Rudolf Gelbard

Rudolf Gelbard (4 December 1930 – 24 October 2018) was an Austrian Holocaust survivor and political campaigner against antisemitism and neo-Nazism. He lectured in schools and universities about his experiences during the Holocaust, and also appeared in a 2007 documentary film about his experiences.

Personal life Rudolf Gelbard was born in Vienna, Austria, and lived in the Leopoldstadt district. His parents were Jewish. After the Anschluss, in which Germany took control of Austria, Gelbard was excluded from his school because of his Jewish ancestry. Gelbard witnessed first-hand the Nazi persecution of the Jews during Kristallnacht. In 1942, Gelbard and his parents were transported to the Theresienstadt concentration camp. 19 members of Gelbard's family died at Theresienstadt, but Gelbard survived because he was in the children's section of the camp.

Gelbard was married twice. His daughter from his first marriage died in 1972, at the age of 17. His second marriage began in 1990, and lasted until his death.

Career After his liberation from Theresienstadt concentration camp, Gelbard fought to oppose antisemitism and neo-Nazi activities. In 1946, he protested against antisemitic riots at the University of Vienna, and in 1955, he protested to prevent a proposed anti-Semitic lecture by . In 1965, Gelbard was a witness to the death of Ernst Kirchweger. In 2017, SOS Mitmensch posted a video of Gelbard on Facebook. In the video, he was speaking out against the Freedom Party of Austria, due to its association with right-wing groups, and saying that such a party does not belong in the Austrian Government. The video received over 100,000 views.

From 1954 to 1963, Gelbard worked for the Ministry of Social Affairs. He later worked as a merchant, before becoming editor of the Kurier in 1975. He worked for the Kurier from 1975 until 1990. In 2008, wrote a biography, Die dunklen Seiten des Planeten: Rudi Gelbard, der Kämpfer (The dark sides of the planet: Rudi Gelbard, the fighter), about Gelbard's life. In his later years, Gelbard starred in the documentary play The Last Witnesses at the Burgtheater in Vienna, in Frankfurt, Berlin and Dresden.

Awards 2005: . 2011: Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria. 2016: .

Death Gelbard died on 24 October 2018 in Vienna after a long illness. He was 87.