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Kaufman, Theodore Newman (18120159): Difference between revisions

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Theodore Newman Kaufman (February 22, 1910 – April 1, 1986), sometimes given incorrectly as Theodore Nathan Kaufmann, was an American Jewish businessman and writer.
'''Theodore Newman Kaufman''' (22 February 1910 &ndash; 1 April 1986), sometimes wrongly called Theodore Nathan Kaufmann, was an American businessman and pamphleteer whose self-published 1941 tract ''Germany Must Perish!'' was exploited by Nazi propaganda, and who trained at [[Camp Ritchie]] with [[:Category:Class 5|Class 5]] during World War II.
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== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Theodore Newman Kaufman (February 22, 1910 – April 1, 1986), sometimes given incorrectly as Theodore Nathan Kaufmann, was an American Jewish businessman and writer.
Theodore Newman Kaufman was born in Manhattan on 22 February 1910 to a Jewish family, the son of Anton Kaufman, a former reporter for the Berliner Morgen-Zeitung who had emigrated from Berlin in 1905, and Fannie Newman, who had married in March 1909. He had three brothers, Herbert, Julian, and Leonard. He attended South Side High School in Newark, New Jersey, graduating around 1928. In 1934 he and his blind father were arrested for robbing Sandor Alexander Balint of Budapest, from whom they had bought a wine-aging formula that they had come to consider worthless. His mother died in 1939.


In 1939, he published pamphlets as "chairman of the American Federation of Peace" that argued that Americans should be sterilized so that their children will no longer have to fight in foreign wars. The text was criticised for its extremism and generated limited attention in the United States. It was mostly used in Nazi propaganda, using it as proof that Jews were plotting for the genocide of the German people.
Kaufman ran a small advertising and ticket agency in South Orange, New Jersey, published the ''New Jersey Legal Record'', and founded the Argyle Press in Newark to issue his political pamphlets. A radical opponent of American involvement in European wars, in 1939 he wrote as president, and probably sole member, of an "American Federation of Peace". One pamphlet, "Passive Purchase", proposed a two-week curtailment of consumer spending to show opposition to intervention while calling for the strongest possible defense of the United States; another urged Congress to sterilize Americans rather than send them to a foreign war. The tracts drew little notice. In 1941 he self-published ''Germany Must Perish!'', which called for the mass sterilization of German men under 65 and most German women under 45 and the partition of Germany among its neighbors. Joseph Goebbels read it that August and seized on it, writing in his diary that its Jewish author had done Germany a real service and that the book could not have been better had it been written for the Nazis. The propaganda ministry used the book as supposed proof of a Jewish plan to destroy the German people in pamphlets, posters, and press guidance throughout the war, as late as a five-page section in the 1944 booklet ''Never!''. Kaufman rejected the suggestion that his book had prompted Nazi measures against Jews, noting that such cruelty long predated it.


He was born in Manhattan, on February 22, 1910, to Anton Kaufman and Fannie Newman. He was born to a Jewish family. His parents had married on March 14, 1909. His father had been a reporter for the Berliner Morgen-Zeitung in Berlin before emigrating to the United States in 1905. Theodore's three brothers were Herbert, Julian, and Leonard.
Kaufman entered the Army as a private at Santa Fe, New Mexico, on 24 April 1942 (ASN 18120159), and on 23 November 1942 he married Jean Siris in a civil ceremony in Harris County, Texas. Because of his language abilities he was sent to Camp Ritchie, where he trained with [[:Category:Class 5|Class 5]] (certificate 1058) and was recorded as a master sergeant; he served overseas. His three brothers also served in the war.


He attended South Side High School in Newark, New Jersey, and graduated around 1928.
After the war Kaufman withdrew from public life; the philosopher Berel Lang later failed to trace him in Newark records. He and his wife appear in the 1947 Montclair, New Jersey, directory, where he was listed in the painted textile business, and from 1949 to 1981 they sold "Charcrust Broil-It" barbecue seasoning from their home in East Orange, New Jersey. He died in East Orange on 1 April 1986.
 
In 1934, he was arrested along with his blind father, Anton Kaufman, for the robbery of Sandor Alexander Balint of Budapest. Balint had developed a process to increase the aging of wine. The Kaufmans had purchased this formula from Balint, but later came to believe that the formula was "worthless". Theodore Kaufman's mother died in 1939.
 
Kaufman became the owner of a small advertising agency and ticket agency in South Orange, New Jersey. He published the New Jersey Legal Record. Kaufman founded the Argyle Press of Newark, New Jersey to publish his political pamphlets.
 
Kaufman was a radical intent on preventing American involvement in future wars in Europe. In 1939, under the auspices of the "American Federation of Peace", an unknown entity of which he was the president and probably only member, Kaufman produced several publications. One pamphlet, titled "Passive Purchase" advocated the establishment of a two-week period during which Americans would curtail their spending in order to demonstrate public opposition to American intervention in European conflicts. In a section of the pamphlet on the American Federation of Peace's beliefs, Kaufman advocated for "the strongest possible military defense of the United States" and stated that "by keeping absolutely aloof from foreign wars and entanglements the American People face a truly great future."
 
A possible plea to Congress. ... Have Us All Sterilized! ... If You Plan On Sending Us To A Foreign War ... Spare Us Any Possibility Of Ever Bringing Children Into This World — Into This Country Of Ours!
 
Two years later he shifted his focus to the forced mass-sterilization of all German men under 65 and the sterilization of most German women under 45. This would eliminate "inbred Germanism," he proposed, thus solving a great deal of humanity's problems. He also promoted the distribution of Germany's lands among the neighboring countries. His effort was spearheaded by the self-publication of the book Germany Must Perish!
 
Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels read the book in early August and immediately grasped its value, writing in his diary: "This Jew did a real service for the enemy [German] side. Had he written this book for us, he could not have made it any better."
 
This is just a flimsy pretext for another of the innate cruelties of the German people ... I don't think it was my book that prompted this barbarity. They employed every possible German cruelty against the Jews long before my book was published.
 
The Nazi propaganda ministry continued to publish pamphlets, posters and flyers on Kaufman's ideas through the end of the war, and also urged newspapers and public speakers to remind Germans of Kaufman's book. Kaufman's last major appearance in Nazi propaganda occurred in late 1944, when a five-page section on him was included in the widely published booklet Never!, which described a number of alleged plots to destroy Germany. During this time he was also placed at Camp Ritchie because of his linguistic abilities, thus making him one of many Ritchie Boys. His three brothers also served.
 
Kaufman married the former Jean Siris in a civil ceremony on November 23, 1942, in Harris County, Texas.
 
After World War II, Kaufman disappeared entirely from public life. Berel Lang, a visiting professor of philosophy and letters at Wesleyan University, failed to locate Kaufman in the records of the city of Newark and in other sources.
 
Kaufman and his wife appear in the Montclair, New Jersey Directory in 1947. He is listed as being in the painted textile business at 50 Church Street, Montclair. From 1949 through 1981, the Kaufmans sold "Charcrust Broil-It" barbecue seasoning powder from their home in East Orange, NJ.
 
== Research notes ==


== Gallery ==
== Gallery ==
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== Timeline ==
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
* 22 February 1910 — Born in Manhattan, New York City.
* c. 1928 — Graduated from South Side High School, Newark.
* 1939 — Published pamphlets as the "American Federation of Peace".
* 1941 — Self-published ''Germany Must Perish!''.
* 24 April 1942 — Entered the Army as Pvt at Santa Fe, New Mexico (ASN 18120159).
* 23 November 1942 — Married Jean Siris in Harris County, Texas.
* 1949–1981 — Sold "Charcrust Broil-It" seasoning from East Orange, New Jersey.
* 1 April 1986 — Died in East Orange, New Jersey.
* Camp Ritchie Class 5 — Certificate # 1058; M/Sgt.
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== Technical record ==
== Technical record ==
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| Census_OCC || 156
| Census_OCC || 156
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== Research notes ==


== Sources ==
== Sources ==

Latest revision as of 04:11, 25 September 2026

Theodore Newman Kaufman
Theodore Newman Kaufman
Personal details
Birth nameTheodore Newman Kaufman
Born22 February 1910
New York City, New York
Died1 April 1986
East Orange, New Jersey
NativityUnited States
ReligionJewish
Known forGermany Must Perish!
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
ASN18120159
RankMaster Sergeant
Camp RitchieClass 5 (8 February – 9 April 1943)
Section5
EnlistedSanta Fe, New Mexico
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.


Theodore Newman Kaufman (22 February 1910 – 1 April 1986), sometimes wrongly called Theodore Nathan Kaufmann, was an American businessman and pamphleteer whose self-published 1941 tract Germany Must Perish! was exploited by Nazi propaganda, and who trained at Camp Ritchie with Class 5 during World War II.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Theodore Newman Kaufman was born in Manhattan on 22 February 1910 to a Jewish family, the son of Anton Kaufman, a former reporter for the Berliner Morgen-Zeitung who had emigrated from Berlin in 1905, and Fannie Newman, who had married in March 1909. He had three brothers, Herbert, Julian, and Leonard. He attended South Side High School in Newark, New Jersey, graduating around 1928. In 1934 he and his blind father were arrested for robbing Sandor Alexander Balint of Budapest, from whom they had bought a wine-aging formula that they had come to consider worthless. His mother died in 1939.

Kaufman ran a small advertising and ticket agency in South Orange, New Jersey, published the New Jersey Legal Record, and founded the Argyle Press in Newark to issue his political pamphlets. A radical opponent of American involvement in European wars, in 1939 he wrote as president, and probably sole member, of an "American Federation of Peace". One pamphlet, "Passive Purchase", proposed a two-week curtailment of consumer spending to show opposition to intervention while calling for the strongest possible defense of the United States; another urged Congress to sterilize Americans rather than send them to a foreign war. The tracts drew little notice. In 1941 he self-published Germany Must Perish!, which called for the mass sterilization of German men under 65 and most German women under 45 and the partition of Germany among its neighbors. Joseph Goebbels read it that August and seized on it, writing in his diary that its Jewish author had done Germany a real service and that the book could not have been better had it been written for the Nazis. The propaganda ministry used the book as supposed proof of a Jewish plan to destroy the German people in pamphlets, posters, and press guidance throughout the war, as late as a five-page section in the 1944 booklet Never!. Kaufman rejected the suggestion that his book had prompted Nazi measures against Jews, noting that such cruelty long predated it.

Kaufman entered the Army as a private at Santa Fe, New Mexico, on 24 April 1942 (ASN 18120159), and on 23 November 1942 he married Jean Siris in a civil ceremony in Harris County, Texas. Because of his language abilities he was sent to Camp Ritchie, where he trained with Class 5 (certificate 1058) and was recorded as a master sergeant; he served overseas. His three brothers also served in the war.

After the war Kaufman withdrew from public life; the philosopher Berel Lang later failed to trace him in Newark records. He and his wife appear in the 1947 Montclair, New Jersey, directory, where he was listed in the painted textile business, and from 1949 to 1981 they sold "Charcrust Broil-It" barbecue seasoning from their home in East Orange, New Jersey. He died in East Orange on 1 April 1986.

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.

Timeline[edit | edit source]

  • 22 February 1910 — Born in Manhattan, New York City.
  • c. 1928 — Graduated from South Side High School, Newark.
  • 1939 — Published pamphlets as the "American Federation of Peace".
  • 1941 — Self-published Germany Must Perish!.
  • 24 April 1942 — Entered the Army as Pvt at Santa Fe, New Mexico (ASN 18120159).
  • 23 November 1942 — Married Jean Siris in Harris County, Texas.
  • 1949–1981 — Sold "Charcrust Broil-It" seasoning from East Orange, New Jersey.
  • 1 April 1986 — Died in East Orange, New Jersey.
  • Camp Ritchie Class 5 — Certificate # 1058; M/Sgt.

Technical record[edit | edit source]

Field Imported value
Approx Age at Death 76
Nara ASN 18120159
Nara Name KAUFMAN THEODORE N
Nara State 22
Nara County 13
Nara POE 8365
Nara DOE 240442
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 10
Nara Race 1
Nara Race Description White citizen
Nara Education 5
Nara Civilian Occupation 6
Nara Marital Status 6
Nara Height (inches) 67
Nara Weight (lbs) 174
Class_ASN 18120159
Class_Name KAUFMAN, Theodore N.
match_method asn_exact_name_exact
row_source both
Census_HISTID 7685F9AD-47F4-41D6-90FC-F4F89BF516BF
Census_State NEW JERSEY
Census_Relate Child
Census_Sex Male
Census_Age 30
Census_BirthYear 1910
Census_Marital Never married/single
Census_Race White
Census_BPL NEW YORK
Census_MBPL 0
Census_FBPL 0
Census_Educ 1 year of college
Census_OCC 156

Research notes[edit | edit source]

Sources[edit | edit source]

  • Wikipedia: Theodore N. Kaufman
  • 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)
  • 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
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