Nachlass Erich A. Hausmann

Erich A. Hausmann was a Swiss-Jewish educator and pedagogue, and one of the founders of "Aguda-Sektion Mülhausen" in 1936, a member in several Jewish organizations such as the "Aguda - Gruppe" Basel. In 1938 he became a director of the summer camp in Allschwil for Jewish refugee children from Germany and established an association for Jewish Youth in Basel (Verband der Jüdischen Jugend Basel - VJJB). In November 1938 he lead the transfer from Frankfurt to Switzerland of Jewish children in coordination with the Schweizerisches Hilfswerk für Emigrantenkinder (SHEK). Starting in January 1939 he was responsible for the care and education of 50 Jewish children who were housed first in the home "Aufgent" in Buus bei Rheinfelden and in Langenbruck. Between 1939-1945 he served intermittently in the military while also leading the refugee camp in Langenbruck. After 1945 he refused a teaching position out of religious reasons (the inability of being able to follow strict Sabbath rules). Instead he occupied various positions within the Oeuvre de Secours aux Enfants (O.S.E.), and a director position of the "Fontenay-aux-Roses" home near Paris (1947 to 1957); a director position of the "Taverny" home (1957 to 1960); and of the Ecole Normale Juive in Paris (1957 to 1960). In 1960 he was appointmented as a director to the Jewish School in Zürich. From 1962 to 1985 Hausmann served as a delegate of the Jewish community Zürich to the Swiss Jewish Alliance (SIG). Between 1973-1992 he was a president of the Association of Jewish Educators and Cantors of Switzerland. Erich A. Hausmann died in Jerusalem, Israel.