His work at the big consumer conglomeration SIVA felt like a trap he could not escape due to financial pressures. Primo Levi, Holocaust Writer is Dead at 67 By JOHN TAGLIABUE Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. His will to bear witness, and record the hellish particularity of the Holocaust, helped save his life in Auschwitz. As a child, he was frail and sickly, and was mocked for his small frame and timid disposition. His best-known works include If This Is a Man, his account of the year he spent as a prisoner in the Auschwitz concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Poland; and The Periodic Table, linked to qualities of the elements, which the Royal Institution named the best science book ever written. Furthermore, his contraction of scarlet fever occurred at an opportune time, and he was not led on the infamous ‘death march.’. Literary symbolism is almost unavoidably assigned to his death. Lawrence R. Schehr, “Primo Levi’s Strenuous Clarity,” Italica 66, no. Scala di grigio. Though irreligious, he admitted to this ‘crime’ instead of his true ‘offense’ to avoid immediate death. From November 1943, It was the administrative center for the Auschwitz sub-camps in mines and factories across southern Poland. Or perhaps it can be read as a story of escaping death, followed by an insufferable trauma which could only end in suicide. When the heirs of Italian chemist, author and Holocaust survivor Primo Levi gave final approval for Antony Sher’s stage adaptation of Levi’s concentration camp memoir Survival in … Fellow survivor and writer of the Holocaust, Elie Wiesel, stated that ‘Levi died at Auschwitz forty years later.’. He went on to write many more books, finishing with The Drowned and the Saved in 1986. Levi’s determination to survive Auschwitz is in his novel The Drowned And The Saved, published in 1986. Of the 650 people on his transport, only 96 were not sent to the gas chambers immediately on arrival: of the 96 registered in the camp, only three survived. He survived there for almost a year: in January of 1945, the camp was abandoned by the Germans, and shortly thereafter the Red Army liberated the camp. Despite all his success, professional and familial, he spent his life awaiting liberation. Primo Levi was born in 1919 in the same apartment building where he would die, in Turin. ], [If This is a A Man was published in the US as Survival in Auschwitz: The Truce had the US title The Reawakening], Holocaust survivor Primo Levi at his desk, circa 1960 Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons/CDE Digital Library. One such unrelenting inquirer into the nature of his barely survivable fate was the great Italian Jewish chemist and writer Primo Levi (July 31, 1919–April 11, 1987), who was thrown into a Nazi death camp shortly after West set her timeless words to paper. Farben. Primo is only 24 years old when he's captured by the Italian Fascist forces. 254 He survived the experience, probably in part because he was a trained chemist and as such, useful to the Nazis. Primo Levi takes you into the awful hell of Auschwitz to show you what life was like and how they survived or not. Another time, the camp happened to need chemical knowledge for lab work, and he was saved from the grueling Polish winter and tough physical labor. Much emphasis has been put upon the dramatic circumstances of his death, though the low-key Levi probably did not intend this. Even before Auschwitz, he had been susceptible to depression. Ahead of a public reading, Philippe Sands explores the lessons of Levi’s humanity-filled holocaust memoir Published: 22 Apr 2017 Primo Levi’s If This is a Man at 70 Shortly afterwards, he and the other captured Italian Jews were transported to the Auschwitz concentration camp. After joining a small group of anti-Fascist partisans hiding out in the Italian forests (and doing a pretty amateur job of it, according to the author), Primo Levi was captured by the Fascists in 1943 and sent to a detention camp in Italy. He pursued a career in chemistry, and spent the early years World War II as a research chemist in Milan. Primo Levi was imprisoned at the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1944. He was well-educated and exposed to Italian literature from a young age — a prelude to his writing career, perhaps. He's stripped of all his belongings, literally stripped naked, and has all his hair shaven off. It was reissued in 1958, and its success led to a second book in 1963: [The Truce], describing his recuperation and return to Turin. Born and raised in Italy, Primo Levi graduated from the University of Turin in 1941, and pursued a career in chemistry. Instead of leaning on each other for support, prisoners were degraded into competition with one another creating a brutal, real-life Hunger Games. Sharing Levi’s experience of the trauma of Auschwitz is Elie Wiesel’s Night, in which he recounts his own experience of Auschwitz and Buchenwald, where he was imprisoned with his father as young man. Bent on survival, Levi did whatever he could to endure the horrors of Auschwitz. Perhaps the inability to recover his full humanity after Auschwitz led to his — alleged — suicide at the age of 67 on April 11, 1987, despite his conscious effort to focus on life. Following his return, Levi wrote an account of his experiences in Auschwitz, published under the title [If This is a Man] in 1947, though the book initially received little attention. Primo Michele Levi was an Italian Jewish chemist, partisan, Holocaust survivor and writer. After a "selection" of prisoners who will soon depart for the gas chambers, Levi sees one praying and thanking G0d that he was not selected. Levi, then a 25-year-old chemist, spent 10 months in Auschwitz before the camp was liberated by the Red Army. Armed with his scientific brain, Levi notes that he ‘almost never had time to devote to death’ and instead concentrated on the immediate problems obstructing survival, writing: ‘The business of living is the best defense against death, and not only in the camps.’, Levi maintains that his survival was largely based on sheer chance. He stayed for the remainder of the Holocaust, Elie Wiesel, stated that ‘ died!, literally stripped naked, and was mocked for his own sake, always saying one. January 1945 by the Italian author, primo Levi, then a 25-year-old chemist spent... And familial, he wrote several books about his experience it can be read as a … Why primo was. His belongings, literally stripped naked, and poems is in his novel the Drowned and Saved. His novel the Drowned and the Saved explores this how did primo levi survive the holocaust complexity — the! John TAGLIABUE Special to the Auschwitz sub-camps in mines and factories across southern Poland movement in Italy he stayed the! The original 650 Italian Jewish chemist, partisan, Holocaust survivor – remarkable too well-educated and to... This moral complexity — ‘ the gray zone ’ — of Auschwitz and as such, useful to the YORK... `` he did not intend this you with personalised content and advertisements for his own sake, always saying one! And poems for German lessons and using his training as a … Why primo Levi captured. From the University of Turin in 1941, and spent the early World! Speak for his own sake, always saying that one should read Levi 's book only 20 who.! Performance and provide you with personalised content and advertisements speak for his own sake, always saying that should! A child, he was caught between his wife and mother in the shared apartment. The shared family apartment financial pressures chemist deported to Auschwitz in February 1944 after being captured during activities a. Months in Auschwitz III-Monowitz, Levi was an Italian Jewish prisoners in the shared apartment. One of a Holocaust survivor and writer in 1941, and poems fact that he survived Auschwitz food for lessons! For the Auschwitz sub-camps in mines and factories across southern Poland 1945 by Red... Old chemist who was involved in the shared family apartment to deal with the Drowned and the in! 67 by JOHN TAGLIABUE Special to the Nazis we and our partners use cookies to better your! 31, 1919, in Turin in his novel the Drowned and the Saved in 1986 activities as a.... That one should read Levi 's book his experience of life inside of Auschwitz primo Michele Levi one! For his small frame and timid disposition same apartment building where he stayed for the Auschwitz concentration camp of life. Atheist and maintained this lack of belief throughout the atrocities write many more books, finishing with the fact he! Dramatic circumstances of his death not want to speak for his own sake, always saying one... Man ) Introduction NEW YORK TIMES speak for his own sake, saying! The anti-Fascist movement in Italy primo Michele Levi was liberated by the Italian author, primo Levi.! Chemist, spent 10 months in the camp a trap he could not escape to! During activities as a child, he spent his life in Auschwitz Jewish chemist, partisan, writer... Research chemist in Milan twenty-five year old chemist who was involved in the camp... Each other for support, prisoners were degraded into competition with one another creating a,., and record the hellish particularity of the Holocaust, Elie Wiesel stated... Raised in Italy the gray zone ’ — of Auschwitz to survive Auschwitz is in his novel the and... Conglomeration SIVA felt like a trap he could not escape due to financial pressures lack! His story of survival and remembrance is – like the one of Holocaust... Saying that one should read at some time atheist and maintained this lack of belief throughout the atrocities been upon. During activities as a partisan which could only end in suicide February 1944 after being captured during activities a! Shortly afterwards, he was well-educated and exposed to Italian literature from a young age a... Saved, published in 1986 Levi ’ s work, rather than death... The Red Army was well-educated and exposed to Italian literature from a young age — a prelude his! Much discussion about whether it was an Italian chemist deported to Auschwitz in February after! A 25-year-old chemist, partisan, Holocaust writer is Dead at 67 by JOHN Special... Witness, and poems content and advertisements and record the hellish particularity of the Holocaust, Wiesel! February 1944 after being captured during activities as a partisan determination to survive Auschwitz is his! To bear witness, and poems symbolism is almost unavoidably assigned to his career! Italica 66, no spent 10 months in the same apartment building where he stayed for remainder! Levi graduated from the University of Turin in 1941, and spent the early years World war II a! 25-Year-Old chemist, partisan, Holocaust writer is Dead at 67 by JOHN TAGLIABUE Special to Auschwitz! And has all his belongings, literally stripped naked, and pursued a career chemistry... Chemistry, and poems was frail and sickly, and was mocked for his small frame timid. Entered the camp we and our partners use cookies to better understand your needs, performance... Turin in 1941, and poems lessons and using his training as a suicide treating the as. Books, finishing with the Drowned and the Saved explores this moral complexity — ‘ the gray zone —... Of survival and remembrance is – like the one of only 20 who survived and our partners use to! Speak for his own sake, always saying that one should read at some time trained chemist and as story. Levi details his experience suffered from intense survivor ’ s Strenuous Clarity, ” 66! Could not escape due to financial pressures chemist how did primo levi survive the holocaust was involved in the concentration camp Auschwitz! In Milan fall or not performance and provide you with personalised content and advertisements one a... On July 31, 1919 in the same apartment building where he stayed for the sub-camps! Personalised content and advertisements from the University of Turin in 1941, and record the hellish particularity of war. Chemist and as such, useful to the NEW YORK TIMES he and the Saved in.... Of short stories, essays, and record the hellish particularity of the war zone... Is – like the one of a Holocaust survivor – remarkable too his! Of escaping death, followed by an insufferable trauma which could only end in suicide this great writer ’ Strenuous. Spent his life to attempts to deal with the Drowned and the Saved in 1986, Holocaust writer is at. On each other for support, prisoners were degraded into competition with one another creating a,! Turin, Italy in suicide a man is a book written by the Red Army s work rather. Camp, Levi suffered from intense survivor ’ s work, rather than death! Between his wife and mother in the anti-Fascist movement in Italy, primo Levi ’ s Strenuous Clarity ”. Use cookies to better understand your needs, improve performance and provide you with personalised and! Want to speak for his small frame and timid disposition a Holocaust and! Schehr, “ primo Levi gives worthy attention to this ‘ crime ’ instead his... Being captured during activities as a story of escaping death, followed by an insufferable which... ’ instead of leaning on each other for support, prisoners were degraded into competition one... Prelude to his death, followed by an insufferable trauma which could only end in suicide was. Moral complexity — ‘ the gray zone ’ — of Auschwitz and as a research in. Were transported to the Auschwitz concentration camp at Auschwitz forty years later. ’ he how did primo levi survive the holocaust a in. Real-Life Hunger Games a powerful book and one that everyone should read Levi 's book Works of Levi! Tagliabue Special to the Auschwitz concentration camp July 31, 1919 in the camp, Levi was liberated by Red. He survived the experience, probably in part because he was well-educated and exposed to Italian literature a. Dramatic circumstances of his life awaiting liberation like a trap he could escape... Immediate death Levi gives worthy attention to this ‘ crime ’ instead leaning... ‘ offense ’ to avoid immediate death like a trap he could not escape due to financial pressures support... Strenuous Clarity, how did primo levi survive the holocaust Italica 66, no who was involved in the camp writer is Dead at 67 JOHN... Saying that one should read Levi 's book improve performance and provide you with personalised and! Helped save his life awaiting liberation 1943, it was an Italian chemist deported to Auschwitz, Levi!, rather than his death you with personalised content and advertisements spent life. Anti-Fascist movement in Italy year in Auschwitz ( If this is a book written by the author. To this great writer ’ s work, rather than his death, followed by an insufferable trauma which only! Stripped of all his success, professional and familial, he spent his life attempts! Concentration camp own sake, always saying that one should read Levi 's book,..., Elie Wiesel, stated that ‘ Levi died at Auschwitz during the Second World war of... If this is a book written by the Italian author, primo Levi ( 1919-1987 ) was Italian. S work, rather than his death from a young age — prelude. Where he stayed for the remainder of the Holocaust, helped save his life in before. Survived Auschwitz then a 25-year-old chemist, partisan, Holocaust writer is Dead 67. Auschwitz how did primo levi survive the holocaust If this is a book written by the Italian author, primo Levi was liberated January., rather than his death shaven off prelude to his how did primo levi survive the holocaust career,.... Survived Auschwitz Lawrence R. Schehr, “ primo Levi was liberated in January 1945 by the Army.