Rudolf Robert

Rudolf Robert (11 February 1922 – 1997) was a German-Jewish survivor of the holocaust[1] and a Gabbai of the Jewish community of Berlin.[2][3]

Rudolf Robert
Born
Rudolf Ruben Robert

February 11, 1922
Berlin, Germany
Died1997
Berlin, Germany
Known forHolocaust survivor

Early life and Holocaust

Robert was born into a Jewish family originating from Eastern Europe. Under the Nazi regime the family started to suffer from the ongoing anti-Semitic legislation und eventually lost their entire property. Because of being Jewish, the family was deported to the Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz in South-Eastern Poland. During the death march from Auschwitz, Robert lost his brother who died during the struggle.[4] Robert himself survived the concentration camp together with his friend Alfred Jachmann.

Later life and role in the Jewish community of Berlin

After WW2, Robert became an important witness[5] during the Nuremberg trials, inter alia against the German chemical and pharmaceutical industry conglomerate IG Farben.[6][7]

Instead of moving to the London or New York City like other parts of the family[8] or emigrating to Palestine, Robert returned to West-Berlin during the post-war period where he lived with his wife and his two children.[9][10] His son Matthias later also became a Gabbai at the Jewish Community of Berlin.[11][12]

Together with Estrongo Nachama he became one of the most important faces of the Jewish community of Berlin which he helped to develop[13] and eventually became Gabbai of the liberal Synagogue Pestalozzistraße.[14]

Rudolf Robert died in Berlin in 1997.

Miscellaneous

Rudolf Robert's nephew is the Berlin-based entrepreneur and investor Felix Schaal.

In literature

Rudolf Robert has been quoted in Hermann Langbein's book People of Auschwitz. In the book, Robert tells Langbein about his terrible experience in the concentration camp and how he has been paralyzed by having seen other inmates "running around with gaping wounds".[15]

References
  1. Group B. 1/9, No. 1 DP index 1945-1949. Jewish Community of Berlin. 1949.
  2. "Holocaust Survivors and Victims Database". United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. 2002. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  3. Singer, David (1998). American Jewish Year Book 1998. The American Jewish Committee. p. 331. ISBN 0-87495-113-5.
  4. "Rudolf Robert: Tage der Angst vor der Rache" (PDF). Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung. 2005. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  5. "Hermann Langbein. People in Auschwitz". The University of North Carolina Press. 2004. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  6. "Defendant Walther Dürrfeld's Slide Show at the I.G. Farben trial". Wollheim Memorial. 1960. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  7. Wollheim, Norbert (1960). Auschwitz Trial, 4 Ks 2/63. The Fritz Bauer Institute. p. 14208.
  8. Holtzman, Ada (1945). Pinkas HaNitzolim I — Register of Jewish Survivors I.Lists of Jews Rescued in Different European Countries. The Jewish Agency for Palestine Search Bureau for missing Relatives. p. 121.
  9. "Wie der Glamour an den Ku'Damm kam". Berliner Morgenpost. 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  10. "Wie steht es um die Gemeinde?". Jüdische Gemeinde. 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  11. "Nicht am Rabbiner sparen". Jüdische Allgemeine Zeitung. 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  12. Gemeindeblatt.Jüdisches Berlin. Jewish Community Berlin. 2012. p. 6.
  13. "Auf Holzstegen ging's über das kriegszerklüftete Trottoir". TAZ. 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  14. "Wir gedenken der Rabbiner, Kantoren, Organisten, Gabbaim und Schamaschim sel. A." The Jewish Community of Berlin. 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  15. Langbein, Herrmann (2004). People in Auschwitz. The University of North Carolina Press in Association with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. p. 224. ISBN 0-8078-2816-5.
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