Maximilian Lerner
Maximilian Lerner | |
|---|---|
 Maximilian Lerner's banner hanging at Camp Ritchie following his passing in 2022. | |
| Born | September 4, 1924 |
| Died | September 10, 2022 (aged 98) |
Maximilian Lerner (September 4, 1924 – September 10, 2022) was an Austrian-born American, known for his work in the
Camp Ritchie during WWII classifies him as one of the Ritchie Boys
.
Early life
Lerner was born in
Nice, France. Lerner learned French while attending high school in France. The family moved on to Manhattan, New York in 1941, where he attended high school at night while working during the day.[1] At this time, he became fluent in English.[2]
Army career
Lerner enlisted in the
Verdun, France, where he was based for most of the rest of the war, serving missions for the Office of Strategic Services.[2]
In March 1945, Lerner went to Germany, where he remained in the final days of the war and during the denazification process.[1][2][3]
Later life
After returning from the war, Lerner attended school on the
horticultural products business, and raised a family. Lerner was one of four Ritchie Boys interviewed by 60 Minutes for his role in military intelligence during WWII. He wrote a memoir, and two spy novels. He died on September 10, 2022, in Manhattan.[1][2]
Memoir
- Lerner, Maximilian (2013). Flight and Return: A Memoir of World War II. ISBN 978-1493786558.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Sandomir, Richard (September 17, 2022). "Maximilian Lerner, Whose Espionage Skills Helped Win a War, Dies at 98". The New York Times. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Lerner, Maximilian". Blog. Museum of Jewish Heritage. September 13, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Wertheim, Jon (January 2, 2022). "Ritchie Boys: The secret U.S. unit bolstered by German-born Jews who helped the Allies beat Hitler". 60 Minutes. CBS News. Retrieved September 17, 2022.