4 5 ▁her ▁father ▁was ▁imprison ed ▁by ▁the ▁F asc ist ▁regime , ▁and ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁her ▁mother ▁was ▁in car cer ated ▁at ▁Rav ens br ück ▁concentration ▁camp . ▁W itt ig ▁joined ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁of ▁Germany ▁( K PD ) ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁fifteen , ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁and ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁Free ▁German ▁Youth ▁( FD J ), ▁a ▁youth ▁political ▁movement , ▁from ▁its ▁foundation ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁After ▁W itt ig ▁completed ▁high ▁school , ▁she ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁tra ctor ▁driver ▁in ▁Len ge feld , ▁and ▁continued ▁with ▁her ▁activ ism . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁she ▁became ▁deput y ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Volk sk ammer ▁parliament . ▁ ▁W itt ig ▁wanted ▁to ▁do ▁something ▁more ▁challeng ing ▁than ▁tra ctor ▁driving , ▁or ▁office ▁work , ▁and ▁she ▁contact ed ▁General ▁Ins pect or ▁Hein z ▁K ess ler , ▁whose ▁mother ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁Rav ens br ück ▁with ▁W itt ig ' s ▁mother . ▁Through ▁this ▁personal ▁connection , ▁she ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁obtain ▁a ▁posting ▁with ▁the ▁Volk sp ol ize i ▁( the ▁national ▁police ▁force ). ▁She ▁progress ed ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁officer ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁She ▁began ▁flying , ▁and ▁completed ▁her ▁training ▁with ▁a ▁Soviet ▁instruct or ▁on ▁board ▁a ▁M iko yan - G ure v ich ▁Mi G - 1 5 ▁aircraft