Egon Mayer (sociologist) facts for kids

Egon Mayer (born December 23, 1944 – died January 30, 2004) was an American professor and sociologist. He taught at Brooklyn College and wrote many books about Jewish culture and history. Some of his well-known books include From Suburb to Shtetl (1979), The Court Jew: A Contribution to the History of Absolutism in Europe (1984), and Love and Tradition: Marriage Between Jews and Christians (1985).

A Special Journey: Egon Mayer's Early Life

Egon Mayer was born in Caux, Switzerland. His parents, Eugen and Hedvig Mayer, were Jewish. At the time, they were citizens of Czechoslovakia. His mother was pregnant with him during a very difficult time in history, World War II.

His parents were passengers on a special train known as the Kastner train. This train helped 1,684 Jewish people escape danger during the Holocaust. A lawyer named Rudolf Kastner worked with Adolf Eichmann to arrange safe passage for these people to Switzerland.

The train left Budapest in June 1944. The passengers arrived in Switzerland in two groups. Egon Mayer was born in December 1944, the same month the second group of passengers reached Switzerland, after a stop at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Egon Mayer later created a website to remember Rudolf Kastner.

After the war ended, Mayer's family returned to Budapest. In 1956, they moved to the United States.

Education and Career

Egon Mayer studied at Brooklyn College, which is part of the City University of New York. He also studied at the New School for Social Research. In 1975, he earned his Ph.D. in sociology from Rutgers University. He then became a professor at Brooklyn College, where he shared his knowledge and passion for sociology.

Death

Egon Mayer passed away on January 30, 2004, at the age of 59. He died from cancer in Laurel Hollow, New York. He was survived by his mother, his wife, and their three daughters.