Theodore Lessing

Theodor Lessing was born on February 8, 1872, the son of a Jewish doctor. Lessing was already writing poems and novels during his studies. He taught as a lecturer in education and philosophy at the Technical University of Hanover and from 1919 also at the adult education center.

After Lessing had warned in an article in the Prager Tagblatt in 1925 against the election of Hindenburg, who lived in Hanover, as Reich President, the predominantly nationalistic student body forced Lessing to be granted a leave of absence. After concrete threats against him, Lessing left Hanover in 1933 and emigrated first to Prague and then to Marienbad. There he was murdered by the National Socialists on the night of August 30th, 1933.