Joseph Wechsberg
Encyclopedia
Joseph Wechsberg was a Czech writer, journalist, musician, and gourmet
.
Wechsberg was raised in the Jewish faith. His grandfather had been a prosperous banker, but the family assets were lost in the First World War; also, his father fell in the First World War.
Wechsberg was educated in German
and Czech
. He learned to play the violin
at eight years of age. In 1927 and 1929 he had served as a violinist on cruise ships to New York
and the Orient
. He later described his experiences as a musician in Europe and on cruise ships in "Looking for a Bluebird" (1948). In 1930, he obtained a law degree in Prague
. At the same time, he worked as a journalist. One of his first published accounts, a travel report about his personal experiences in the Far East
, was banned in the Third Reich.
In 1936 Wechsberg worked as a parliamentary secretary for the Jewish Party and as assistant advocate in Prague. He was sent to America by the Czech government 1938 as an expert to give lectures on the Sudeten problem. After his arrival, he was advised to not return to Europe since the situation had worsened through the Munich agreement
. Wechsberg then became an American citizen. Up to that point, he had written in German, Czech and French; most of his accounts, however, are written in English. They were only partly and often much later translated into German. His magazine stories were published in Esquire
and The New Yorker
in 1943.
In 1943 Wechsberg was called to serve in the American army; he was detailed to Europe and worked there as armed forces correspondent. After the war Wechsberg worked for the U.S. War Crimes Commission (Wechsberg 1967, p. 99) in 1945, and the American Office of Strategic Services
in 1946 (Wechsberg 1967, p. 90). He published numerous accounts and contributions for different newspapers and magazines. From 1949 until his end he worked as a European correspondent for The New Yorker magazine.
In 1967, he published The Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Memoirs, in which he fused the research of Simon Wiesenthal
with his own direct observations while working for the OSS and War Crimes Commission. In that book, he details how much of the Nazi political machine was preserved in Germany, and also through asylum overseas in Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay. His research is corroborated in the book The New Germany and the Old Nazis by economist, journalist, and U.S. War Crimes Commission member T.H. Tetens
, as well in as the earlier book Germany Will Try It Again by Norwegian-American journalist Sigrid Schultz
who lived in Berlin during the rise of the Third Reich, and in The Secrets of the SS by World War II bomber pilot Glenn Infield, who met SS officers first-hand in the years following the war and gives an even more detailed account of post-war international Nazi and fascist activity and organizations.
Joseph Wechsberg died in Vienna on April 10, 1983.
.
Gourmet
Gourmet is a cultural ideal associated with the culinary arts of fine food and drink, or haute cuisine, which is characterised by elaborate preparations and presentations of large meals of small, often quite rich courses...
.
Wechsberg was raised in the Jewish faith. His grandfather had been a prosperous banker, but the family assets were lost in the First World War; also, his father fell in the First World War.
Wechsberg was educated in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and Czech
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
. He learned to play the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
at eight years of age. In 1927 and 1929 he had served as a violinist on cruise ships to New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and the Orient
Orient
The Orient means "the East." It is a traditional designation for anything that belongs to the Eastern world or the Far East, in relation to Europe. In English it is a metonym that means various parts of Asia.- Derivation :...
. He later described his experiences as a musician in Europe and on cruise ships in "Looking for a Bluebird" (1948). In 1930, he obtained a law degree in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. At the same time, he worked as a journalist. One of his first published accounts, a travel report about his personal experiences in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, was banned in the Third Reich.
In 1936 Wechsberg worked as a parliamentary secretary for the Jewish Party and as assistant advocate in Prague. He was sent to America by the Czech government 1938 as an expert to give lectures on the Sudeten problem. After his arrival, he was advised to not return to Europe since the situation had worsened through the Munich agreement
Munich Agreement
The Munich Pact was an agreement permitting the Nazi German annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland. The Sudetenland were areas along Czech borders, mainly inhabited by ethnic Germans. The agreement was negotiated at a conference held in Munich, Germany, among the major powers of Europe without...
. Wechsberg then became an American citizen. Up to that point, he had written in German, Czech and French; most of his accounts, however, are written in English. They were only partly and often much later translated into German. His magazine stories were published in Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
and The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
in 1943.
In 1943 Wechsberg was called to serve in the American army; he was detailed to Europe and worked there as armed forces correspondent. After the war Wechsberg worked for the U.S. War Crimes Commission (Wechsberg 1967, p. 99) in 1945, and the American Office of Strategic Services
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
in 1946 (Wechsberg 1967, p. 90). He published numerous accounts and contributions for different newspapers and magazines. From 1949 until his end he worked as a European correspondent for The New Yorker magazine.
In 1967, he published The Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Memoirs, in which he fused the research of Simon Wiesenthal
Simon Wiesenthal
Simon Wiesenthal KBE was an Austrian Holocaust survivor who became famous after World War II for his work as a Nazi hunter....
with his own direct observations while working for the OSS and War Crimes Commission. In that book, he details how much of the Nazi political machine was preserved in Germany, and also through asylum overseas in Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay. His research is corroborated in the book The New Germany and the Old Nazis by economist, journalist, and U.S. War Crimes Commission member T.H. Tetens
T.H. Tetens
Summary of bio from Tetens' book The New Germany and the Old Nazis: T.H. Tetens was born in Berlin and worked in the 1920s as an economist and newspaper editor, studied the Pan-German movement and the Nazi party...
, as well in as the earlier book Germany Will Try It Again by Norwegian-American journalist Sigrid Schultz
Sigrid Schultz
Sigrid Schultz was a notable American reporter and war correspondent in an era when women were a rarity in both print and radio journalism.-Background:...
who lived in Berlin during the rise of the Third Reich, and in The Secrets of the SS by World War II bomber pilot Glenn Infield, who met SS officers first-hand in the years following the war and gives an even more detailed account of post-war international Nazi and fascist activity and organizations.
Joseph Wechsberg died in Vienna on April 10, 1983.
Popular culture
Joseph Wechsberg's article, "Champagne Country", was in the August 1971 issue of PlayboyPlayboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
.
Books
- Infield, Glenn: The Secrets of the SS. Stein and Day, New York, 1981. ISBN 0-8128-2790-2.
- Schultz, Sigrid: Germany will Try It Again. Reynal & Hitchcock, New York, 1944.
- Wechsberg, Joseph: "Looking for a Bluebird", Penguin, 1948
- Tetens, T.H.: The New Germany and the Old Nazis. Random House, New York, 1961. LCN 61-7240.
- Wechsberg, Joseph: The Murderers Among Us. McGraw-Hill, New York, 1967. LCN 67-13204.