Karl Loewenstein | |
|---|---|
| Born | Karl Loewenstein 2 May 1887 |
| Died | 9 August 1975/1976 Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Rhineland-Palatinate, West Germany |
| Other names | Karl Loesten |
| Occupation | Banker |
| Political party |
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| Spouse | Margot Hamburger |
Karl Loewenstein (2 May 1887 – 9 August 1975/1976) was a German banker and naval officer. He was imprisoned in the Theresienstadt Ghetto in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia during World War II. In the ghetto, he served as the head of the Jewish police. After World War II, Loewenstein was rearrested and imprisoned without charge for a period of time by authorities of the reconstituted Czechoslovakia, purportedly due to mistaken identity.
Though a controversial[1] figure owing to his role in the ghetto hierarchy, historian H. G. Adler – another Theresienstadt internee – later credited Loewenstein's discipline and management as bringing "boons to the camp" and stated that his eventual removal from his post led to "misfortune" for the ghetto's inmates.