Rudolf Gelbard (4 December 1930 – 24 October 2018)
was an Austrian
Holocaust survivor
Holocaust survivors are people who survived the Holocaust, defined as the persecution and attempted annihilation of the Jews by Nazi Germany and its allies before and during World War II in Europe and North Africa. There is no universally accep ...
and political campaigner against
anti-Semitism
Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism.
Antis ...
and
neo-Nazism
Neo-Nazism comprises the post–World War II militant, social, and political movements that seek to revive and reinstate Nazism, Nazi ideology. Neo-Nazis employ their ideology to promote hatred and Supremacism#Racial, racial supremacy (ofte ...
. He lectured in schools and universities about his experiences during the
Holocaust
The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...
, and also appeared in a 2007 documentary film about his experiences.
Personal life
Rudolf Gelbard was born in Vienna, Austria, and lived in the
Leopoldstadt
Leopoldstadt (; bar, Leopoidstod, "Leopold-Town") is the 2nd municipal district of Vienna (german: 2. Bezirk) in Austria. there are 103,233 inhabitants over . It is situated in the heart of the city and, together with Brigittenau (20th distr ...
district. His parents were Jewish.
After the ''
Anschluss
The (, or , ), also known as the (, en, Annexation of Austria), was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into the German Reich on 13 March 1938.
The idea of an (a united Austria and Germany that would form a " Greater Germany ...
'', in which Germany took control of Austria, Gelbard was excluded from his school because of his Jewish ancestry. Gelbard witnessed first-hand the Nazi persecution of the Jews during ''
Kristallnacht
() or the Night of Broken Glass, also called the November pogrom(s) (german: Novemberpogrome, ), was a pogrom against Jews carried out by the Nazi Party's (SA) paramilitary and (SS) paramilitary forces along with some participation from ...
''.
In 1942, Gelbard and his parents were transported to the
Theresienstadt concentration camp
Theresienstadt Ghetto was established by the Schutzstaffel, SS during World War II in the fortress town of Terezín, in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (German occupation of Czechoslovakia, German-occupied Czechoslovakia). Theresienstad ...
. 19 members of Gelbard's family died at Theresienstadt, but Gelbard survived because he was in the children's section of the camp.
Gelbard was married twice. His daughter from his first marriage died in 1972, at the age of 17. His second marriage began in 1990, and lasted until his death.
Career
After his liberation from Theresienstadt concentration camp, Gelbard fought to oppose anti-Semitism and neo-Nazi activities. In 1946, he protested against anti-Semitic riots at the University of Vienna
The University of Vienna (german: Universität Wien) is a public research university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world. With its long and rich histor ...
, and in 1955, he protested to prevent a proposed anti-Semitic lecture by . In 1965, Gelbard was a witness to the death of Ernst Kirchweger
Ernst Kirchweger (January 12, 1898 – April 2, 1965 in Vienna) was the first person to die as a result of political conflict in Austria's Second Austrian Republic, Second Republic.
From 1916 to 1918, Ernst Kirchweger participated in World War I a ...
.[ He was a member of the Federation of Social Democratic Freedom Fighters, during which time he campaigned for education in schools about Nazi war crimes. He lectured in schools and universities about his personal experience of the ]Holocaust
The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...
. In 2017, SOS Mitmensch posted a video of Gelbard on Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
. In the video, he was speaking out against the Freedom Party of Austria
The Freedom Party of Austria (german: Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs, FPÖ) is a right-wing populist and national-conservative political party in Austria. It was led by Norbert Hofer from September 2019 to 1 June 2021.Staff (1 June 2021"Aust ...
, due to its association with right-wing groups, and saying that such a party does not belong in the Austrian Government. The video received over 100,000 views.
From 1954 to 1963, Gelbard worked for the Ministry of Social Affairs
A Ministry of Social Affairs or Department of Social Affairs is the common name for a government department found in Sovereign state, states where the government is divided into Ministry (government department), ministries or departments. While th ...
. He later worked as a merchant
A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. Merchants have operated for as long as indust ...
, before becoming editor of the ''Kurier
''Kurier'' is a German-language daily newspaper based in Vienna, Austria.
History and profile
''Kurier'' was founded as ''Wiener Kurier'' by the United States Forces in Austria (USFA) in 1945, during the Allied occupation after World War II. ...
'' in 1975. He worked for the ''Kurier'' from 1975 until 1990.[ Gelbard was also a cultural officer for the Jewish Israelites in Austria.][
In 2007, Gelbard starred in a documentary film about his life. The film was produced by , and titled ''Der Mann auf dem Balkon, Rudolf Gelbard, KZ-Überlebender – Zeitzeuge – Homo Politicus'' (''The Man on the Balcony' Rudolf Gelbard, Concentration camp survivor – eyewitness – Homo Politicus''). The film focused on his childhood experiences of anti-Semitic persecution and his transportation to Theresienstadt. During the filming of the documentary, Gelbard visited Theresienstadt for the first time since his liberation in 1945. In 2008, wrote a biography, ''Die dunklen Seiten des Planeten: Rudi Gelbard, der Kämpfer'' (''The dark sides of the planet: Rudi Gelbard, the fighter''), about Gelbard's life. In his later years, Gelbard starred in a play ''The Last Witnesses''.
]
Awards
*2005: .
*2011: Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
The Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria (german: Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste um die Republik Österreich) is a state decoration of the Republic of Austria. It is divided into 15 classes and is the highest award in the A ...
.
*2016: .
Death
Gelbard died on 24 October 2018 in Vienna after a long illness. He was 87.[ Speaking about Gelbard's death, Austrian President ]Alexander Van der Bellen
Alexander Van der Bellen (; born 18 January 1944) is the current president of Austria. He previously served as a professor of economics at the University of Vienna, and after joining politics, as the spokesman of the Austrian Green Party.
...
said that "Austria has lost an important witness of the Shoah
The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; ar ...
, a vigilant warning voice against anti-Semitism and a committed fighter for democracy."[ Gelbard was buried in the ]Vienna Central Cemetery
The Vienna Central Cemetery (german: Wiener Zentralfriedhof) is one of the largest cemeteries in the world by number of interred, and is the most well-known cemetery among Vienna's nearly 50 cemeteries. The cemetery's name is descriptive of its ...
in a tomb of honour provided by the City Council.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gelbard, Rudolf
1930 births
2018 deaths
Businesspeople from Vienna
Theresienstadt Ghetto survivors
Austrian political people
Austrian Jews
Austrian people of World War II
21st-century Austrian people
Jewish concentration camp survivors
Burials at the Vienna Central Cemetery