the red hair.”
Tortured, betrayed, and executed just three weeks befor...
