The Jewish News is an
incredible resource, and
its coverage of the arts
Building Bridges
and Israel is great.
toward medical studies," said Roslyn
Schindler. "But he found that the
Senior Copy Editor
humanities were his strength and pas-
sion. He developed an interest in
arvin Schindler believed
German and followed that path."
intensely that global
Professor Schindler earned his bache-
understanding could be
enhanced by having col- lor's at U-Mass in Germanic languages
and literatures and master's and doctoral
lege students study abroad.
degrees at Ohio State University in
Making this belief his life's mission,
Columbus. He chaired WSU's depart-
Professor Schindler, an expert in 17th-
ment of Romance and Germanic lan-
century German baroque literature,
guages and literatures from 1974-1983.
headed Wayne State University's Junior
Professor Schindler also authored the
Year in Germany program from 1975-
book The Sonnets of Andreas
1993, encouraging thousands
Gryphius; co-edited a collec-
of students to spend a year in
tion
of scholarly essays, a
Freiburg or Munich, Germany.
Festschrift
in Honor of Diether
For more than 20 years,
and
served as book
Haenicke;
Professor Schindler and his
review
editor
of
the German
wife, Roslyn Schindler, an asso-
Quarterly.
ciate professor who teaches
In recognition of his con-
Holocaust studies at WSU,
tributions
to international
spent every summer at the
education,
he was honored by
University of Freiburg. The
the
University
of Freiburg in
couple gained insight about
1982
with
its
silver
medallion
the German people and devel- Marvin Schindler
and
in
1985
with
the
desig-
oped many local friendships.
nation of University Senator.
In the mid-1980s, they spent
'We considered Freiburg a beloved sec-
two entire academic years at Freiburg.
ond
home," said Roslyn Schindler, "so
The Germans were so appreciative of
much
so that Marvin told me he wanted
Professor Schindler's efforts that, in 1987,
to
be
cremated
with half his ashes buried
the West German government bestowed
or
scattered
in
Freiburg
and half to be
upon him its highest civilian award —
buried with me. That's how strong the
the Medal of Honor, First Class.
feeling was."
Professor Schindler, of Huntington
Professor Schindler believed fiercely in
Woods, died June 11, 2003, at age 71.
many
causes connected with peace, social
He had fought off several illnesses over
justice,
the arts and education, said his
the past few years, including Parkinson's
wife.
disease, advanced diabetes and cardiac
The Schindlers belonged to
problems.
"Marvin and I both had a strong affin- Congregation T'chiyah in Royal Oak.
He also loved the Reconstructionist
ity to remembering the Holocaust and
Jewish
community, and we have both
the commitment to Holocaust educa-
felt
a
very
comfortable, warming, sup-
tion," Roslyn Schindler said.
portive
and
inspiring home therein for
"He often talked with synagogue
over
25
years,"
she said.
groups on what it felt like being Jewish
There will be a memorial service for
and living in Germany" she said. "We
Professor Schindler 2 p.m. Sunday, June
felt very comfortable there. We made
29, at Congregation Beth Shalom in
very good friends. We both felt very
Oak Park.
strongly Jewish and were respected for
Marvin Schindler is survived by his
who we were and why we were there.
wife
of 28 years, Roslyn Abt Schindler;
The overarching goal of promoting
their son, Neal; children by his prior
education and helping students gain
marriage to Patricia Schindler: Daniel
global understanding of each other was
(Karon) Schindler, Lore Schindler and
our purpose and we always felt very
Inge
(John) Slater; grandson Jonathan
comfortable and happy in Germany."
Slater;
brother and sister-in-law, Charles
But how did the Jewish scholar, born
and
Barbara
Schindler; mother-in-law,
in Roxbury Mass., and married to the
Goldie
Abt.
daughter of Holocaust survivors,
He was the dear brother of the late
become an expert in German literature
Frances Waterman.
and come to love modern Germany,
Contributions may be made to
"adopting" it as his second home?
Congregation
T'chiyah, do Sheldon
"When Marvin began his studies at
Kohn,
10044
Nadine,
Huntington
the University of Massachusetts at
Woods,
MI
48070.
Fl
Amherst, he intended to follow a path
DAVID SACHS
- Ron, Huntington Woods
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