Ritchie Boys Wiki

Freudmann, Felix R. (01184825): Difference between revisions

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|surname=Freudmann
|surname=Freudmann
|first=Felix
|first=Felix
|middle=R.
|middle=Raymond
|class_rank=2nd Lt
|class_rank=Second Lieutenant
|birth_year=1918
|birth_year=1918
|death_year=1975
|death_year=1975
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|class_number=12
|class_number=12
|class_display=12
|class_display=12
|birth_place=Amsterdam Holland on 8 April
|birth_place=Amsterdam, Netherlands
|photo=5704381086250432.jpg
|photo=5704381086250432.jpg
|arm_or_service=Field Artillery
|arm_or_service=Field Artillery
|birth_date=8 April 1918
|death_date=17 August 1975
|teams=MII 512-G; MII 445
|rank_final=Captain
|awards=American Campaign Medal; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal
|awards_grid=American Campaign Medal;;European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal;;World War II Victory Medal
|awards_ribbons=Ribbon_American_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.png;Ribbon_European-African-Middle_Eastern_Campaign_ribbon.png;Ribbon_World_War_II_Victory_Medal_ribbon.png
|awards_ribbon_rows=Ribbon_American_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.png;;Ribbon_European-African-Middle_Eastern_Campaign_ribbon.png;;Ribbon_World_War_II_Victory_Medal_ribbon.png
}}
}}


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<div class="soldier-lead">
'''[[Freudmann, Felix R. (01184825)|Felix R. Freudmann]]''' (1918–1975) was a Ritchie Boy (from Netherlands; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 12.
'''[[Freudmann, Felix R. (01184825)|Felix Raymond Freudmann]]''' (8 April 1918 – 17 August 1975) was an Amsterdam-born Ritchie Boy (Class 12) who served as an intelligence officer in Northwest Europe and later taught French literature.
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== Biography ==
== Biography ==
After the War Felix grew up in Antwerp. As a young man Felix was fluent in 8 languages –French, Flemish, Dutch, German, English, Italian, classical Greek, and Latin. Following the invasion of Belgium by the German Army in May 1940 Felix escaped with his parents via France, Spain, and Portugal to the USA. He enlisted in the US Army in June 1942. He did his basic training in Camp Blanding, Starke, Florida between October 1942 - January 1943, and Officers' Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma from May - August 1943 .Graduated as Lieutenant and eventually promoted to Capitain, May - November 1943 he did an Intelligence course at the Military Intelligence Training Center at Camp Ritchie in Maryland. On 22 June 1944 he was sent to England and in July to Normandy, France . He used his knowledge of languages and European culture to collect Intelligence on the enemy. He operated in Antwerp including collecting information about Belgian collaborators with the Germans. For these and other Intelligence activities he received a certificate of merit from the Antwerp Municipality and a knighthood medal from the Belgian Government—Ordre de Chevalier de la Couronne. He was demobilized from the army in July 1946 and began to work in the diamond business in the United States and in Israel. He completed various academic studies at Columbia University NY as well as teaching in New York University and in 1953 completed his PhD in 17th century French literature. 1962-7 – Lecturer in French Literature at Bar-Ilan and Tel Aviv Universities. He returned to the United States in July 1967. Was married to Lilian, + 5 children. Passed away in August 17 1975 Medals and decorations: American Campaign Medal, World War 2 Victory Medal, European, African, and Middle East campaign Medal.
Felix Raymond Freudmann was born on 8 April 1918 in Amsterdam, where his family had moved from Antwerp during the First World War; after that war he grew up in Antwerp. As a young man he was fluent in French, Flemish, Dutch, German, English, Italian, classical Greek, and Latin. After the German invasion of Belgium in May 1940 he escaped with his parents via France, Spain, and Portugal to the United States.
 
Freudmann enlisted in the U.S. Army in June 1942. He took basic training at Camp Blanding, Florida (October 1942–January 1943), completed the officers’ course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma (May–August 1943), and trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 12) from about May to November 1943, rising eventually to captain. Sent to England on 22 June 1944 and to Normandy in July, he used his languages and European background for intelligence work, including operations in Antwerp. For that service he received a certificate of merit from the Antwerp municipality and knighthood in Belgium’s Ordre de Chevalier de la Couronne.
 
Demobilized in July 1946, he worked in the diamond trade in the United States and Israel, completed a Ph.D. in seventeenth-century French literature at Columbia University in 1953, taught at New York University, and from 1962 to 1967 lectured at Bar-Ilan and Tel Aviv Universities before returning to the United States in July 1967. He died on 17 August 1975.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
* 512-G
* OCR (80%) of `5704387439583130.jpg` (CAMP RITCHIE, MILITARY INTELLIGENCE TRAINING CENTER)
* MII 445
* Belgian Ordre de Chevalier de la Couronne and Antwerp certificate of merit are described in the family narrative; no matching local ribbon assets added to the awards block.
* OCR (80%) of `5704387439583130.jpg` (CAMP RITCHIE, MILITARY INTELLIGENCE TRAINING CENTER).
* Family survivors listed in the packet notes are not copied into the public biography.


== Gallery ==
== Gallery ==
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| row_source || both
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|}
== Timeline ==
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
* 8 April 1918 — Born in Amsterdam; grew up in Antwerp after World War I.
* May 1940 — Escaped German-occupied Belgium via France, Spain, and Portugal to the United States.
* June 1942 — Enlisted, U.S. Army.
* October 1942 – January 1943 — Basic training, Camp Blanding, Florida.
* May – August 1943 — Officers’ course, Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
* May – November 1943 — Camp Ritchie Class 12 intelligence course; later captain.
* 22 June 1944 — To England; July 1944 to Normandy; intelligence work including Antwerp.
* July 1946 — Demobilized; diamond business; Columbia Ph.D. (1953); teaching in New York, then Bar-Ilan / Tel Aviv (1962–67).
* July 1967 — Returned to the United States.
* 17 August 1975 — Died.
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== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
* RB Archive narrative notes for Felix Raymond Freudmann (family / Fold3 research summary; private packet text not uploaded as a file)
* Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
* Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-09-23 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-09-23 (1 post)
* [[:File:5704387439583130.jpg|OCR-reviewed Facebook gallery document: 5704387439583130.jpg]]
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