Margot Holzmann was born in Ratibor (today Racibórz / Poland) on January 16, 1912. Her parents were Paul and Hulda Holzmann, born Bernstein. Margot had two younger sisters, Charlotte and Ilse, who are also listed in this memorial book. In the 1920s, the family moved to Halle/Saale.

The mother, Hulda Holzmann, died at the age of only 32 on April 15, 1925. Her daughters then were 13, 11 and 8 years old. Presumably because traveling extensively as a merchant, the father gave his daughters in the care of the home "Isenburg". Margot came to Neu-Isenburg one year earlier than her younger sisters. She first went to elementary school in Neu-Isenburg; then she was trained as a nurse and nanny in the home.

Margot returned to Halle on March 11, 1928 at the age of 16, but returned to the home of the Jewish Women's Association from July 17, 1928 to October 29, 1928. In January 1929, Paul Holzmann married for the second time. His daughters now lived in the household of their father and their stepmother Lea (Leonore), born Grünbaum. Margot attended middle school there and took ballet lessons because her dream was to become a dancer - a dream she could realize. Margot Holzmann made a successful career as a dancer. During her performances, she met Marta Halusa, who became her partner in life. However, because of Margot's Jewish background and because the two women lived together, they were extensively exposed to Nazi persecution.

On November 13, 1941, Margot Holzmann should be deported. To avoid this destiny, she made a formal marriage with the Chinese waiter Chi-Lan Liu, but kept up the relationship with Marta Halusa. Her husband, who felt deceived, tried in vain to have the marriage annulled. Margot and Chi-Lan Liu were divorced after the end of the Second World War. Presumably since 1943 Margot Liu (née Holzmann) and Marta Halusa were active in the political resistance. Shortly before the end of the war, Margot Liu and Marta Halusa were repeatedly denounced and arrested by the Gestapo. Margot was brutally tortured so that she suffered life-long. Both women, however, escaped on a transport and hid until the invasion of the Red Army.

In the summer of 1949, Margot and Marta left for England, where Margot's sisters Ilse and Charlotte lived as they were able to flee before the war began. In England they spent another 40 years together. Margot Holzmann died at the age of 80 on 1 June 1993, Marta Halusa 89 years old on 24 July 1999.

Margot Holzmann's biography was researched and published by Ingeborg Boxhammer: Marta Halusa und Margot Liu. Die lebenslange Liebe zweier Tänzerinnen. Jüdische Miniaturen, Bd. 175, Berlin 2015. Her Publication is the basis of this item.

Further sources: Stadtarchiv Neu-Isenburg; Daniela Fliegner: Margot Liu, b. Holzmann and Marta Halusa - Dancers http://rosawinkel.kulturring.org/?biografie=margot-liu-and-marta-halusa: