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Friedrich Klein (später Fred Friedel)

Born: 03-03-1915
Faculty: Philosophical School
Category: Expelled student

Friedrich KLEIN (later: Fred FRIEDEL), born on March 3rd, 1915 in Vienna/Austria (entitled residency ('heimatberechtigt') for Vienna/Austria, Citizenship: Austria), son of Ing. Samuel Klein (engineer) and Bella, nèe Zuckermann, lived in Vienna's 18th district, Anastasius-Gruen-Gasse 22/3, before 1935/36 he was enrolled at the Technical University Vienna, but changes to the University of Vienna and was finally enrolled in spring term 1938 at the Philosophical School in the 2nd year of his studies and took courses in History (also in philosophy, psychology and art history).

In 1938, after the takeover of power of National-Socialism he was forced to quit his studies for racist reason and to leave the University of Vienna.

He succeeded in escaping from Vienna in early 1939. After he received his U.S. visa on January 13th, 1939, he traveled with the SS Volendam from Rotterdam to the United States on January 28th, where he arrived in New York on February 7th. He worked in the USA as a commercial artist and window dresser. From 1942-45, he served in the US Army. After the war he became senior designer of a large company and marked the new beginning after the war also by changing his name to Fred M. Friedel. He lived in New Jersey, partly in Rockaway, partly in Deville.

He died on July 19th, 2006 in New Jersey/USA.

The exhibition "Ausgegrenzt, Vertrieben, Ermordet" (January 22nd - May 14th, 2010) at the Department of History of Art of the University of Vienna is dedicated to the memory of Friedrich Klein and 20 other expelled students of the University of Vienna, who took courses art history in 1938.


Lit.: Hans ADAMO u. Gaby REHNELT, Zuckermanns Tochter. Stärker als die Liebe war der Tod, Essen 2003; POSCH/INGRISCH/DRESSEL 2008, 417; Ausstellung "Ausgegrenzt, Vertrieben, Ermordet" 2010; Passagierlisten-Datenbank Ellis Island; www.ancestry.de.


Herbert Posch


Nationale of Friedrich Klein, fall term 1937/38 (1st form front), Photo: H. Posch (c) Universitätsarchiv Wien

Nationale of Friedrich Klein, fall term 1937/38 (1st form back), Photo: H. Posch (c) Universitätsarchiv Wien

Nationale of Friedrich Klein, spring termn 1938 (1st form front), Photo: H. Posch (c) Universitätsarchiv Wien

Nationale of Friedrich Klein, spring term 1938 (1st form back), Photo: H. Posch (c) Universitätsarchiv Wien

Nationale of Friedrich Klein, spring termn 1938 (2nd form front), Photo: H. Posch (c) Universitätsarchiv Wien

Nationale of Friedrich Klein, spring term 1938 (2nd form back), Photo: H. Posch (c) Universitätsarchiv Wien
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