Rupert Neudeck facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rupert Neudeck
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Rupert Neudeck, Frankfurt 2007
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| Born | 14 May 1939 Danzig, Free City of Danzig (Gdańsk)
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| Died | 31 May 2016 (aged 77) |
| Nationality | German |
| Known for | Cap Anamur |
Rupert Neudeck (born 14 May 1939 – died 31 May 2016) was a German journalist and humanitarian. He became famous for helping people who had to leave their homes, especially refugees. He started his career working for a German public radio station called Deutschlandfunk.
Later, he spent his life helping people who were fleeing from wars and danger. He is well-known for helping thousands of refugees from Vietnam in the late 1970s. Neudeck received many awards for his work. These included the Theodor Heuss Medal and the Bruno Kreisky Prize for Services to Human Rights. He also helped start two important aid groups: Cap Anamur and Green Helmets.
Early Life and Education
Rupert Neudeck was born in a city called Danzig, which is now Gdańsk in Poland. He lived there until 1945. During the last months of World War II, many German families were leaving eastern Germany. His family had tickets for a large ship named MV Wilhelm Gustloff.
This ship left on January 31, 1945, and was later sunk by a Soviet submarine. Many people died on board. Luckily, the Neudeck family missed the ship, which probably saved their lives.
After the war, Rupert Neudeck studied in West Germany. He studied law and Catholic theology. He then decided to become a journalist. He first worked as a student editor at the University of Münster. Later, he worked professionally for Catholic radio. In 1977, Neudeck became a correspondent for Deutschlandfunk, a German public broadcaster.
Helping People: Humanitarian Work
In 1979, Rupert Neudeck and his wife, Christel, gathered some friends. They formed a group called "A ship for Vietnam." They rented a large cargo ship named Cap Anamur. Their goal was to rescue people in Southeast Asia.
This mission helped save over 10,000 "Vietnamese boat people." These were people who were fleeing Vietnam after the war. They traveled in small boats, often in great danger.
After the Cap Anamur missions, Rupert Neudeck continued his work helping refugees. In 2003, he founded another group called the Green Helmets (Grünhelme). This group helps rebuild schools, villages, and medical centers. They often work in areas affected by war, especially in Islamic countries.
More recently, he worked to help Syrian refugees. He was even featured in a German poll called "Unsere Besten" ("Our Best"). This poll is similar to "100 Greatest Britons."
In 2005, Neudeck was interviewed on a Vietnamese TV show called Paris By Night 77. The show celebrated 30 years since the end of the Vietnam War and honored the work of the Cap Anamur Committee. Rupert Neudeck kept helping people until he passed away. He assisted refugees from Syria and Eritrea to move to Germany.
In 2014, Neudeck received the Dr. Rainer Hildebrandt Human Rights Award. This award honors people who show amazing, peaceful dedication to human rights.
His Passing
Rupert Neudeck died on May 31, 2016. He was 77 years old. He passed away due to problems after having heart surgery.
See also
In Spanish: Rupert Neudeck para niños
