Evening star., 1945-09-13
Letters to The Star
DR.. Rie Remembers Scholars
Who Were 'Vertilat.'

To the Editor Of The Star:
While the days of reckoning are ap-
preaching and the Allied authorities
prepare themselves for the trials of the
war criminals at Nuremberg, which will
doubtlessly be followed by other trials
in Europe and Eastern Asia casualty
lists OF a very special character are
already arriving: The different foreign
language papers in this country. mostly
edited by refugee organizations, have
started to publish the names Of those
unfortunates who have been "vertilgt"
(destroyed) In the different camps set
up by the Nazi brutes.
Practically every American has seen
the horror pictures and the emaciated
corpses there: 1t may be interesting to
know who possibly might have been
among those loads OF dead
When 1 am giving you the names of
some prominent people-perhaps less
well known in this country-then it Is
done only for the interest OF profess
sionals, but all of us know that the un-
known ones who have been killed be-
their creed are just as dear to their be-
loved ones who courageously have held
hope to see them again. Justice-which
will be meted out soon-will not make
any difference as to the prominence OF
the victims
The great German novelist Georg
Hermann, author of "Jettchen Gebert,"
a book which was regarded as kind
of Jewish "Buddenbrooks" back
ground is the Berlin of the times of
Humboldt and Varnhagen, the book it
self has been translated in many Ian
guages-Was arrested by the Gestapo in
Holland and imprisoned in the camp of
Westerbork. In spite of many inter-
ventions the Germans sent him to a
camp in Poland-in 1s43-snd ever
since this writer. an already elderly
man, has vanished.
Prof. DR.. Ernst Kantorowicz. WE'LL
known educator, economist and his
torian-author of a remarkable biog-
raphy of Emperor Frederick II. the
great Hohenstaufen-first was sent to
the best" prison camp at Theresien-
stadt. From there he was "uberstellt"
(handed over, transporteO to Ausch-
WITT
Many an American who has spent va
cation days in Vienna will remember a
night club. where funny old bald
headed man named Fritz Gruenbaum.
one OF the most popular comedians,
sang all kinds of "couplets"-not so few
dealing with Austrian government af-
fairs-and narrated excellent Jokes. I
am happy to report that he, very
popular actor and-I think-chairman
of union Of comedians, has not been
destroyed. He just was sent to a con-
centration camp by the Gestapo and
died peacefully OF pneumonia.
The list will be long, very long. The
publication just has started. But, as
there are no German papers with many
detailed reports where those men find
some sort of a eulogy, it seems almost
appropriate that a newspaper In the
capital of the liberating country should
man papers call it.
something more personal Ny old
Latin teacher, with whom studied DE
Bello Gallico:"-I must write now
"Herr"-Prof. DR.. David Ernst Open
helm Of the Aakdemisches Gymnasium
IN Vienna, an excellent philologist, sec
retary of the Viennese Federation of
the Friends of Classic Languages and-I
think-chairman of the Individual psy-
chologische Gesellschaft (Alfred Adler.
was only sent to Observation-Disclosures
name Oppenheim is not Aryan-and
there he died, as I recently heard, long
before the end of the war-long before
he would have been sent to any "Vern-
ichtungslager." There was no great per-
son for whom Herr Prof. DR.. Open
helm did not find beautiful words of
praise and eulogy. Whenever he thought
that some one had contributed to the
progress and greatness OF mankind, the
herr professor took it up for him, and
tried to inspire the youngsters whom
the Austrian government had intrusted
to him.
No "nachruf' has been published for
the man, who died in the concentra- :
tion camp of Theresienstadt, not too
prominent 4 man, but q man, and q
very inspiring idealist.
DIR. ROBERT RE.