| Stephan Heinz Lewy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1925 Germany, Of Jewish Faith |
| Died | 9 November 2021 |
| Nativity | Germany |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 31371862 |
| Rank | Private |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 15 (4 January – 3 March 1944) |
| Section | 7A |
| Enlisted | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Specialty | Military intelligence |
| Unit / division | 6th Armored Division |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Stephan Heinz Lewy (1925 – 9 November 2021), also known as Stephen/Heinz Stephan Lewy, was a Berlin-born Jewish orphan, Kindertransport refugee, and Ritchie Boy of Camp Ritchie Class 15. Drafted in 1943 at Boston, he trained for military intelligence and served with the 6th Armored Division, including the Battle of the Bulge and the liberation of Buchenwald.
Biography
Stephan Heinz Lewy (1925–2021) was born in Berlin and raised in an orphanage. In 1939 he was sent with other orphanage children to France on a Kindertransport; a Kindertransport identification paper for the German-Jewish refugee child Heinz Stephan Lewy survives in the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. He emigrated to the United States in 1942 and was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943 at age 18.
Because of his language skills he trained at Camp Ritchie in class 15 (section 7A) and served with the 6th Armored Division, landing at Utah Beach shortly after D-Day. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge and participated in the liberation of Buchenwald. He died on 9 November 2021—the anniversary of Kristallnacht—at age 96.
After the war Lewy lived in Buffalo, New York. He was featured among the Ritchie Boys discussed in Bruce Henderson's Sons and Soldiers and appeared in local Holocaust-education resources including the Holocaust Resource Center of Buffalo.
The timeline research also records Worked as clerk in office and attended night school. (From Camp Ritchie records at NARA, published biography, oral histories and Internet). 2/10/1944 Became naturalized citizen in Baltimore (#6154240). 6/25/1942 Arrived in New York (Brooklyn) and reunited with parents. 8/1940 Moved to Chateau de Chabannes (ORT) Children’s Home, Limoges.
Research notes
- Also Class 11 OB
- OB 35
- 3/11/1925-A
Gallery
Technical record
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Nara ASN | 31371862 |
| Nara Name | LEWY S/EPHAN A |
| Nara State | 13 |
| Nara County | 25 |
| Nara POE | 1306 |
| Nara DOE | 200843 |
| Nara Grade Alpha | PVT |
| Nara Grade Code | 8 |
| Nara Branch Alpha | NO |
| Nara Branch Code | 2 |
| Branch | No branch assignment |
| 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 Nativity | N1 |
| Nara Year of Birth | 25 |
| Nara Race Description | Unknown |
| Nara Education | 1 |
| Nara Civilian Occupation | 105 |
| Nara Marital Status | 6 |
| Nara Height (inches) | 0 |
| Nara Weight (lbs) | 0 |
| Class_ASN | 31371862 |
| Class_Name | LEWY, Heinz S. |
| match_method | pass2_asn_last |
| row_source | both |
Timeline
- 3/11/1925 Born in Berlin as Heinz S. Lewy (father Jewish, mother Protestant).
- 3/3/1944 Graduated with Class 15 (French linguist).
- 4/21/1944 Graduated Order of Battle Class 11.
- 5/24/1944 Promoted to S/Sgt.
- 7/19/1944 Landed at Utah Beach. Assigned to 6th Armored Division with Order of Battle.
- Helped prepare detailed history of the 6th Armored Division’s WW2 history.
- Team 35. Other members: Lt. William Szabo (1913-2003), M/Sgt Alexander Castle (1915-1997). Served at Battle of the Bulge, through Belgium and Germany, ultimately meeting Russians at Chemnitz.
Sources
- 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)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2018-01-26 (2 posts)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2018-07-26 (4 posts)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-08-30 (1 post)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2024-09-25 (1 post)
- Facebook-linked source: jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com
- Facebook-linked source: hrcbuffalo.org
- Facebook-linked source: buffalonews.com
- Facebook-linked source: bit.ly
- Facebook-linked source: buffalojewishfederation.org
- Dan Gross, Timeline of Stephan Heinz Lewy for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 2 source documents reviewed)
- Dan Gross, Timeline of Lewy, Stephan Heinz for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 2 source files: STEPHAN LEWY (2021).doc, STEPHAN LEWY.doc)