In particular, she is remembered for her courage in facing execution with equanimity. This included her famous last words that "Patriotism is not enough."
Edith Cavell was born in Swardeston, near Norwich. Her father was a priest in the Anglican church; this religious faith, she was brought up with, was to provide an important influence on her life.
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In 1914, the First World War broke out. At the time, Miss Cavell was in England, but she moved back to Belgium to her hospital which was later taken over by the Red Cross. As part of the German Schlieffen plan, the Germans invaded Belgium and from late 1914, Brussels was under a very strict German occupation of military rule.
Many British soldiers had been lost behind in the withdrawal of the allied forces and were stuck in Brussels. Miss Cavell decided to aid the British servicemen, hiding them in the hospital and safe houses around Belgium. From these safe houses, some 200 British servicemen were able to escape to neutral Holland. At the same time, she continued to act as nurse and treated wounded soldiers from both the German and allied side. The occupying German army threatened strict punishments for anyone who was found to be "aiding and abetting the enemy". Yet, despite the military rule, Miss Cavell continued to help.
In mid 1915, nurse Edith Cavell came under suspicion for helping allied servicemen to escape; this was not helped by her outspoken views on her perceived injustice of the occupation.
In August 1915, she was arrested and held in St Gilles prison. After her arrest, she did not try to defend herself, but only said in her defence that she felt compelled to help the people in need.
After a short trial, the German military tribunal found her guilty of treason and sentenced her to execution. This surprised many observers as it seemed harsh given her honesty and fact she had saved many lives both Allied and German.
Brand Whitlock, the US minister to Belgium and the Spanish Minister, The Marquis de Villalobar, made representations to the German High Command asking her sentence of death be commuted. In particular, the US minister warned the Germans that this execution of a nurse would damage Germany's already bad reputation and would be seen as an injustice in the eyes of the world.
However, the protestations from the Spanish and American embassies were in vain, the German officer in charge - Count Harrach, dismissed the pleas saying "He would rather see Miss Cavell shot than have harm come to one of the humblest German soldiers, and his only regret was that they had not 'three or four English old women to shoot.'"
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For two weeks prior to her execution, Miss Cavell, was kept in solitary confinement, except for a few brief visits. On the night before her execution, she was visited by the Reverend Stirling Gahan, an Anglican chaplain.
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She was executed [in 12 October 1915] with other Belgians convicted on similar charges.
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After her execution, the fate of Edith Cavell was widely publicised in the British and American media. It was shown as more evidence of German brutality and injustice. Edith Cavell was portrayed as a heroic, and innocent figure who remained steadfast in her Christian faith and willingness to die for her country. It was hoped her example would encourage more men to enlist.
The incident and disgust at her treatment by Germany, played an important role in shaping American public opinion and easing America's entry into the war, later in 1917.
Interestingly, during the war the French shot two German nurses helping German forces escape. When asked why they didn't publicise this for its similarities to Edith Cavell's execution, the German High Command replied, "Why complain? The French had a perfect right to shoot them."
After the war her body was returned to Westminster abbey for a state burial. Her body was later buried in Norwich Cathedral.
Fonte:
http://www.biographyonline.net/humanitarian/edith-cavell.html
