Cornelius Schnauber facts for kids

Cornelius Schnauber (born April 18, 1939 – died February 21, 2014) was a German-born scholar, historian, writer, and teacher. He was a professor of German at the University of Southern California (USC) for many years.

Early Life and Studies

Cornelius Schnauber was born in Germany, near the city of Dresden. He went to the University of Hamburg where he studied many subjects. He learned about German literature, which is the study of German books and stories. He also studied phonetics, which is about how speech sounds are made. And he learned about political science, which is the study of how governments work. He earned his highest degree, a doctorate, in 1968.

Life in America

After finishing his studies in Germany, Schnauber met his wife, Judith Docter, who was from America. They moved to Los Angeles, California. They had a son, Tom Schnauber, who became a composer and music professor. Their daughter, Christina Linhardt, became a concert singer.

At the University of Southern California (USC), Professor Schnauber became a German professor in 1968. He later became a full professor and was even the head of the German department from 1975 to 1984.

In 1984, he started something special at USC called the Max Kade Institute for Austrian-German-Swiss Studies. He was the first director of this institute. It helped people learn more about the cultures of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. He was also known for helping to bring German and Jewish people together. He worked with Morris Kagan to start a group that helped people from both backgrounds talk and understand each other after World War II.

Helping Opera Singers

From 1992, Professor Schnauber also helped singers at the Los Angeles Opera. He was their German diction coach. This meant he helped them pronounce German words correctly when they sang in operas. He also helped them understand how the words and music fit together in German operas.

As an Author

Professor Schnauber wrote many books and plays about different topics.

• He wrote about how leaders use words, like in his book Wie Hitler sprach und schrieb (How Hitler Spoke and Wrote).
• He also wrote about philosophy, which is the study of big ideas about life, in his book Pragmatischer Humanismus (Pragmatic Humanism).
• He wrote about literature, like in Deine Träume - Mein Gedicht (Your Dreams—My Poem).
• He even wrote about European artists who came to live in Hollywood, in his book Spaziergänge durch das Hollywood der Emigranten (Hollywood Haven).
• He also wrote biographies, which are life stories, about famous people like the film director Fritz Lang and the opera singer Plácido Domingo.

He wrote plays too. One play was about the last days of the famous composer Richard Wagner and his relationships. Another play, called Irma and Emma, was about two older women remembering things differently in a nursing home. This play was first performed in 2006.

Awards and Honors

Professor Schnauber received many awards for his work.

• In 1979, he received the Distinction of Honor in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria.
• In 1983, he got the Federal Republic of Germany Friendship Award.
• In 1986, he received the Cross of the Order of Merit for the Federal Republic of Germany.
• In 2002, the President of Germany gave him the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
• In 2003, the Los Angeles City Council honored him with a special "Resolution Cornelius Schnauber." This was for his work in helping people understand the culture of Los Angeles and for strengthening the friendship between Berlin and Los Angeles.

These awards show that he was one of the most honored German citizens living in the United States.

His autobiography, which is his own life story, was called Von Dresden bis Hollywood (From Dresden to Hollywood). It was published in 2010.