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Lewen, Simon J. (12138008): Difference between revisions
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Remove redundant Notable Ritchie Boys slides research note |
RB Archive: Lewen sources + portraits; Class 16 links |
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'''Simon J. Lewen''' (1918–2016) was a | '''Simon J. “Si” Lewen''' (8 November 1918–2016) was a Lublin-born artist and Camp Ritchie trainee ([[:Category:Class 16|Class 16]]) who served in loudspeaker/psychological-warfare work in France. | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
== Biography == | == Biography == | ||
Simon (“Si”) Lewen was born in Lublin, Poland | Simon (“Si”) Lewen was born on 8 November 1918 in Lublin, Poland; two years later his family moved to Berlin. When Hitler came to power in 1933, the fourteen-year-old left Germany for France with his elder brother. The family later obtained U.S. Visas, and Lewen arrived in New York in 1935, where he enrolled in art school. | ||
He volunteered for the U.S. Army in 1942 and trained at Camp Ritchie. In France he was assigned to loudspeaker work at the front, urging German soldiers to surrender—work that left him exhausted | He volunteered for the U.S. Army in 1942 and trained at [[Camp Ritchie]], Maryland, in [[:Category:Class 16|Class 16]] (technician fifth grade). In France he was assigned to loudspeaker / MRBC work at the front, urging German soldiers to surrender—work that left him exhausted by war’s end. He visited Buchenwald soon after liberation. After returning to the United States in 1945 he became a noted artist; in 1985 he decided never to sell a painting again. He died in 2016. | ||
== Research notes == | == Research notes == | ||
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== Gallery == | == Gallery == | ||
<div class="soldier-gallery"> | <div class="soldier-gallery"> | ||
<gallery mode="packed" heights=" | <gallery mode="packed" heights="220px"> | ||
Lewen, Simon (12138008).jpg|Earlier profile photograph (retained after press-photo update) | Lewen, Simon (12138008).jpg|Earlier profile photograph (retained after press-photo update) | ||
Lewen_Simon_J_12138008_portrait_4439.jpg|Si Lewen portrait (RB Archive). | |||
Lewen_Simon_J_12138008_portrait_4a.jpg|Si Lewen photograph (RB Archive). | |||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
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== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
* [https://www.theritchieboys.com/EN/boys_lewen.html theritchieboys.com — Si Lewen] | |||
* [https://www.silewen.com/ Si Lewen official site] | |||
* [https://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/video/2141770312/ PBS History Detectives — Web Extra interview with Si Lewen] | |||
* [https://www.gijewsfilm.com/interviews/si-lewen.php GI JEWS film interview page — Si Lewen] | |||
* [https://www.fold3.com/memorial/653585881/si-lewen Fold3 memorial — Si Lewen] | |||
* 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 02:24, 19 September 2026
| Simon J. Lewen | |
|---|---|
_press_TANGRAM.jpg) | |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Lewin Si |
| Born | 8 November 1918 Lublin, Poland |
| Died | 2016 |
| Nativity | Poland |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 12138008 |
| Rank | Technician Fifth Grade |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 16 (6 February – 5 April 1944) |
| Enlisted | Albany, New York |
On film Simon J. Lewen appears in The Ritchie Boys (Christian Bauer, 2004).
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.
Simon J. “Si” Lewen (8 November 1918–2016) was a Lublin-born artist and Camp Ritchie trainee (Class 16) who served in loudspeaker/psychological-warfare work in France.
Biography[edit | edit source]
Simon (“Si”) Lewen was born on 8 November 1918 in Lublin, Poland; two years later his family moved to Berlin. When Hitler came to power in 1933, the fourteen-year-old left Germany for France with his elder brother. The family later obtained U.S. Visas, and Lewen arrived in New York in 1935, where he enrolled in art school.
He volunteered for the U.S. Army in 1942 and trained at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, in Class 16 (technician fifth grade). In France he was assigned to loudspeaker / MRBC work at the front, urging German soldiers to surrender—work that left him exhausted by war’s end. He visited Buchenwald soon after liberation. After returning to the United States in 1945 he became a noted artist; in 1985 he decided never to sell a painting again. He died in 2016.
Research notes[edit | edit source]
- Ritchie Boy
- Artist of the Holocaust; Si Lewen Museum
Gallery[edit | edit source]
-
Earlier profile photograph (retained after press-photo update) -
Si Lewen portrait (RB Archive). -
Si Lewen photograph (RB Archive).
.jpg)
Technical record[edit | edit source]
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| MRBC3 | 3 |
| Approx Age at Death | 98 |
| Nara ASN | 12138008 |
| Nara Name | LEWIN SIMON J |
| Nara State | 23 |
| Nara County | 5 |
| Nara POE | 2302 |
| Nara DOE | 40942 |
| Nara Grade Alpha | PVT |
| Nara Grade Code | 8 |
| Nara Branch Alpha | SC |
| Nara Branch Code | 90 |
| Branch | Signal Corps |
| Nara Term or Enlistment | 0 |
| Term of enlistment | Unknown |
| Defer. Date | 3 |
| Nara Source | 0 |
| Nara Nativity | N0 |
| Nara Year of Birth | 18 |
| Nara Race | 1 |
| Nara Race Description | White citizen |
| Nara Education | 4 |
| Nara Civilian Occupation | 783 |
| Nara Marital Status | 6 |
| Nara Height (inches) | 62 |
| Nara Weight (lbs) | 114 |
| row_source | demographics |
Timeline[edit | edit source]
- Born 8 November 1918 in Poland.
- c. 1920 — Family moved from Lublin to Berlin.
- 1933 — Left Germany for France with his elder brother.
- 1935 — Arrived in New York; enrolled in art school.
- 1942 — Volunteered for the U.S. Army.
- 6 February 1944 — Entered Class 16 at Camp Ritchie.
- 1945 — Returned to the United States.
- 1985 — Stopped selling his paintings.
- Became naturalized citizen.
- Transferred to 2nd Mobile Radio Broadcasting Company (also 3rd MRBC).
Sources[edit | edit source]
- theritchieboys.com — Si Lewen
- Si Lewen official site
- PBS History Detectives — Web Extra interview with Si Lewen
- GI JEWS film interview page — Si Lewen
- Fold3 memorial — Si Lewen
- 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)
- Dan Gross, Timeline of Simon J. Lewen for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
- Dan Gross, Timeline of Lewen, Simon J. for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: SIMON J. LEWIN.doc)
- The Ritchie Boys: Si Lewen
- The Ritchie Boys film site — press photos (© TANGRAM (Harald Stuckmann); high-res https://ritchieboys.com/DL/photos-highq/boys/lewen.jpg)
