Heinrich Pudor

Heinrich Pudor (31 August 1865 in Loschwitz (near Dresden) – 22 December 1943 in Leipzig) was a German Volkish-nationalist pundit and a pioneer of nudist culture in Germany. He took the pseudonyms Heinrich Scham and Ernst Deutsch.

He was born the son of Friedrich Pudor, director of the Royal Conservatory in Dresden. Pudor initially studied music at the Dresden Kreuzschule and then at the conservatory. In 1886-87 he studied physiological psychology, philosophy and art history at the University of Leipzig, then moved to the University of Heidelberg, where he researched Schopenhauer's metaphysics of music and ideas, graduating in 1889.

Before his father's death, when he took over his position as leader of the conservatory, he travelled in France and Italy. His travel sketches were published in 1893 and 1895, establishing his reputation as a travel writer. He later published similar descriptions of Scandinavian countries. When inaugurated as head of the Dresden conservatory, he came to the decision only to teach German music. This was vehemently criticized by the teachers and the Dresden government; consequently, Pudor sold his interest the conservatory in June 1890.

With the proceeds, he founded his own publishing firm (in Munich, Berlin, and later New York City), publishing only his own writings, mainly books of poetry and self-help wherein he advocated Lebensreform ideas. He moved to a villa in Loschwitz and married a Jewish woman, Susanne Jacobi in 1891, divorcing her seven years later. In 1892 his columns started to appear in the Dresden Weekly for Art and Culture. His family moved to London in 1893, shortly before the publication of his Naked People.Rejoice in the Future was the first German book about naturism. Pudor had adopted vegetarianism two years before his move to London. In the following years, he published many works on lifestyle as well as other themes (architecture, linguistics, social policy, and cultural studies).

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