Dr. Josephine Von Miklos demonstrated more patriotism and hard work than could be expected of even the most ideal defense worker. Von Miklos was born into a wealthy Austrian family with immense financial resources. She went on to earn her PhD in philosophy and marry a Hungarian Baron, but she soon grew bored with a life of frivolity in a castle. She chose to travel to the United States in 1930 to visit her brother. After falling in love with the United States on a cross-country road trip, she decided to stay in the United States permanently and divorce her estranged husband. Within seven years, she became a nationally renowned photographer in New York City and was referenced as an award winning photographer as far away as Iowa.

When the war broke out, she felt a tug of patriotism and knew that her fashion photography job could be put on hold, so she decided to work for a munitions factory. Von Miklos had a unique perspective compared to many other Rosies who documented their story in two key ways: she had experienced World War I as an adult, and she resided in Europe during it. This allowed her to bond with European immigrants in the factories in an authentic way, even if they had different ethnicities. One Albanian who felt a camaraderie in that both of their countries experienced Nazi domination told her: “I will win this war with you.” As a recent immigrant to the United States, Von Miklos was proud to work to liberate Europe by serving the country she chose to call home. 

Von Miklos not only bonded with other Europeans at the factory, she helped the women around her to understand why the war was essential to preserving global freedom. After making a trip back to Europe in 1938 to get her parents out of Vienna, Von Miklos was greatly affected and shared her dismay with her fellow Rosies. Determined to change the idea that the war only affected people in far off lands, Von Miklos wrote “I told them of what I had seen of the strutting Nazis in my old town; of the little swastikas flying daily in the wind, little blotches of red against the gray spring sky of that early April. They were waving gaily, little blotches of frozen blood.” This discussion led to an initiative, as Von Miklos hoped she could get her fellow defense workers to work overtime shifts to produce extra supplies to fund the war effort. Much to her foreman’s surprise, she easily convinced her fellow Rosies to give up a few Sundays. Von Miklos represents the difference a single determined factory worker could make when exceeding expectations. 

From the very start of Von Miklos’ war diary, one can tell she was humble and perhaps understood that her story would be undervalued. She started her 1943 book in a self-deprecating tone, stating that her work was an “Honest true story- even if not much of a tale.” She acknowledged, right from the start, that historiography may not be in her favor. She seems to imply that people would not care what women have to say, a notion that may stem from her time as a female in academia. While her comments reflect the sexism she experienced in the workplace, nationwide her book received immense praise that dispelled her concerns that her story would be ignored during the war years. 

Von Miklos was representative of the changing attitudes regarding gender on the American home front. In Massachusetts, Von Miklos was praised as a “pioneer” in industrial work as her book would “answer questions that people surely had” about factory life. The Kansas City Star admired “her rebellion against the froth” and noted that the publicity and praise for her work had marked a shift, as “Women’s thinking too, is different than it was a year ago.” On one side of Pennsylvania, there were allusions to Rosie as the Pittsburgh Press lauded her enthusiasm, while on the other side the Philadelphia Inquirer stated that her “humor and zest…will kindle a warmer spirit of true patriotism.” In the ultimate compliment, Paul V. McNutt, United States War Manpower Commissioner, liked the book so much that he wrote a glowing review that was published nationally. 

Much of this praise came from the selfless decision Von Miklos made to move to working in a shipyard after gaining immense seniority in the munitions plant, thus taking a substantial pay cut in order to be closer to the action of the war. Von Miklos explained the immediate gratification associated with contributing transportation to the war effort, as: “working a shipyard brings you closer to the war… You know that when you do your job right you are helping to send the ships out again, to bring more cargo to the men who are fighting. Maybe in Africa or on Guadalcanal or to take more fighting men over where they'll do the most good.” Von Miklos’ sentiments are unique, as the vast majority of Rosie experiences were at least partially motivated by the opportunity for an increased salary. In this way, her patriotism met the expectations of the archetype of Rosie the Riveter, even if her experience was not accompanied by any of the glamour or prestige.