Edward A. Tenenbaum
Encyclopedia
Edward A. Tenenbaum was an American economist. During World War II
, he and civilian Egon W. Fleck, were the first two people to enter the Buchenwald concentration camp
, on April 11, 1945.
in 1942.
Tenenbaum was a US First Lieutenant and intelligence officer with the Publicity and Psychological Warfare unit of the Twelfth Army Group headquarters under General Omar N. Bradley. While in his early 20's, he and civilian Egon W. Fleck, were the first two people to enter the Buchenwald concentration camp
, on April 11, 1945, at 5:30 p.m.
After the war, Tenenbaum served as special assistant to the Lucius D. Clay
, finance adviser of the U.S. military-established government
from 1945-1948 and as an economist with the Economic Cooperation Administration
from 1948-1950. He is credited with rescuing the German deutschemark while in this position. Former German chancellor
Helmut Schmidt
said about Tenenbaum, "He was the intellectual link between the American military government and the German experts."
He was later an economist with the International Monetary Fund
from 1950-1951. Working for the Mutual Security Agency, Tenenbaum served as an economic adviser from 1951 to 1952. From 1952 to 1954, he was a finance adviser to the Greek
government.
Tenenbaum was killed in a traffic accident in 1975.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he and civilian Egon W. Fleck, were the first two people to enter the Buchenwald concentration camp
Buchenwald concentration camp
Buchenwald concentration camp was a German Nazi concentration camp established on the Ettersberg near Weimar, Germany, in July 1937, one of the first and the largest of the concentration camps on German soil.Camp prisoners from all over Europe and Russia—Jews, non-Jewish Poles and Slovenes,...
, on April 11, 1945.
Biography
Tenenbaum was the son of Polish Jews who emigrated to America. He graduated summa cum laude from Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1942.
Tenenbaum was a US First Lieutenant and intelligence officer with the Publicity and Psychological Warfare unit of the Twelfth Army Group headquarters under General Omar N. Bradley. While in his early 20's, he and civilian Egon W. Fleck, were the first two people to enter the Buchenwald concentration camp
Buchenwald concentration camp
Buchenwald concentration camp was a German Nazi concentration camp established on the Ettersberg near Weimar, Germany, in July 1937, one of the first and the largest of the concentration camps on German soil.Camp prisoners from all over Europe and Russia—Jews, non-Jewish Poles and Slovenes,...
, on April 11, 1945, at 5:30 p.m.
12-hour clock
The 12-hour clock is a time conversion convention in which the 24 hours of the day are divided into two periods called ante meridiem and post meridiem...
After the war, Tenenbaum served as special assistant to the Lucius D. Clay
Lucius D. Clay
General Lucius Dubignon Clay was an American officer and military governor of the United States Army known for his administration of Germany immediately after World War II. Clay was deputy to General Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1945; deputy military governor, Germany 1946; commander in chief, U.S....
, finance adviser of the U.S. military-established government
Office of Military Government, United States
The Office of Military Government, United States was the United States military-established government created shortly after the end of hostilities in occupied Germany in World War II. Under General Lucius D...
from 1945-1948 and as an economist with the Economic Cooperation Administration
Economic Cooperation Administration
The Economic Cooperation Administration was a United States government agency set up in 1948 to administer the Marshall Plan. It reported to both the State Department and the Department of Commerce. The agency's head was Paul G. Hoffman, a former head of Studebaker. Much of the rest of the...
from 1948-1950. He is credited with rescuing the German deutschemark while in this position. Former German chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
Helmut Schmidt
Helmut Schmidt
Helmut Heinrich Waldemar Schmidt is a German Social Democratic politician who served as Chancellor of West Germany from 1974 to 1982. Prior to becoming chancellor, he had served as Minister of Defence and Minister of Finance. He had also served briefly as Minister of Economics and as acting...
said about Tenenbaum, "He was the intellectual link between the American military government and the German experts."
He was later an economist with the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
from 1950-1951. Working for the Mutual Security Agency, Tenenbaum served as an economic adviser from 1951 to 1952. From 1952 to 1954, he was a finance adviser to the Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
government.
Tenenbaum was killed in a traffic accident in 1975.