Her husband was forced to join the German army and was taken captive by the Soviets at the end of World War II. He died of starvation in a Russian concentration camp in 1946. Maria, left with little money, struggled to support her surviving six children.
The circumstances surrounding her husband's experience during World War II led to his involvement with the German military, which ultimately resulted in his capture by Soviet forces at war's end. He died from starvation in a Russian internment camp in 1946. Maria faced significant hardship in supporting her remaining six children due to financial constraints.