Description:
(Holocaust Survivor)
Primo Levi was an Italian Jewish Holocaust survivor and author, best remembered for his memoire, If This Is a Man, also published as Survival in Auschwitz, a restrained, yet moving autobiographical account of his days in the Nazi concentration camps. Born into a well-to-do Jewish family and trained as chemist at the University of Turin, he had a comfortable life until the enactment of the Italian Racial Laws. But once the Nazis occupied northern Italy, they had no other option but to go into hiding, eventually being arrested and sent to Auschwitz as a slave labor. Although he survived the ordeal, he could never get out the trauma, suffering from depression off and on, yet he continued to write and give speeches on his experiences at the camp. When he died in 1987 from a fall from his third story appointment, Elie Wiesel, another Holocaust survivor, famously said, "Primo Levi died at Auschwitz forty years later."
Birthday
July 31, 1919 (Leo)
Born In
Italy
Alternative names
Primo Michele Levi
City
Turin, Italy
Died on
April 11, 1987
Spouse/Ex-
Lucia Morpurgo
Parents
Cesare Levi
Ester, Ester, known as Rina, known as Rina
Children
Lisa
Relatives
Anna Maria Levi
What is Primo Levi known for?
Primo Levi is known for being an Italian Jewish chemist, writer, and Holocaust survivor who documented his experiences in Auschwitz in his memoir "If This Is a Man."
What impact did Primo Levi's writing have on literature?
Primo Levi's writing is known for its profound exploration of human nature, survival, and the Holocaust, influencing literature and philosophy by providing a unique perspective on the atrocities of World War II.
How did Primo Levi survive Auschwitz?
Primo Levi survived Auschwitz by using his background as a chemist to secure a job in the camp's chemical laboratory, which provided him with some protection and access to extra food rations.
What are some key works by Primo Levi?
Some key works by Primo Levi include "If This Is a Man" (also known as "Survival in Auschwitz"), "The Periodic Table," and "The Drowned and the Saved," all of which reflect on his experiences during and after the Holocaust.
