Georg Rosen (German diplomat & scholar, 1895–1961)
Encyclopedia
George Rosen was a Rhodes Scholar
., German lawyer
and diplomat
, best known for his assistance in helping to organize the Nanking Safety Zone
during the Second Sino-Japanese War
, while working for the German Foreign Office.
, Iran
(then known as Persia), as son of Friedrich Rosen
, who served a few months as German Foreign Minister in 1921. His father and his grandfather, who was also named Georg Rosen, were both noted Orientalists
. His paternal grandmother and maternal grandmother were sisters, and were of Jewish ancestry. In 1917, the youngest Rosen served as a volunteer on the Western Front
during the First World War. After the war he completed his studies in 1921 and joined the German diplomatic service, carrying the academic designation of a Ph.D.
, the then-capital of the Republic of China
.
During this period he worked together with German businessman John Rabe
after the Japanese invasion of China
, and during the Massacre of Nanking
. Along with other Westerners in the Nanking emergency committee, they established the Nanking Safety Zone
in order to offer protection to the Chinese population of the region from Japanese atrocities carried out by their soldiers during the Nanking Massacre. The Massacre lasted more than six weeks spanning the end of 1937 through early 1938. Together, the committee members helped to save more than 200,000 Chinese lives.
In 1938 he was forced to leave the diplomatic service due to his Jewish heritage and to avoid damaging the Nazi government's relations with the Japanese Imperial Army. Rosen then emigrated to London
in 1938, and later to the United States
where he taught at several universities. Rosen's role in the rescue of civilians was described in detail in the 2009 German-Sino-Franco movie John Rabe
.
, where he was an Ambassador
. Rosen retired in 1960.
After the Second World War Rosen, a Rhodes scholar himself, also worked to enable that Germans could be again among the Rhodes Scholarship recipients at the University of Oxford
.
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
., German lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, best known for his assistance in helping to organize the Nanking Safety Zone
Nanking Safety Zone
The Nanking Safety Zone was a demilitarized zone for Chinese civilians set up on the eve of the Japanese breakthrough in the Battle of Nanking...
during the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, while working for the German Foreign Office.
Biography
Rosen was born in 1895 in TehranTehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
(then known as Persia), as son of Friedrich Rosen
Friedrich Rosen
Friedrich Rosen or Fritz Rosen was a German Orientalist, diplomat and politician...
, who served a few months as German Foreign Minister in 1921. His father and his grandfather, who was also named Georg Rosen, were both noted Orientalists
Oriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
. His paternal grandmother and maternal grandmother were sisters, and were of Jewish ancestry. In 1917, the youngest Rosen served as a volunteer on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
during the First World War. After the war he completed his studies in 1921 and joined the German diplomatic service, carrying the academic designation of a Ph.D.
Republic of China
From 1933 to 1938 Rosen was assigned to the German Embassy in China, acting as the Secretary of the Legation, and in 1937 worked in NankingNanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, the then-capital of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
.
During this period he worked together with German businessman John Rabe
John Rabe
John Rabe was a German businessman who is best known for his efforts to stop the atrocities of the Japanese army during the Nanking Occupation and his work to protect and help the Chinese civilians during the event...
after the Japanese invasion of China
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, and during the Massacre of Nanking
Nanking Massacre
The Nanking Massacre or Nanjing Massacre, also known as the Rape of Nanking, was a mass murder, genocide and war rape that occurred during the six-week period following the Japanese capture of the city of Nanjing , the former capital of the Republic of China, on December 13, 1937 during the Second...
. Along with other Westerners in the Nanking emergency committee, they established the Nanking Safety Zone
Nanking Safety Zone
The Nanking Safety Zone was a demilitarized zone for Chinese civilians set up on the eve of the Japanese breakthrough in the Battle of Nanking...
in order to offer protection to the Chinese population of the region from Japanese atrocities carried out by their soldiers during the Nanking Massacre. The Massacre lasted more than six weeks spanning the end of 1937 through early 1938. Together, the committee members helped to save more than 200,000 Chinese lives.
In 1938 he was forced to leave the diplomatic service due to his Jewish heritage and to avoid damaging the Nazi government's relations with the Japanese Imperial Army. Rosen then emigrated to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1938, and later to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he taught at several universities. Rosen's role in the rescue of civilians was described in detail in the 2009 German-Sino-Franco movie John Rabe
John Rabe (film)
John Rabe is a 2009 German-Chinese-French biopictorial film directed by Florian Gallenberger and starring Ulrich Tukur, Daniel Brühl and Steve Buscemi....
.
Post-war service
After the war, Rosen returned to the Federal Republic of Germany and again joined the foreign diplomatic service. He served at the German embassy in London, and in MontevideoMontevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
, where he was an Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
. Rosen retired in 1960.
After the Second World War Rosen, a Rhodes scholar himself, also worked to enable that Germans could be again among the Rhodes Scholarship recipients at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
See also
- Chiune SugiharaChiune Sugiharawas a Japanese diplomat who served as Vice-Consul for the Japanese Empire in Lithuania. During World War II, he helped several thousand Jews leave the country by issuing transit visas to Jewish refugees so that they could travel to Japan. Most of the Jews who escaped were refugees from...
, Japanese vice-consul in Lithuania who helped save thousands of Jews, by allowing them to escape the then Stalinist, but later Nazi-occupied country. - Oskar SchindlerOskar SchindlerOskar Schindler was an ethnic German industrialist born in Moravia. He is credited with saving over 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his enamelware and ammunitions factories, which were located in what is now Poland and the Czech Republic respectively.He is the subject of the...
, German businessman and Nazi Party member who saved several thousand Jews during WWII.