Fred Uhlman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fred Uhlman
Portrait of Fred Uhlman,1940
Born	Manfred Uhlman 19 January 1901 Stuttgart, Germany
Died	11 April 1985 (aged 84) London, England
Spouse	Diana Croft
Children	a daughter and a son

Fred Uhlman (born January 19, 1901 – died April 11, 1985) was a talented German-English writer, painter, and lawyer. He was born in Germany but later became a citizen of England.

Early Life and Education

Fred Uhlman was born in Stuttgart, Germany. His family was Jewish and well-off. He went to several universities, including Freiburg, Munich, and Tübingen. In 1923, he earned a degree in Law. He also received a special doctorate in both church and civil law.

Life in Exile and New Beginnings

In March 1933, Fred Uhlman moved to Paris, France. This was just two months after Hitler became the leader of Germany. Life in France was hard for him. He supported himself by drawing and painting. He sold his artwork whenever he could. Sometimes, he even sold tropical fish to make extra money.

In April 1936, he moved to Tossa de Mar. This was a small fishing village in Spain. However, the Spanish Civil War soon began. In August, he decided to return to Paris. While there, his wallet was stolen. It had most of his money and his passport. Without a passport, he was in a difficult situation. Luckily, someone found his wallet and sent it back to him.

On September 3, 1936, Fred Uhlman arrived in England. He had no money and could not speak English. Two months later, on November 4, 1936, he married Diana Croft. Her parents were against the marriage.

Life in London and Internment

Fred and Diana Uhlman made their home in Hampstead, London. Their house became a popular meeting place. Many refugees and exiles, like Uhlman, had been forced to leave their home countries. He started the Free German League of Culture. Famous artists like Oskar Kokoschka were members. He left the group later when he felt it was becoming too political.

Nine months after Second World War began, Uhlman was interned. In June 1940, the British government held thousands of people. These were "enemy aliens" from countries they were at war with. Uhlman was sent to Hutchinson Internment Camp on the Isle of Man. There, he met the artist Kurt Schwitters. Schwitters even painted his portrait. Uhlman was released six months later. He was reunited with his wife and his daughter, Caroline. Caroline was born while he was interned.

Art and Writing Career

Fred Uhlman had his first art show in Paris in 1935. In London, he showed his work at the Zwemmer Gallery in 1938. After that, he regularly had solo and group exhibitions. A special show of his art was held in London in 1968. His paintings are now in many important public galleries. These include the Fitzwilliam Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum.

Uhlman also wrote books. His life story, The Making of an Englishman, was published in 1960.

His most famous book is the novel Reunion. It was first published in 1971. It became very popular when it was re-published in 1977. The famous writer Arthur Koestler wrote the introduction for this new edition. Reunion tells the story of a friendship. It is about Hans Schwarz, a Jewish boy, and Konradin von Hohenfels, a rich schoolmate. Their friendship takes place in Germany before World War II. The story shows how their friendship ends. It also reveals surprising things about people's characters.

Fred Uhlman also collected African sculptures. He built a large and important collection. He gave his collection to the Newcastle Museum. It is still on display there today.

Later Life and Legacy

Fred Uhlman passed away in London on April 11, 1985. He was 84 years old. He was buried in Yarpole, Herefordshire.

In 1989, a movie called Reunion was made. It was based on Fred Uhlman's book. The film was directed by Jerry Schatzberg. The screenplay was written by Harold Pinter. Reunion has also been made into a play. It first opened in Dublin in 2010.

Books by and About Fred Uhlman

• Captivity: twenty-four drawings by Fred Uhlman, London: Jonathan Cape, 1946.
• The Making of an Englishman, London: Victor Gollancz, 1960.
• Reunion, London: Adam Books, 1971.
• Reunion, London: Collins & Harvill, 1977. This new edition included an introduction by Arthur Koestler.
• Reunion, New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1977.
• Czech Routes To Britain: Selected Czechoslovak artists in Britain from the Ben Uri and private collections, Ben Uri Gallery and Museum, 2019.

See also

In Spanish: Fred Uhlman para niños