EPISODE · Jun 29, 2025 · 50 MIN
BERND HABER; Author, ‘Fritz Haber; The Complete Diary 16 Months in an American POW Camp’ (German Grandfather captured near the end of WWII); LIVE fr Phoenix
from Conversations with Calvin; WE the Species · host Calvin Schwartz
#realconversations #Germany #WorldWarII #communism #powCONVERSATIONS WITH CALVIN WE THE SPECIESMeet BERND HABER; “I call myself a bit of a World War IIstudent. That encompasses having watched Casablanca (1942) 157 times. And othermovies. Books. Documentaries. Interviews. Yet, I never encountered a storyquite like Bernd Haber’s book, ‘Fritz Haber-The Complete Diary; 16 months in anAmerican POW Camp. Fritz Haber was Bernd’s grandfather. In 1931 in Germany, hewas a devout communist and tried to warn about Hitler’s new Germany. Nazisdidn’t like communists. Eventually, Fritz was conscripted into the Germanmilitary, known as the Wehrmacht. And was captured near the end of the war andspent 16 months in an American POW camp, able to write a diary. Bernd saw thatdiary. He also immigrated to America from East Berlin just after reunification.Bernd is passionate, eloquent, and brilliant. This radiates in this interview.I’m mesmerized by this story and by Bernd. Obvious reasons. Bernd lives inPhoenix, obtained his Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering in Germany, andworks at Worldstrings Promotion, a music agency. This is a rare and specialinterview.” Calvinhttps://www.youtube.com/c/ConversationswithCalvinWetheSpecIEs550 Interviews/Videos 9200 SUBSCRIBERSGLOBAL Reach. Earth Life. Amazing People. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE and COMMENT**BERND HABER; Author, ‘Fritz Haber; The Complete Diary: 16Months in an American POW Camp’ (German Grandfather captured near the end ofWWII); LIVE fr PhoenixA story about how “human destinies can get easily mixed up,”reminding us to pay attention to forces that might interfere with our lives inunexpected ways.YouTube: https://youtu.be/kAWPHuVG2rEBIO: Bernd, grandson of Fritz, was born in East Berlin afterthe Berlin Wall was erected. He grew up in the German Democratic Republic undera Communist ruling government. Bernd attended the Technische Universität inChemnitz, Saxony, Germany, and graduated with a Master's Degree in MechanicalEngineering, with a focus on Manufacturing Process Design and Computer-AidedManufacturing. Very early in his life, he began to show an interest in Germanhistory, music, and modern information technology. When the Berlin Wall,separating East and West Berlin, fell on November 9, 1989, his world radicallychanged - an event that allowed him to embark on a personal journey, eventuallyleading him to move to Phoenix, Arizona, where he lives today.Bernd's move to the United States connects him with Fritzwho served many months in an American POW camp in 1945-1946 after WWII ended.The - what could be called: The Häber Family Trilogy - link between him and hisgrandfather is Bernd's father Herbert Häber who had climbed up in the hierarchyof the East German Communist Party, the SED, and later became a member of thePolitburo in 1984, the political body composed of the highest officials of theparty, state, and security organs. In 1985, Herbert was expelled from thePolitburo due to a staged high-level plot against him. After Germanreunification in 1990, Herbert was indicted and prosecuted for being allegedlyresponsible, as a Politburo member, for some of the killings at the BerlinWall. He faced two related criminal trials at the District Court of Berlinbetween 1995 and 2004.Bernd is the author of several books, such as "LettersTo and From My Senators FLAKE and MCCAIN: How they might have failed to fulfilltheir constitutional obligation", "Tempest - 20th Anniversary",and "The Wondrous Story of Hugo and Matilda". Bernd co-led theSpanish Civil War history project together with Björn Krondorfer - Director,Martin-Springer Institute at the Northern Arizona University called"Stories from the Spanish Civil War" which includes Bernd's greatuncle (and brother-in-law of Fritz) and other International Brigades volunteersfrom the United States, the UK and Canada.
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BERND HABER; Author, ‘Fritz Haber; The Complete Diary 16 Months in an American POW Camp’ (German Grandfather captured near the end of WWII); LIVE fr Phoenix
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