Armin T. Wegner
| Armin T. Wegner | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | Elberfeld Wuppertal, Germany |
| Died | Rome, Italy |
| Allegiance | German Empire |
| Service/branch | German Sanitary Corps |
| Years of service | 1914-1916 |
| Rank | Second Lieutenant |
| Awards | Iron Cross |
| Other work | (German) Am Kreuzweg Der Welten (Berlin, 1982) |
Armin Theophil Wegner (October 16, 1886 – May 17, 1978) was a German soldier and medic in World War I, a prolific author, and a human rights activist. Stationed in the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Wegner was a witness to the Armenian Genocide and the photographs he took documenting the plight of the Armenians today "comprises the core of witness images of the Genocide."
In the years following the end of World War I, Wegner also voiced his opposition, at great risk to his own life, against the anti-semitic policies of the Nazis. In 1933, he authored an impassioned plea to Adolf Hitler on behalf of the Jews of Germany. He suggested that the persecution of the Jews was not just a question of "the fate of our Jewish brothers alone, [but also] the fate of Germany." Noting that he was writing the letter as a proud German who could himself trace his Prussian familial roots back to the time of the Crusades, Wegner asked Hitler what would become of Germany if it continued its persecution of Jews. Answering his own question, Wegner declared, "There is no Fatherland without justice!" He was persecuted by the Nazis and, for his efforts, is recognized by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations.
Wegner was born in the town of Elberfeld, Rhineland (Wuppertal) in Germany. Educated at first in Striegau (today Strzegom), he later pursued further study in Zürich, Breslau, and Berlin. Upon completing his doctoral studies in law, he began to travel broadly throughout North Africa, Arabia, and Europe. He showed interest in becoming a travel author, and this led to his optimistically joining the armed forces in order to "hold the helm of my life in my own hands. I shall see Baghdad, the Tigris, Mossul, Babylon. I am fully aware of the choice I have made....I have become a soldier....I have put my life at stake for my soul's sake."
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