Demuth, Fritz, 1876-1965

Fritz Demuth was a German professor and "Geheimrat" (privy council), born in Berlin. After studying law and political science, he was appointed as one of the Executive Directors of the Berlin "Industrie und Handelskammer" (Chamber of Industry and Commerce). He worked in this position until the rise of the Nazi regime. As one of the founders of the "Winterhilfe", he helped many needy people during the years of crisis from 1929-1933. In 1933 he had to emigrate for he was racially persecuted. He first found asylum in Switzerland and emigrated to England two years later. In Switzerland he was president of the "Notgemeinschaft deutscher Wissenschaftler im Ausland" (Emergency Society of German Scholars in Exile). This organization assisted politically and racially persecuted scientists to find employment at a foreign university. In 1936 he published a directory of laid off German scientists in his self-publishing company. Many well-known scientists and political representatives belonged to his circle of friends. Demuth was presented with the Commander's Cross of the Federal Republic of Germany. -- FR (12.1.1961), Kölnische Rundschau (25.3.1955)

2 newspaper clippings ; 4 p. of an interview with Fritz Demuth