Walter Zander facts for kids

Walter Zander (born June 8, 1898, in Erfurt, Germany – died April 7, 1993, in South Croydon, England) was a very smart German-British lawyer, scholar, and writer. He spent many years working for the British Friends of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He also wrote several books, especially about Israel and its relationships with other countries.

Early Life and Education

Walter Zander grew up in Erfurt, where his father was a well-known lawyer. He went to a special school called a Gymnasium. In 1916, when he was 18, he joined the army.

Serving in World War I

During World War I, Walter Zander served in the German Army. He was a non-commissioned officer, which means he was a leader of a small group of soldiers. He was even given an award called the Iron Cross for his bravery.

Studying Law and More

After the war, Walter went to college. He studied law, philosophy, and economics in Jena and Berlin. After college, he worked for a short time with a famous lawyer in Berlin. Soon after, he started his own law practice in the city.

In 1929, he took a year off from his work. He went to study economics in London, England, at the London School of Economics, and in Paris, France, at the Sorbonne University.

Family Life

In 1931, Walter Zander married Margarete Magnus, who was also known as Gretl. Her father, Professor Rudolf Magnus, was a famous scientist who studied how the body works. Walter and Gretl had three sons and one daughter. Two of their sons became well-known: Michael Zander became a legal scholar, and Benjamin Zander became a conductor of music.

Moving to the United Kingdom

Because Walter Zander was Jewish, he had to leave Germany when the Nazis came to power. In 1937, he and his family moved to the United Kingdom. There, he started a printing business in a town called Slough.

Internment During World War II

Soon after moving to the UK, World War II began. Walter Zander was held for ten months on the Isle of Man. This was because he was considered an "enemy alien." This term was used for people from countries that were at war with Britain, even if they were not enemies themselves.

While he was held there, Walter and other prisoners started a kind of "university." They offered many different lessons, from science to Greek philosophy and even Russian language classes.

Work with Hebrew University

From 1944, Walter Zander worked for 27 years as the Secretary of the British Friends of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. This group helped support the university. After he retired from this role, he became a Senior Associate Fellow at St Antony's College, Oxford. This meant he continued to be involved in academic work and research.

You can find his writings in English online at www.walterzander.info.

Books

Walter Zander wrote several books, many of them about Israel and its place in the world.

• Soviet Jewry, Palestine and the West, 1947
• Is This The Way?, 1948
• Israel and the Holy Places of Christendom, 1971