Wilm Hosenfeld
born in Mackenzell on May 2, – died in Stalingrad (Volgograd) on August 13,
Helper
Wilm Hosenfeld was a teacher in Thalau near Fulda when the Second World War began in September He was drafted into the Wehrmacht and stationed in Poland.
In , he was placed in charge of a Wehrmacht sports school in Warsaw as an officer. In this role, he issued forged labor passes to Jewish and non-Jewish Poles and employed them at the sports school.
In November , Hosenfeld met the Jewish pianist Władysław Szpilman. He was hiding in the building Hosenfeld’s military company was to move into. Hosenfeld did not betray Szpilman, instead supporting him to find a safe hiding place in the building’s attic. He provided Szpilman with food and warm clothing for a month, until the company was withdrawn from Warsaw at the end of
In January , Hosenfeld was taken prisoner of war by the Soviets. He was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment. His family attempted to get him released, and people he had helped in occupied Poland spoke out on his behalf. These efforts remained unsuccessful; Wilm Hosenfeld died in prison on August 13,
He was honored posthumously as Righteous Among the
Translation of the article into English
Wilm (Wilhelm) Hosenfeld was born on May 2, in Mackenzell, in the province of Hessen-Nassau, into a Catholic family. He finished his teaching studies a week after the outbreak of World War I, in which he participated as a soldier. He was discharged after suffering a leg injury at the beginning of
In he married Annemarie Krummacher (), who came from a Protestant family but converted to Catholicism before marriage. After various posts in different schools, in he was appointed headmaster of the elementary school in Thalau. He moved there with his wife and two children, Helmut and Anemone; the next three children, Detlev, Jorinde and Uta, were born there. The Hosenfeld family was living in Thalau at the time of Hitler's rise to power in
Attraction to and differences from National Socialism
Hosenfeld was initially attracted to National Socialism. He even joined the Nazi party NSDAP in , probably impressed by the "Law for the Creation of the Army" of March , with which Hitler broke the Treaty of Versailles. Moreover, he twice attended the Party Convention in Nuremberg, in and
However, with some aspects of National Socialist doctrine, suc
Wilhelm Hosenfeld: Biography of a Heroic German Officer
Wilhelm Hosenfeld was a German Army officer during World War II who is best known for his courageous efforts to rescue and aid Jews in Nazi-occupied Poland. His remarkable story of compassion, bravery, and humanity has gained widespread recognition in recent years, shedding light on the often overlooked acts of resistance against the atrocities of the Holocaust. Hosenfeld&#;s actions have not only inspired countless individuals but also serve as a poignant reminder of the potential for individual goodness in the face of overwhelming evil. This article explores the life and legacy of Wilhelm Hosenfeld, a man whose unwavering moral convictions and selfless heroism continue to resonate today.
Table of Contents
&#; Early Life and Career of Wilhelm Hosenfeld: A German Soldier with a Compassionate Heart
Wilhelm Hosenfeld was born on May 2, , in Mackenzell, Germany. He joined the German Army during World War I and later became a schoolteacher. Hosenfeld&#;s life took a turn when he was stationed in Warsaw, Poland, during World War II. Despite the atrocities committed by the Nazi regime, Hosenfeld displayed a compa
The German Officer Who Rescued the &#;Pianist&#;
Sometimes, things aren’t always so black and white. Take the Nazi officer who ran a concentration camp in Poland. Who would ever have thought that he’d be recognized as a hero among Jews?
That man was Wilhelm Adalbert Hosenfeld, born on May 2, in Mackenzell, Hesse-Nassau, Prussia – then a part of the German Empire. A devout Catholic, he was active in Catholic Action – lay Catholics who wanted a Germany that was more… well, Catholic.
He was also a patriot, which was why he served in WWI. They gave him an Iron Cross Second Class for that – given only to those who performed an impressive act of bravery, or who did something above and beyond the call of duty.
It was all well and good till he chose the wrong side in After its loss in WWI, Germany was both broke and fractured as different factions vied for control of the country. One of these was the National Socialist German Worker’s Party (NSDAP) – better known today as the Nazi Party.
Hosenfeld kept a meticulous diary of those years. Collated and recently published in German by Hermann Vinke (a radio journalist and author) as “I Always See the Human Before Me,” the English versi
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