Death - Holocaust survivor Guy Stern dies at 101
The German-American literary scholar and Holocaust survivor Guy Stern has died at the age of 101. The Berlin-based publisher Aufbau-Verlag announced the news on Friday. The publisher published the autobiography of the Hildesheim native ("Wir sind nur noch wenige") in German on the occasion of his 100th birthday on January 14, 2022. As a 15-year-old, Stern was able to flee alone to an uncle in the USA in 1937, when he was still called Günther. His parents and younger siblings were among the almost six million Jews murdered by the National Socialists.
In the USA, Stern joined a special unit of the US Army that interrogated German prisoners of war in Europe from 1944 until the end of the war. After the war, he studied Romance and German language and literature and subsequently taught at numerous American and German universities, the publishing house added. Since his retirement in 2002, he has been Director of the Institute for Altruism Research at the Holocaust Museum in Detroit.
Stern, who died on Thursday (December 7), was co-founder of the Lessing Society, Vice President of the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music and President of the PEN Center of German-Language Authors Abroad.
The scholar received numerous awards, including the Grand Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Goethe Medal and honorary citizenship of Hildesheim. He was married to the German writer Susanna Piontek and lived in the US state of Michigan.
Even in old age, Stern gave lectures, often to young people. In 2019, he spoke in the Lower Saxony state parliament. "With the death of Guy Stern, an impressive and multifaceted life has come to an end," said State Parliament President Hanna Naber on Friday. His tireless commitment to education, understanding and against anti-Semitism was admirable. Despite painful memories, Stern had intensively maintained contact with Germany. "His moving speech to the plenary session of the Landtag will always be remembered by many. Guy Stern's legacy will live on," emphasized Naber.
In a dpa interview in February 2022, he said that the achievements of democracy should not be jeopardized lightly. "A democracy is a delicate plant that can die at any time if it is not nurtured enough," Stern told dpa. "We can currently observe what is happening around the world in countries where - often democratically elected - 'strong men' are increasingly expanding their scope of power and restricting the freedoms of their people more and more."
In Hildesheim, the city flags will be flown at half-mast until Monday following the death of the honorary citizen. Mayor Ingo Meyer (non-party) said: "With Guy Stern, we are losing a truly remarkable personality and an extremely amiable person." He had captivated his interviewees with his extensive knowledge and kindness, surprising and touching them with his subtle, witty humor.
Stern's parents and siblings who were killed have been commemorated by stumbling stones in Hildesheim since the beginning of 2022. The brass plaques with the names of those murdered were embedded in the sidewalk in front of the family's last address. "It's a very nice gesture - it comes late, but it comes," said Stern in a dpa interview in 2022. He himself suffered from "survivor's guilt" after his rescue and asked himself: "All my loved ones are dead - but I can go on living. Why? Why me? There must have been a reason why I got away." He therefore tried - unconsciously at first - to achieve a great deal in his professional life.
Aufbau Verlag on "There are only a few of us left"
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- The publisher Aufbau-Verlag, based in Berlin, released Guy Stern's autobiography titled "Wir sind nur noch wenige" in German, marking his 100th birthday in 2022.
- Born as Günther, Stern fled alone to his uncle in the USA at 15, escaping the persecution in Germany as Jews were being systematically murdered by the National Socialists.
- During World War II, Stern joined a special unit of the US Army that interrogated German prisoners of war in Europe.
- Post-war, Stern pursued studies in Romance and German language and literature and later taught at various universities in both the USA and Germany.
- Guy Stern served as the Director of the Institute for Altruism Research at the Holocaust Museum in Detroit after his retirement in 2002.
- A recipient of numerous awards, Stern held significant positions such as co-founder of the Lessing Society, Vice President of the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, and President of the PEN Center of German-Language Authors Abroad.
- In Germany, Stern received prestigious recognitions like the Grand Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Goethe Medal, and honorary citizenship of Hildesheim, his birthplace.
- After learning about Stern's death, Hanna Naber, the State Parliament President in Lower Saxony, commended his tireless dedication to education, understanding, and combating anti-Semitism.
- Stern continued to give lectures, often inspiring young audiences with his wisdom and wit, even in his old age.
- Although Stern experienced the loss of his family during the Holocaust, he remained committed to maintaining connections with Germany and continued to advocate for democracy throughout his life.
Source: www.stern.de
