When and where was Walter Kaufmann born?
Walter Arnold Kaufmann was born in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, on the 1st of July 1921. He grew up as a Lutheran child in a city that would soon become the heart of Nazi power.
Questions about Walter Kaufmann (philosopher)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Why did Walter Kaufmann flee Germany in 1939?
Walter Kaufmann fled Germany for the United States to escape persecution because his grandparents were all Jewish by descent. His conversion to Judaism combined with his ancestry created a double threat under Nazi rule.
What role did Walter Kaufmann serve during World War II?
Walter Kaufmann enlisted with the US Army Air Force and served as an interrogator at Camp Ritchie known as a Ritchie Boy. He performed interrogations within Germany itself using methods developed at the camp to extract information from captured personnel.
Which book made Walter Kaufmann renowned as a scholar of Friedrich Nietzsche?
Walter Kaufmann published The Portable Nietzsche in 1954 which became a standard text for generations of readers. He also wrote Nietzsche: Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist from 1950 to argue that Nietzsche was gravely misunderstood by English speakers.
When did Walter Kaufmann die and how long was his tenure at Princeton University?
Walter Kaufmann died on the 4th of September 1980 after holding a position at Princeton University for more than thirty years. He joined the Philosophy Department at Princeton University in 1947 and remained based there until his death.