Her second marriage was to fellow politician Emil Kirschmann, as a result of which sources after 1922 generally identify her as Elisabeth Kirschmann-Röhl.

Elisabeth Röhl was born in Landsberg an der Warthe, the daughter of a carpenter called Theodor Gohlke and his wife Henriette.

[3] After successful completion of her education at the local school Röhl undertook an apprenticeship in dressmaking.

[3] This involved setting up sewing centres to give women the opportunity to work from home, along with other support for war widows and orphans.

They lived together in Berlin after moving there from the countryside in 1908 and when work commitments required Maria to relocate to Cologne her children stayed behind to be looked after by their aunt, Elisabeth.