Gordon Zahn facts for kids

Gordon Zahn (born Gordon Charles Paul Roach; August 7, 1918 – December 9, 2007) was an American sociologist, professor, and author. He was also a strong believer in pacifism, which means he was against war and violence. Zahn was known for his work as a peace activist. He taught at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Early Life and Beliefs

Gordon Zahn was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He later took his stepfather's last name. During World War II, Zahn chose not to fight. He was a conscientious objector, meaning his beliefs did not allow him to join the army.

Instead of fighting, he worked in a Civilian Public Service camp. These camps were for people who refused to fight in the war for moral reasons. Zahn's camp was set up by the Catholic Worker Movement, a group that helps people in need.

Helping Others During Wartime

Zahn later moved to the Rosewood State Training School in Maryland. This school helped people with developmental disabilities. He worked there as a conscientious objector until 1946. His experiences at Rosewood were shared in the Catholic Worker newspaper. He hoped his writings would help improve the school.

Education and Teaching Career

After the war, in 1946, Gordon Zahn went to Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota. He earned a PhD from The Catholic University of America. A PhD is a very high university degree.

He then became a professor at Loyola University Chicago. Later, he joined the faculty at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He taught sociology, which is the study of how people live and interact in groups.

His Role in the Second Vatican Council

Gordon Zahn played an important part in the Second Vatican Council. This was a major meeting of Catholic leaders from 1962 to 1965. The Council discussed many topics, including how the Church viewed war.

Zahn spoke about Franz Jägerstätter, an Austrian farmer. Jägerstätter was a conscientious objector who refused to fight for Hitler. Zahn's ideas helped the Council support conscientious objectors. The Council also spoke out against very destructive weapons.

Books and Writings

Gordon Zahn wrote several books and articles. His writings often focused on important ideas like conscience and war.

Understanding War and Conscience

One of his books was German Catholics and Hitler's Wars. In this book, he looked at how priests in Germany during World War II told people it was their religious duty to fight. Zahn argued that this helped Hitler.

He also wrote In Solitary Witness: The Life and Death of Franz Jägerstätter. This book told the amazing story of Franz Jägerstätter. Zahn first learned about Jägerstätter in 1956. He felt Jägerstätter's brave stand against war needed to be shared widely.

Other Contributions

Gordon Zahn was also a co-founder of Pax Christi USA. This is a Catholic peace movement that works for peace and justice.

In 1968, he signed a pledge called the "Writers and Editors War Tax Protest." He promised to refuse to pay certain taxes. This was his way of protesting the Vietnam War. In 1982, he received the Pax Christi award from Saint John's University for his peace work.

Books by Gordon Zahn

• Zahn, Gordon. German Catholics and Hitler's Wars: A Study in Social Control 1964. ISBN: 9780268010171
• Zahn, Gordon. In Solitary Witness: The Life and Death of Franz Jägerstätter 1964. ISBN: 0-87243-141-X
• Zahn, Gordon. What is Society? 1964 Hawthorn Books.
• Zahn, Gordon. Another Part of the War: The Camp Simon Story 1979 ISBN: 0-87023-259-2