Peter Ganz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peter Ganz
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Professor Ganz in 2005
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| Born |
Peter Felix Ganz
3 November 1920 Mainz, Germany
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| Died | 17 August 2006 (aged 85) Oxford, England
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| Spouse(s) |
Rosemary Allen
(m. 1949; died 1986)Nicolette Mout
(m. 1987) |
| Children | 4 |
| Scientific career | |
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Peter Felix Ganz (born November 3, 1920, died August 17, 2006) was a smart scholar who studied German language and literature. He was born in Germany but moved to Britain in 1938. During World War II, he helped translate important conversations of German scientists. Later, he became a professor at the famous University of Oxford.
Contents
Early Life and Moving to England
Peter Ganz was born in Mainz, Germany. His parents were Dr. Hermann Friedrich Ignaz Ganz and Dr. Charlotte Ganz. He had a younger brother named Ludwig, who later became a historian.
Peter went to a school called the Realgymnasium in Mainz. However, he had to leave because his family was Jewish. In November 1938, he was held for six weeks in a camp called Buchenwald. Luckily, he was then able to move to England.
After arriving in England, he was held for a short time on the Isle of Man. Then, he joined the Royal Pioneer Corps, a part of the British Army. He later worked for a special group that helped question people during the war.
Working During World War II
Near the end of World War II, Peter Ganz had a very important job. He worked at a place called Farm Hall. Here, he listened to and translated conversations of German nuclear scientists who had been captured. These scientists included famous people like Werner Heisenberg and Otto Hahn. Peter translated their reactions after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. This work was part of a secret mission called Operation Epsilon.
Becoming a Professor
After the war, Peter Ganz began his career in teaching.
- From 1948 to 1949, he was an assistant lecturer at Royal Holloway College, London.
- From 1949 to 1960, he taught German language and medieval literature at Westfield College, London.
He then moved to Oxford, a famous university city.
- From 1963 to 1972, he was a Fellow at Hertford College, Oxford.
- From 1972 to 1985, he was a Professor of Medieval German Language and Literature. He also became a Fellow of St Edmund Hall, Oxford.
Later Career and Achievements
After his time as a professor, Peter Ganz continued his important work.
- From 1985 to 1988, he was a Resident Fellow at the Herzog August Library in Germany.
- He helped start the Anglo-German Colloquium. This is a meeting held every two years for scholars from Britain and Germany who study medieval German.
- He also edited two important academic journals: Oxford German Studies (from 1978 to 1990) and Pauls und Braunes Beiträge (from 1976 to 1990).
Family Life
In 1949, Peter Ganz married Rosemary Allen. They had two sons, Adam and David, and two daughters, Deborah and Rachel. Adam Ganz later became a writer and even wrote a play about his father's experiences at Farm Hall. David Ganz became a professor of history.
Rosemary passed away in 1986. In 1987, Peter married Nicolette Mout, who was also a professor.
Awards and Honors
Peter Ganz received several awards for his work and his efforts to connect scholars from different countries.
- In 1973, he received the Großes Bundesverdienstkreuz. This award recognized his help in building strong academic connections between English and German scholars.
- In 1993, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Erlangen–Nuremberg in Germany.
- He was also an Honorary Professor at the University of Göttingen.
