Gregor Ziemer
Encyclopedia
Gregor Athalwin Ziemer was an American
educator, writer, and correspondent who lived in Germany
from 1928 to 1939, during which time he served as the headmaster of the "American School in Berlin." After fleeing Germany, Ziemer returned to his wife Edna's hometown of Lake City, Minnesota
. Ziemer wrote a couple of notable books about Nazi society: Education for Death
, which inspired the eponymous Disney short, and, more directly, Edward Dmytryk
's movie Hitler's Children
, as well as, along with his daughter Patricia, Two Thousand and Ten Days of Hitler.
For a time from November 1941, Ziemer was a commentator on European affairs with radio station WLW
out of Cincinnati. He later returned to Europe as a correspondent, embedded this time with General George Patton's 3d Army.
At the Nuremberg Trials, a sworn affidavit by Ziemer (an excerpt of one of his books), dealing with Nazi society in general and the education of youth in particular, was presented by the prosecutors. According to Reichsjugendführer
Baldur von Schirach
, this writing contained untruth and had "more importance as propaganda than it tends to be objective" and was "clearly inflammatory".
Ziemer, who lived in California but summered in Lake City, kept busy as a writer of stories and articles and author of screenplays, contributing to the Saturday Evening Post and other popular magazines of the mid-20th century. He later served as a director of the American Foundation for the Blind
as well as director of the Institute of Lifetime Learning. Among his key contacts in his charitable work was Hoagy Carmichael
.
A manuscript for a book about the history of water skiing
was discovered only recently among Ziemer's papers by one of his publishers.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
educator, writer, and correspondent who lived in 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...
from 1928 to 1939, during which time he served as the headmaster of the "American School in Berlin." After fleeing Germany, Ziemer returned to his wife Edna's hometown of Lake City, Minnesota
Lake City, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,950 people, 2,131 households, and 1,402 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,166.9 people per square mile . There were 2,347 housing units at an average density of 553.3 per square mile...
. Ziemer wrote a couple of notable books about Nazi society: Education for Death
Education for Death
Education for Death: The Making of the Nazi is an animated short film produced by Walt Disney and released on January 15, 1943 by RKO Radio Pictures. Based on the anti-Nazi propaganda book by Gregor Ziemer, directed by Clyde Geronimi and principally animated by Ward Kimball...
, which inspired the eponymous Disney short, and, more directly, Edward Dmytryk
Edward Dmytryk
Edward Dmytryk was an American film director who was amongst the Hollywood Ten, a group of blacklisted film industry professionals who served time in prison for being in contempt of Congress during the McCarthy-era 'red scare'.-Early life:Dmytryk was born in Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada,...
's movie Hitler's Children
Hitler's Children (film)
Hitler's Children is a 1943 American black-and-white propaganda film made by RKO Radio Pictures. It was directed by Edward Dmytryk and Irving Reis from an adaptation by Emmet Lavery of Gregor Ziemer's book Education For Death....
, as well as, along with his daughter Patricia, Two Thousand and Ten Days of Hitler.
For a time from November 1941, Ziemer was a commentator on European affairs with radio station WLW
WLW
WLW is a clear channel talk radio station located in Cincinnati, Ohio, run by Clear Channel Communications. The station broadcasts locally on 700 kHz AM...
out of Cincinnati. He later returned to Europe as a correspondent, embedded this time with General George Patton's 3d Army.
At the Nuremberg Trials, a sworn affidavit by Ziemer (an excerpt of one of his books), dealing with Nazi society in general and the education of youth in particular, was presented by the prosecutors. According to Reichsjugendführer
Reichsjugendführer
Reichsjugendführer was the highest paramilitary rank of the Hitler Youth. It was held first by Baldur von Schirach and later Artur Axmann. Originally, there was no insignia for the rank, and von Schirach can be seen in documentary evidence as wearing a Nazi Party brown jacket with Hitler Youth...
Baldur von Schirach
Baldur von Schirach
Baldur Benedikt von Schirach was a Nazi youth leader later convicted of being a war criminal. Schirach was the head of the Hitler-Jugend and Gauleiter and Reichsstatthalter of Vienna....
, this writing contained untruth and had "more importance as propaganda than it tends to be objective" and was "clearly inflammatory".
Ziemer, who lived in California but summered in Lake City, kept busy as a writer of stories and articles and author of screenplays, contributing to the Saturday Evening Post and other popular magazines of the mid-20th century. He later served as a director of the American Foundation for the Blind
American Foundation for the Blind
The American Foundation for the Blind is an American non-profit organization that expands possibilities for people with vision loss. AFB's priorities include broadening access to technology; elevating the quality of information and tools for the professionals who serve people with vision loss; and...
as well as director of the Institute of Lifetime Learning. Among his key contacts in his charitable work was Hoagy Carmichael
Hoagy Carmichael
Howard Hoagland "Hoagy" Carmichael was an American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader. He is best known for writing "Stardust", "Georgia On My Mind", "The Nearness of You", and "Heart and Soul", four of the most-recorded American songs of all time.Alec Wilder, in his study of the...
.
A manuscript for a book about the history of water skiing
Water skiing
thumb|right|A slalom skier making a turn on a slalom waterski.Waterskiing is a sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water, skimming the surface.-History:...
was discovered only recently among Ziemer's papers by one of his publishers.
External links
- Time Magazine. Education: Education for death (November 3, 1941). Accessed October 26, 2009.