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Koehl, Robert Lewis (31233497): Difference between revisions

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m Admin moved page Koehl, Robert Lewis (32233497) to Koehl, Robert Lewis (31233497) without leaving a redirect: Correct ASN to 31233497 (Camp Ritchie class roster); 32233497 belonged to another soldier's NARA record
 
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{{Soldier
{{Soldier
|lede_on_page=1
|lede_on_page=1
|asn=32233497
|asn=31233497
|surname=Koehl
|surname=Koehl
|first=Robert
|first=Robert
|middle=L.
|middle=Lewis
|class_section=5B
|class_section=5B
|class_rank=Pfc
|class_rank=Pfc
Line 10: Line 10:
|death_year=2015
|death_year=2015
|nativity=United States
|nativity=United States
|enlistment_place=FT NIAGARA YOUNGSTOWN NEW YORK
|state=NEW YORK
|ipw_ge=108;175T
|ipw_ge=108;175T
|overseas=Y
|overseas=Y
|certificate=7057
|certificate=7057
|education=4 years of high school
|occupation=Tinsmiths coppersmiths and sheet metal workers
|marital=Single without dependents
|confidence=medium-high
|confidence=medium-high
|class_number=18
|class_number=18
|class_display=18
|class_display=18
|birth_place=Chicago
|birth_place=Chicago, Illinois
|rank_final=major
|rank_final=major
|birth_date=6 March 1922
|death_date=6 July 2015
}}
}}


<div class="soldier-lead">
<div class="soldier-lead">
Robert Lewis Koehl (6 March 1922 – 6 July 2015) was an American US Army Intelligence surveyor in Nazi German-occupied Europe during World War II, author, and a Professor Emeritus of history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
'''Robert Lewis Koehl''' (6 March 1922 &ndash; 6 July 2015) was an American Ritchie Boy who trained at [[Camp Ritchie]] in [[:Category:Class 18|Class 18]] and served as an interpreter with U.S. Army intelligence in Europe during World War II, and who became a historian of Nazi Germany and professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
</div>
</div>


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Robert Lewis Koehl (6 March 1922 – 6 July 2015) was an American US Army Intelligence surveyor in Nazi German-occupied Europe during World War II, author, and a Professor Emeritus of history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After the end of the war, Koehl made a name for himself for his research on national socialism, notably of studies on Heinrich Himmler as Reich Commissioner for the Consolidation of German Nationhood, as well as a pioneering work on the Nazi German during the Occupation of Poland (1939–1945). On 16 November 1942, Drafted into Army in Boston, MA as Pvt (ASN: 31233497). On 8 September 1944, Became a member of IPW Team 108 assigned to Headquarters of the. Koehl coined the term "neofeudalism" for the characterization of the national socialist rule, and completed an account of the history of the SS in 1983. Robert Lewis Koehl was born on 6 March 1922 in Chicago, Illinois. College at Harvard (History major). He studied in at Harvard University, where he was admitted as member of Phi Beta Kappa society. In 1943, Koehl married Lieselotte Franziska Eisenhardt, who had emigrated from Nazi Germany in 1939, and the couple had three children. During World War II he interrupted his studies for the war service, serving as surveyor and interpreter for the U.S. Army Intelligence in Nazi German-occupied Europe. He was trained at Camp Ritchie and was one of the Ritchie Boys. Back in Harvard he acquired his Master of Arts in 1947 with the work A Prelude to the Third Reich. In 1950, he earned his Doctor degree on Heinrich Himmler as Reich Commissioner for the Consolidation of German Nationhood. He subsequently taught at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and from 1964 until his retirement 1997 in the Department of Educational Policy Studies of University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, a department of which he was an early founder.
Robert Lewis Koehl was born on 6 March 1922 in Chicago, Illinois. He studied history at Harvard University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In 1943 he married Lieselotte Franziska Eisenhardt, who had emigrated from Nazi Germany in 1939.


== Research notes ==
Koehl interrupted his studies for war service and was drafted into the Army as a private in Boston, Massachusetts, on 16 November 1942; he also passed through the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP). He trained at Camp Ritchie and graduated with [[:Category:Class 18|Class 18]] on 10 June 1944 as a linguist (IPW), was promoted to technician fifth grade on 14 June 1944, and on 8 September 1944 became a member of [[Team IPW 108|IPW Team 108]], serving as a surveyor and interpreter for Army intelligence in German-occupied Europe.
* 31233497 ASTP
 
Back at Harvard, Koehl earned his Master of Arts in 1947 with the thesis "A Prelude to the Third Reich" and in 1950 his doctorate with a study of Heinrich Himmler as Reich Commissioner for the Consolidation of German Nationhood, published in revised form in 1957 and long one of the few works on Nazi settlement and population policy in occupied Poland. He taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Nebraska, and from 1964 until his retirement in 1997 at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he was an early founder of the Department of Educational Policy Studies and became professor emeritus of history. Koehl coined the term "neofeudalism" to describe Nazi rule and in 1983 published a comprehensive history of the SS. He died on 6 July 2015.


== Gallery ==
== Gallery ==
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|-
|-
| Approx Age at Death || 93
| Approx Age at Death || 93
|-
| Nara ASN || 32233497
|-
| Nara Name || WYDER MATTHEW J
|-
| Nara State || 23
|-
| Nara County || 37
|-
| Nara POE || 2329
|-
| Nara DOE || 100242
|-
| Nara Grade Alpha || PVT
|-
| Nara Grade Code || 8
|-
| Nara Branch Alpha || BI
|-
| Nara Branch Code || 0
|-
| Branch || Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
|-
| Nara Term or Enlistment || 5
|-
| Term of enlistment || Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
|-
| Defer. Date || 0
|-
| Nara Source || 0
|-
| Nara Nativity || 23
|-
| Nativity.1 || NEW YORK
|-
| Nara Year of Birth || 18
|-
| Nara Race || 1
|-
| Nara Race Description || White citizen
|-
| Nara Education || 4
|-
| Nara Civilian Occupation || 480
|-
| Nara Marital Status || 6
|-
| Nara Height (inches) || 66
|-
| Nara Weight (lbs) || 141
|-
|-
| Class_ASN || 31233497
| Class_ASN || 31233497
|-
|-
| Class_Name || KOEHL, Robert L.
| Class_Name || KOEHL, Robert L.
|-
| match_method || asn_near_name_exact
|-
| row_source || both
|}
|}


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<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
* 8 September 1944 Became a member of IPW Team 108 assigned to Headquarters of the.
* 6 March 1922 — Born in Chicago, Illinois.
* 18.
* 16 November 1942 — Drafted into Army in Boston, MA as Pvt (ASN: 31233497).
* Military Intelligence Service.
* 1943 — Married Lieselotte Franziska Eisenhardt.
* 10 June 1944 — Graduated with Class 18. Specialty: Linguist #2 IPW.
* 14 June 1944 — Promoted to T/5.
* 8 September 1944 — Became a member of IPW Team 108 (Military Intelligence Service).
* 1947 — MA, Harvard University.
* 1950 — PhD, Harvard University.
* 1964–1997 — Taught at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
* 1983 — Published a history of the SS.
* 6 July 2015 — Died.
</div>
</div>
</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>
</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>
== Research notes ==
* ASN 32233497 had been attached to this profile from a NARA enlistment record that belongs to Matthew J. Wyder, a different soldier; that record's data has been removed. The Camp Ritchie class roster's ASN 31233497 is correct.


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
Line 117: Line 72:
* 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
* 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)
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Robert L. Koehl for Camp Ritchie'' (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Robert L. Koehl for Camp Ritchie'' (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Koehl, Robert L. for Camp Ritchie'' (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: ROBERT L. KOEHL.doc)
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Koehl, Robert L. for Camp Ritchie'' (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: ROBERT L. KOEHL.doc)

Latest revision as of 04:12, 25 September 2026

Record status: unconfirmed. Class-roster match confidence is medium-high. Correct the infobox if you have a source, and note it on talk.
Robert Lewis Koehl
Personal details
Born6 March 1922
Chicago, Illinois
Died6 July 2015
NativityUnited States
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
ASN31233497
RankMajor
Rank at RitchiePrivate First Class
Camp RitchieClass 18 (13 April – 10 June 1944)
Section5B
TeamsIPW 108, IPW 175
Teammates
IPW 108
Engelmann, Frederick C. (0555151)
Fromme, Ludwig H. (35347837)
Koehl, Robert Lewis (31233497)
Lewenz, George F (35066795)
Naiman, Irving A. (32324720)
Schultz, Arthur R. (0555180)
IPW 175
Brawer, Joseph V. (32010875)
Koehl, Robert Lewis (31233497)
Lewenz, George F (35066795)
Madison, Gerald C. (39017209)
Naiman, Irving A. (32324720)
Perl, William R. (0555149)
Saborsky, Stephen L. (02049380)
Schultz, Arthur R. (0555180)
Stiefel, Walter S. (32874436)
Sturm, Peter K. (0484533)
Wahl, John R. (38377250)
These are the other soldiers currently on each team roster. Men were attached, transferred, and sent on throughout the war, so appearing together here does not mean they served in the same place at the same time.
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.


Robert Lewis Koehl (6 March 1922 – 6 July 2015) was an American Ritchie Boy who trained at Camp Ritchie in Class 18 and served as an interpreter with U.S. Army intelligence in Europe during World War II, and who became a historian of Nazi Germany and professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Robert Lewis Koehl was born on 6 March 1922 in Chicago, Illinois. He studied history at Harvard University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In 1943 he married Lieselotte Franziska Eisenhardt, who had emigrated from Nazi Germany in 1939.

Koehl interrupted his studies for war service and was drafted into the Army as a private in Boston, Massachusetts, on 16 November 1942; he also passed through the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP). He trained at Camp Ritchie and graduated with Class 18 on 10 June 1944 as a linguist (IPW), was promoted to technician fifth grade on 14 June 1944, and on 8 September 1944 became a member of IPW Team 108, serving as a surveyor and interpreter for Army intelligence in German-occupied Europe.

Back at Harvard, Koehl earned his Master of Arts in 1947 with the thesis "A Prelude to the Third Reich" and in 1950 his doctorate with a study of Heinrich Himmler as Reich Commissioner for the Consolidation of German Nationhood, published in revised form in 1957 and long one of the few works on Nazi settlement and population policy in occupied Poland. He taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Nebraska, and from 1964 until his retirement in 1997 at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he was an early founder of the Department of Educational Policy Studies and became professor emeritus of history. Koehl coined the term "neofeudalism" to describe Nazi rule and in 1983 published a comprehensive history of the SS. He died on 6 July 2015.

Gallery[edit | edit source]

After you are autoconfirmed, upload a photo and add [[File:Example.jpg|thumb|caption]] here, or set |photo=Example.jpg in the infobox.

Technical record[edit | edit source]

Field Imported value
Approx Age at Death 93
Class_ASN 31233497
Class_Name KOEHL, Robert L.

Timeline[edit | edit source]

  • 6 March 1922 — Born in Chicago, Illinois.
  • 16 November 1942 — Drafted into Army in Boston, MA as Pvt (ASN: 31233497).
  • 1943 — Married Lieselotte Franziska Eisenhardt.
  • 10 June 1944 — Graduated with Class 18. Specialty: Linguist #2 IPW.
  • 14 June 1944 — Promoted to T/5.
  • 8 September 1944 — Became a member of IPW Team 108 (Military Intelligence Service).
  • 1947 — MA, Harvard University.
  • 1950 — PhD, Harvard University.
  • 1964–1997 — Taught at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
  • 1983 — Published a history of the SS.
  • 6 July 2015 — Died.

Research notes[edit | edit source]

  • ASN 32233497 had been attached to this profile from a NARA enlistment record that belongs to Matthew J. Wyder, a different soldier; that record's data has been removed. The Camp Ritchie class roster's ASN 31233497 is correct.

Sources[edit | edit source]

  • Wikipedia: Robert Lewis Koehl
  • 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
  • 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
  • Dan Gross, Timeline of Robert L. Koehl for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
  • Dan Gross, Timeline of Koehl, Robert L. for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: ROBERT L. KOEHL.doc)
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