Rudolf Robert
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Robert was born into a Jewish family originating from Eastern Europe. Under the Nazi regime the family started to suffer from the ongoing anti-Semitic legislation und eventually lost their entire property. Because of being Jewish, the family was deported to the Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz in South-Eastern Poland. During the death march from Auschwitz, Robert lost his brother who died during the struggle.[4] Robert himself survived the concentration camp together with his friend Alfred Jachmann.
Later life and role in the Jewish community of Berlin
After WW2, Robert became an important witness[5] during the Nuremberg trials, inter alia against the German chemical and pharmaceutical industry conglomerate IG Farben.[6][7]
Instead of moving to the London or New York City like other parts of the family[8] or emigrating to Palestine, Robert returned to West-Berlin during the post-war period where he lived with his wife and his two children.[9][10] His son Matthias later also became a Gabbai at the Jewish Community of Berlin.[11][12]
Together with Estrongo Nachama he became one of the most important faces of the Jewish community of Berlin which he helped to develop[13] and eventually became Gabbai of the liberal Synagogue Pestalozzistraße.[14]
Rudolf Robert died in Berlin in 1997.
Miscellaneous
Rudolf Robert's nephew is the Berlin-based entrepreneur and investor Felix Schaal.