Arno Lustiger
Encyclopedia
Arno Lustiger is a German
historian
and author
of Jewish origin. He is father of the author Gila Lustiger and cousin to Jean-Marie Lustiger, archbishop
of Paris
.
. His father, David Lustiger, City Councillor of Bendzin, had a company making machines for the bread production. In 1939 the company was confiscated by the National Socialists. Though, David Lustiger stayed in the company as a worker. In the beginning of 1943 the Jewish population of Będzins was detained in the Będzin ghetto
. The Lustiger family were able to hide in a cellar. In August 1943, the ghetto was closed and the population was deported to the concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau
. A few days later, the family voluntarily went to a camp of forced workers in Annaberg, Silesia, in order to stay together as a family.
However, the family was torn apart. Lustiger was deported to concentration camp Ottmuth and later to Blechhammer
, a subcamp of Auschwitz. Starting from January 21, 1945 Lustiger had to join the death march
during the freezing winter towards the Gross-Rosen concentration camp
in Lower Silesia, as the Soviet troops were approaching. Only half of the 4.000 inmates survived the death march. Later he was deported to the Buchenwald concentration camp
and to the Langenstein-Zwieberge concentration camp near Halberstadt
. There the expectancy of life was around three or four weeks.
In April 1945 Lustiger escaped during another death march, when the concentration camp was closed due to the approaching American troops. He was rescued by American soldiers and became a uniformed and armed translator of the US Army
.
, the Jewish resistance and the persecution of Jews by Stalin. From 2004 to 2006 he was visiting professor at the Fritz-Bauer-Institute
in Frankfurt.
On January 27, 2005, Arno Lustiger held a speech in front of the German Bundestag
together with Wolf Biermann
. On September 10, 2006, his essay (printed in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung) criticised Günter Grass
's treatment of his Waffen-SS
membership in his latest book.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of Jewish origin. He is father of the author Gila Lustiger and cousin to Jean-Marie Lustiger, archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Life
Lustiger grew up in Będzin in Upper SilesiaUpper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
. His father, David Lustiger, City Councillor of Bendzin, had a company making machines for the bread production. In 1939 the company was confiscated by the National Socialists. Though, David Lustiger stayed in the company as a worker. In the beginning of 1943 the Jewish population of Będzins was detained in the Będzin ghetto
Będzin Ghetto
Będzin Ghetto or the Bendzin Ghetto was a ghetto established for Jews by Nazi German authorities in occupied Poland during the Holocaust. A major ghetto in East Upper Silesia, it was created in May 1942...
. The Lustiger family were able to hide in a cellar. In August 1943, the ghetto was closed and the population was deported to the concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
. A few days later, the family voluntarily went to a camp of forced workers in Annaberg, Silesia, in order to stay together as a family.
However, the family was torn apart. Lustiger was deported to concentration camp Ottmuth and later to Blechhammer
Blechhammer
The Blechhammer area was the location of Nazi Germany chemical plants, prisoner of war camps, and forced labor camps . Labor camp prisoners began arriving as early as June 17, 1942, and in July 1944, 400-500 men were transferred from the Terezin family camp to Blechhammer...
, a subcamp of Auschwitz. Starting from January 21, 1945 Lustiger had to join the death march
Death march
A death march is a forced march of prisoners of war or other captives or deportees. Those marching must walk over long distances for an extremely long period of time and are not supplied with food or water...
during the freezing winter towards the Gross-Rosen concentration camp
Gross-Rosen concentration camp
KL Gross-Rosen was a German concentration camp, located in Gross-Rosen, Lower Silesia . It was located directly on the rail line between Jauer and Striegau .-The camp:...
in Lower Silesia, as the Soviet troops were approaching. Only half of the 4.000 inmates survived the death march. Later he was deported to the Buchenwald concentration camp
Buchenwald concentration camp
Buchenwald concentration camp was a German Nazi concentration camp established on the Ettersberg near Weimar, Germany, in July 1937, one of the first and the largest of the concentration camps on German soil.Camp prisoners from all over Europe and Russia—Jews, non-Jewish Poles and Slovenes,...
and to the Langenstein-Zwieberge concentration camp near Halberstadt
Halberstadt
Halberstadt is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and the capital of the district of Harz. It is located on the German Half-Timbered House Road and the Magdeburg–Thale railway....
. There the expectancy of life was around three or four weeks.
In April 1945 Lustiger escaped during another death march, when the concentration camp was closed due to the approaching American troops. He was rescued by American soldiers and became a uniformed and armed translator of the US Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
.
After 1945
Since the end of the second world war Lustiger has lived in Frankfurt and has built up a successful company for ladies' fashion. He has written articles about the German-Jewish history, the Spanish civil warSpanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, the Jewish resistance and the persecution of Jews by Stalin. From 2004 to 2006 he was visiting professor at the Fritz-Bauer-Institute
Fritz Bauer
Fritz Bauer was a German judge and prosecutor.-Life:Bauer was born in Stuttgart, Kingdom of Württemberg, German Empire to Jewish parents. He attended Eberhard-Ludwigs-Gymnasium and studied business and law at the Universities of Heidelberg, Munich and Tübingen. After receiving his Doctorate of...
in Frankfurt.
On January 27, 2005, Arno Lustiger held a speech in front of the German Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
together with Wolf Biermann
Wolf Biermann
Karl Wolf Biermann is a German singer-songwriter and former East German dissident.-Early life:Biermann's father, who worked on the Hamburg docks, was a German Jew and a member of the German Resistance....
. On September 10, 2006, his essay (printed in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung) criticised Günter Grass
Günter Grass
Günter Wilhelm Grass is a Nobel Prize-winning German author, poet, playwright, sculptor and artist.He was born in the Free City of Danzig...
's treatment of his Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
membership in his latest book.
Awards
- 1984 - Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of GermanyBundesverdienstkreuzThe Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has existed since 7 September 1951, and between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year across all classes...
- 1994 - Bundesverdienstkreuz Ist class
- 1999 - Moses Mendelssohn awardMoses MendelssohnMoses Mendelssohn was a German Jewish philosopher to whose ideas the renaissance of European Jews, Haskalah is indebted...
- 1999 - Goethe medal of the city Frankfurt am Main
- 2000 - International Brücke award of GörlitzGörlitzGörlitz is a town in Germany. It is the easternmost town in the country, located on the Lusatian Neisse River in the Bundesland of Saxony. It is opposite the Polish town of Zgorzelec, which was a part of Görlitz until 1945. Historically, Görlitz was in the region of Upper Lusatia...
- 2001 - Heinz-Galinski-prize (shared with Wolf BiermannWolf BiermannKarl Wolf Biermann is a German singer-songwriter and former East German dissident.-Early life:Biermann's father, who worked on the Hamburg docks, was a German Jew and a member of the German Resistance....
) - 2003 - Honorary doctorate of University of PotsdamUniversity of PotsdamThe University of Potsdam is a German university, situated across four campuses in Potsdam, Brandenburg, including the New Palace of Sanssouci and the Park Babelsberg.- Profile :...
- 2007 - ProfessorProfessorA professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Hessen