Ruth Klüger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ruth Klüger
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Ruth Klüger at Frankfurt Book Fair 2010
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| Born | 30 October 1931 |
| Died | 5 October 2020 (aged 88) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | professor, author |
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Notable work
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weiter leben: Eine Jugend, Still Alive |
Ruth Klüger (born October 30, 1931 – died October 5, 2020) was a university professor and a writer. She taught German Studies at the University of California, Irvine. Ruth Klüger was also a Holocaust survivor, meaning she lived through the terrible events where millions of Jewish people were persecuted and killed during World War II.
Her famous book, weiter leben: Eine Jugend (which means "still alive: A youth"), tells the story of her childhood during this difficult time in Nazi Germany.
Contents
Ruth Klüger's Life Story
Early Life in Vienna
Ruth Klüger was born in Vienna, Austria, on October 30, 1931. When she was six years old, in March 1938, Adolf Hitler and the Nazis took control of Austria. This event was called the Anschluss.
Life changed dramatically for Ruth and her family. She had to switch schools many times. She grew up in a place that became more and more unfriendly and hateful towards Jewish people.
Surviving the Holocaust
In September 1942, when Ruth was only 10 years old, she and her mother were sent away. They were taken to a place called Theresienstadt concentration camp. Her father had tried to escape the country, but he was caught and killed.
A year later, Ruth was moved to another camp, Auschwitz concentration camp. After that, she was sent to Christianstadt, which was a smaller camp connected to Gross-Rosen concentration camp.
Life After the War
After World War II ended in 1945, Ruth settled in a town in Germany called Straubing. She later studied philosophy and history in Regensburg.
In 1947, she moved to the United States. There, she continued her education. She studied English literature at Hunter College and German literature at the University of California, Berkeley.
She earned her master's degree in 1952 and her Ph.D. in 1967. Ruth Klüger then became a college professor. She taught German literature at several universities, including Princeton University and the University of California, Irvine.
Ruth Klüger was known for her deep knowledge of German literature. She lived in Irvine, California, and also in Göttingen, Germany.
Her Memoir and Legacy
Her book, Still Alive, mainly talks about her experiences in the concentration camps. In the book, she also shared her thoughts on how the Holocaust is remembered and shown in museums.
Ruth Klüger passed away on October 5, 2020, at the age of 88, in her home in Irvine, California. She was buried at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery.
Awards and Honors
Ruth Klüger received many important awards for her writing and work. Some of these include:
- Rauris Literature Prize (1993)
- Grimmelshausen Prize (1993)
- Niedersachsenpreis (1993)
- Marie Luise Kaschnitz Prize (1995)
- Andreas Gryphius Prize, an honorary award (1996)
- Heinrich-Heine-Medaille (1997)
- Österreichischer Staatspreis für Literaturkritik (1998)
- Prix de la Shoah (1998)
- Thomas Mann Prize (1999)
- Preis der Frankfurter Anthologie (1999)
- Goethe Medal (2005)
- Roswitha Prize (2006)
- Lessing Prize of the Free State of Saxony (2007)
- Hermann Cohen Medal (2008)
- Ehrenmedaille der Stadt Göttingen (2010)
- Austrian Danubius Donauland Nonfiction Book Prize (de) (2010), for all her life's work
- Theodor-Kramer-Preis (2011)
See also
In Spanish: Ruth Klüger para niños
