George Clare (writer)
Encyclopedia
George Clare was a British
Jewish author and Holocaust survivor who wrote Last Waltz in Vienna
and Berlin Days. Both are autobiographies in which he recounts first in Last Waltz in Vienna his boyhood and life as a Jew in Vienna
, and then subsequently goes on to describe Hitler's rise to power and the catastrophe that followed taking you right up to the gates of Auschwitz where his parents were murdered and telling of his escape to Ireland
, where he married Lisl, his childhood sweetheart, the day after Kristalnacht, and subsequent enlistment in the British army
, first in the Pioneer Corps, and then in the Royal Artillery
, after war was declared.
In Berlin Days he recounts his work at the denazification
bureaucracy, where he became highly skilled in identifying lies and omissions in application forms. He also shows his amazing humanity in not entirely blaming Germany
for the actions of the Nazis despite being there immediately subsequent to the Holocaust, and World War II
.
He died on 26 March 2009 aged 88.
, where he worked as an editor for many years.
. He writes extensively about this in Last Waltz in Vienna, in which he also explains his childhood friendships with a number of young zionists in Vienna; he also points out that Theodor Herzl
along with many other leading Zionist figures were born in Vienna.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Jewish author and Holocaust survivor who wrote Last Waltz in Vienna
Last Waltz in Vienna
Last Waltz in Vienna by George Clare was the 1982 winner of The WH Smith Literary Award.The book, subtitled The Destruction of a Family 1842-1942, tells the history and fate of the Klaar family, who were proudly Austrian and also happened to be Jewish.The family left Austria following the Anschluss...
and Berlin Days. Both are autobiographies in which he recounts first in Last Waltz in Vienna his boyhood and life as a Jew in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, and then subsequently goes on to describe Hitler's rise to power and the catastrophe that followed taking you right up to the gates of Auschwitz where his parents were murdered and telling of his escape to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, where he married Lisl, his childhood sweetheart, the day after Kristalnacht, and subsequent enlistment in the British army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, first in the Pioneer Corps, and then in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
, after war was declared.
In Berlin Days he recounts his work at the denazification
Denazification
Denazification was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society, culture, press, economy, judiciary, and politics of any remnants of the National Socialist ideology. It was carried out specifically by removing those involved from positions of influence and by disbanding or rendering...
bureaucracy, where he became highly skilled in identifying lies and omissions in application forms. He also shows his amazing humanity in not entirely blaming Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for the actions of the Nazis despite being there immediately subsequent to the Holocaust, and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
He died on 26 March 2009 aged 88.
Post military life
After leaving the denazification bureaucracy Clare found his way to Fleet StreetFleet Street
Fleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
, where he worked as an editor for many years.
Political convictions
Clare was strongly Zionist believing, even prior to the holocaust that the only viable solution to the 'Jewish problem' was a Jewish Homeland in PalestinePalestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. He writes extensively about this in Last Waltz in Vienna, in which he also explains his childhood friendships with a number of young zionists in Vienna; he also points out that Theodor Herzl
Theodor Herzl
Theodor Herzl , born Benjamin Ze’ev Herzl was an Ashkenazi Jew Austro-Hungarian journalist and the father of modern political Zionism and in effect the State of Israel.-Early life:...
along with many other leading Zionist figures were born in Vienna.