Werner Nachmann
Encyclopedia
Werner Nachmann was a German entrepreneur and politician, and was president of the Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland
also known as Central Council of Jews in Germany, from 1969 to 1988.
In 1938 Nachmann fled to France
and returned to Germany in 1945 as an officer of the French army. He established himself again in Karlsruhe
, where he developed his family business. From 1961 to 1988 he was the chairman of the Jewish municipality in Karlsruhe and the advisor on mikvah
affairs. In 1962 he became member of Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland
, in 1965 he was subsequently selected in its board of directors and from 1969 onwards he held the presidency. He is considered as an important pioneer of renewed cooperation between the authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany
and German-Jewish organizations. For his work Nachmann was often honored during his lifetime, but criticism rose sharply from parts of the German-Jewish community in the early seventies as some found his efforts towards Jewish-German reconciliation as lacking sufficient distance to Germany.
In 1972, he served on the organizing committee of the 1972 Summer Olympics
in Munich
. He was also a member of the Israeli delegation.
In 1986, he received the Theodor Heuss
prize for his services to the Jewish-German reconciliation and the peaceful coexistence of Jews and Christians in the Federal Republic of Germany. After his death in 1988, Nachmann was loudly condemned when it was discovered that from 1981 to 1987 he had defrauded about 33 million DM ($17 million in U.S. dollars at the time) from a German government fund intended for victims of the Nazis. The actual whereabouts of the funds remain unknown. Nachmann's successor in office, Heinz Galinski
, strove intensively for many years to clear up the affair.
Nachmann died at the age of 62, from heart failure.
Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland
The Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland is a federation of German Jews organizing many Jewish organisations in Germany. It was founded on July 19, 1950, as a response to the increasing isolation of German Jews by the international Jewish community and increasing interest in Jewish affairs by the ...
also known as Central Council of Jews in Germany, from 1969 to 1988.
In 1938 Nachmann fled to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and returned to Germany in 1945 as an officer of the French army. He established himself again in Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
, where he developed his family business. From 1961 to 1988 he was the chairman of the Jewish municipality in Karlsruhe and the advisor on mikvah
Mikvah
Mikveh is a bath used for the purpose of ritual immersion in Judaism...
affairs. In 1962 he became member of Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland
Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland
The Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland is a federation of German Jews organizing many Jewish organisations in Germany. It was founded on July 19, 1950, as a response to the increasing isolation of German Jews by the international Jewish community and increasing interest in Jewish affairs by the ...
, in 1965 he was subsequently selected in its board of directors and from 1969 onwards he held the presidency. He is considered as an important pioneer of renewed cooperation between the authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
and German-Jewish organizations. For his work Nachmann was often honored during his lifetime, but criticism rose sharply from parts of the German-Jewish community in the early seventies as some found his efforts towards Jewish-German reconciliation as lacking sufficient distance to Germany.
In 1972, he served on the organizing committee of the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. He was also a member of the Israeli delegation.
In 1986, he received the Theodor Heuss
Theodor Heuss
Theodor Heuss was a liberal German politician who served as the first President of the Federal Republic of Germany after World War II from 1949 to 1959...
prize for his services to the Jewish-German reconciliation and the peaceful coexistence of Jews and Christians in the Federal Republic of Germany. After his death in 1988, Nachmann was loudly condemned when it was discovered that from 1981 to 1987 he had defrauded about 33 million DM ($17 million in U.S. dollars at the time) from a German government fund intended for victims of the Nazis. The actual whereabouts of the funds remain unknown. Nachmann's successor in office, Heinz Galinski
Heinz Galinski
Heinz Galinski was president of the Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland also known as Central Council of Jews in Germany from 1988 until his death in 1992....
, strove intensively for many years to clear up the affair.
Nachmann died at the age of 62, from heart failure.