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Fairbrook, Paul (32709209): Difference between revisions

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|first=Paul
|first=Paul
|class_section=6
|class_section=6
|class_rank=Pvt
|class_rank=Private
|nativity=Germany
|nativity=Germany
|religion=Jewish
|religion=Jewish
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|class_display=7
|class_display=7
|photo=626628162834781.jpg
|photo=626628162834781.jpg
|rank_final=Capt
|rank_final=Captain
|birth_date=21 August 1923
|birth_year=1923
|death_date=2 October 2023
|death_year=2023
|birth_place=Berlin, Germany
|alias=Paul Schoenbach
}}
}}


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'''[[Fairbrook, Paul (32709209)|Paul Fairbrook]]''' (ASN 32709209) was a Ritchie Boy (from Germany; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 7.
'''[[Fairbrook, Paul (32709209)|Paul Fairbrook]]''' (21 August 1923 &ndash; 2 October 2023), born Paul Schoenbach in Berlin, was a [[Class 7]] Ritchie Boy who worked at Fort Hunt’s P.O. Box 1142 on the German Army order of battle and later led university food-service programs.
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== Biography ==
== Biography ==
On 20 May 1943, Fairbrook became a naturalized citizen. From 1965 to 1985, Fairbrook attended Director of Food Services, University of the Pacific. Paul attended Cornell University night school (Hotel management). He graduated Brown University (BS, Comparative Literature). Fairbrook served as Dean, Culinary Institute of America. He dean, Culinary Institute of America. Paul Fairbrook (died 2 October, age 100) was a German-born Jewish Ritchie Boy who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 7. He later served as food services director at University of the Pacific and played a role gathering intelligence in World War II. In 2001 he traveled to Berlin with the Best Defense Foundation along with [[Stern, Guy (37413105)|Guy Stern]].
Paul Fairbrook was born Paul Schoenbach on 21 August 1923 in Berlin, Germany, the son of banker Alvin James Schoenbach and Lotte Schoenbach. Facing Nazi restrictions on Jewish schooling, the family moved to Palestine in 1933. In 1937, while traveling through Germany toward a U.S. consul in Amsterdam, German authorities ordered them out within twenty-four hours; Fairbrook’s father secured entry papers by showing He could support the family with a valuable stamp collection. The family took the English form of their name after arriving in the United States.
 
Drafted in January 1943, Fairbrook took basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama, then trained at [[Camp Ritchie]] in [[Class 7]] because of his German and French. He was naturalized on 20 May 1943 and graduated as a corporal on 12 June 1943. Assigned to the Military Intelligence Research Section at Fort Hunt, Virginia (P.O. Box 1142), He analyzed Afrika Korps documents and helped produce the U.S. Army’s ''Order of Battle of the German Army''. A brief wartime transfer to England after D-Day was followed by return to Fort Hunt and work in the German Military Document Section.
 
Discharged in 1946, Fairbrook earned a comparative-literature degree at Brown University and an M.B.A. from Michigan State University. He became Dean of the Culinary Institute of America and directed food services at Northern Illinois University and the University of the Pacific, later consulting in college dining. He died on 2 October 2023 at age 100.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
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* 1933 — 1937 Moved to Palestine with family.
* 21 August 1923 — Born Paul Schoenbach in Berlin, Germany.
* 1933 — Moved to Palestine with family.
* 1933 — Family moved to Palestine.
* 13 September 1943 — Assigned to MIRS at P. O. Box 1142 (Fort Hunt, VA).
* 1937 — Family reached the United States via Amsterdam after detention in Germany.
* 13 September 1943 — Assigned to P. O. Box 1142 (Fort Hunt, VA).
* January 1943 — Drafted; basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama.
* 20 May 1943 — Became naturalized citizen.
* 20 May 1943 — Naturalized as a U.S. citizen.
* September 1944 — Returned to MIRS Washington Branch, serving under Capt.
* 12 June 1943 — Graduated Camp Ritchie Class 7 as corporal.
* 13 September 1943 — Assigned to MIRS / P.O. Box 1142, Fort Hunt, Virginia.
* 1946 — Discharged; later studied at Brown University and Michigan State.
* 2 October 2023 — Died at age 100.
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== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* [https://www.pacific.edu/pacific-newsroom/former-food-services-director-and-wwii-hero-was-beloved-students University of the Pacific remembrance of Paul Fairbrook]
* [https://concernamerica.org/2023/10/02/remembering-concern-america-founder-paul-fairbrook/ Concern America remembrance of Paul Fairbrook (2 October 2023)]
* [https://holocaustcenter.org/research/oral-history-department/oral-histories-index/ Zekelman Holocaust Center oral-history index]
* [https://5152.sydneyplus.com/argus/final/Portal/Default.aspx?component=AAFG&record=9cdd6950-1786-4b9e-b3b0-d2b85025df94 Zekelman Holocaust Center oral history, OHV 419]
* Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
* 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
* Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records

Latest revision as of 02:14, 17 September 2026

Paul Fairbrook
Paul Fairbrook
Personal details
Birth namePaul Schoenbach
Born21 August 1923
Berlin, Germany
Died2 October 2023
NativityGermany
ReligionJewish
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
ASN32709209
RankCaptain
Rank at RitchiePrivate
Camp RitchieClass 7 (15 April – 12 June 1943)
Section6
Interviews Watch Paul Fairbrook in 2 recordings on Ritchie Boy Interviews: Veterans Breakfast Club (with Maximilian Lerner) · Zekelman Holocaust Center.
Research notes on this page are compiled from the source file and later edits. They may be unverified, incomplete, or incorrect, and should not be treated as established fact. Please correct the article or add sources on the talk page. For class-roster terms, see About the data.
Sources & confidence: Treat Research notes as leads, not settled fact. Prefer NARA, the class roster, newspapers, Find a Grave, or published histories for contested claims. Mark unsourced claims with {{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.


Paul Fairbrook (21 August 1923 – 2 October 2023), born Paul Schoenbach in Berlin, was a Class 7 Ritchie Boy who worked at Fort Hunt’s P.O. Box 1142 on the German Army order of battle and later led university food-service programs.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Paul Fairbrook was born Paul Schoenbach on 21 August 1923 in Berlin, Germany, the son of banker Alvin James Schoenbach and Lotte Schoenbach. Facing Nazi restrictions on Jewish schooling, the family moved to Palestine in 1933. In 1937, while traveling through Germany toward a U.S. consul in Amsterdam, German authorities ordered them out within twenty-four hours; Fairbrook’s father secured entry papers by showing He could support the family with a valuable stamp collection. The family took the English form of their name after arriving in the United States.

Drafted in January 1943, Fairbrook took basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama, then trained at Camp Ritchie in Class 7 because of his German and French. He was naturalized on 20 May 1943 and graduated as a corporal on 12 June 1943. Assigned to the Military Intelligence Research Section at Fort Hunt, Virginia (P.O. Box 1142), He analyzed Afrika Korps documents and helped produce the U.S. Army’s Order of Battle of the German Army. A brief wartime transfer to England after D-Day was followed by return to Fort Hunt and work in the German Military Document Section.

Discharged in 1946, Fairbrook earned a comparative-literature degree at Brown University and an M.B.A. from Michigan State University. He became Dean of the Culinary Institute of America and directed food services at Northern Illinois University and the University of the Pacific, later consulting in college dining. He died on 2 October 2023 at age 100.

Research notes[edit | edit source]

  • 8/21/1923-A

Technical record[edit | edit source]

Field Imported value
Class_ASN 32709209
Class_Name FAIRBROOK, Paul
match_method asn_exact_name_exact
row_source both

Timeline[edit | edit source]

  • 21 August 1923 — Born Paul Schoenbach in Berlin, Germany.
  • 1933 — Family moved to Palestine.
  • 1937 — Family reached the United States via Amsterdam after detention in Germany.
  • January 1943 — Drafted; basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama.
  • 20 May 1943 — Naturalized as a U.S. citizen.
  • 12 June 1943 — Graduated Camp Ritchie Class 7 as corporal.
  • 13 September 1943 — Assigned to MIRS / P.O. Box 1142, Fort Hunt, Virginia.
  • 1946 — Discharged; later studied at Brown University and Michigan State.
  • 2 October 2023 — Died at age 100.

Sources[edit | edit source]

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