Rudolf Augstein

Rudolf Augstein

Born 5th November 1923, died 7th of November 2002.

Editor of the famous German news magazine DER SPIEGEL ("the mirror"). One of the most important fighters for peace, civil liberties and freedom of press in post World War 2 Germany. The SPIEGEL magazine is still one of the most important and influential investigative news magazines in Germany.

Biography

Rudolf Augstein was born 5th November 1923 in Hannover/Germany. During World War 2 he was a radio operator and artillery observer in Hitler's Wehrmacht.

After the war, in 1947, he founded the weekly news magazine DER SPIEGEL in Hamburg. As an editor, he uncovered several German political scandals during the 50s and 60s and he became well known as an uncompromising fighter for democracy and liberties. The famous article "Bedingt abwehrbereit" (conditionally ready for defense), uncovering the sorry state of the German army, facing the communist threat from the east at the time, caused what became famous as the "SPIEGEL affair". Augstein was arrested for treason on the 26th of October 1962 and held in custody for several months while the injustice of his arrest caused riots and protest through all of Germany. In the end he was acquitted and the minister of defense Strauss had to step down in what was a big victory for freedom and democracy in post-war Germany.

For his lifetime achievements he was honoured with the title "Journalist of the century" in 2000 by 101 German journalists.

Augstein died on 7th of November 2002 from pneumonia and was buried on the island of Sylt.

External links

• DER SPIEGEL online English summaries (http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/english)
• DER SPIEGEL online (http://www.spiegel.de/)