Stefan Zweig

Stefan Zweig (1881-1942) was born into a wealthy Jewish family in Vienna, Austria. His father, Moritz Zweig, was a textile industrialist, and his mother, Ida Brettauer, was the daughter of a wealthy banker. Growing up in an environment full of culture and intellectual knowledge, Zweig became interested in art and literature from a young age. He studied philosophy in Vienna and completed his doctoral thesis on "The Philosophy of Hippolyte Taine" in 1904. In addition to this academic success, Zweig also embarked on a career as a writer from a young age.

Life and Social Environment
Zweig was recognized as an important member of intellectual circles in Europe in the early 20th century. Reaching the peak of his literary career in the 1920s and 1930s, the author traveled all over Europe and met many famous writers and thinkers. He formed close friendships with figures such as Sigmund Freud, Romain Rolland and Richard Strauss. During this period, Zweig actively participated in the cosmopolitan cultural life and intellectual movements of Europe.

Zweig's social environment contributed to his intellectual development and shaped his worldview. After World War I, Zweig witnessed the devastating effects of the war and became a cosmopolitan world citizen and advocated peace, human rights and cultural diversity. However, the rising wave of nationalism, fascism and anti-Semitism in Europe dealt a major blow to these ideals. With the rise of the Nazis to power in 1934, Zweig emigrated first to England, then to America and finally to Brazil. In 1940, he settled in Petrópolis, Brazil. The collapse of Europe under fascism created a deep pessimism in Zweig's soul and this pessimism shaped the last period of his life.

His Beliefs and Jewish Identity
Although Zweig was born into a Jewish family, religion did not play a decisive role in his life and works. Although he considered his Jewish identity to be an innate element, he adopted a cosmopolitan and universal worldview. In an interview, he stated that his family was Jewish "by chance". Nevertheless, Zweig, who occasionally used Jewish themes in his works, especially in stories such as "Buchmendel", described the suffering and social exclusion of Jewish characters.

Zweig also met Theodor Herzl and established an intellectual bond with him. However, he kept his distance from Herzl's Zionist movement and his book "The Jewish State", and prioritized universal human ideals. What was important to Zweig was the idea of being a citizen of the world, beyond nations or religions. He expressed this best in his autobiography "The World of Yesterday" and defined himself as a citizen of the world. In this work, he makes deep observations about the last years of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the devastating effects of World War I, and the cultural collapse of Europe.

His Ideas on Conscience and Human Values
Stefan Zweig was a writer who deeply examined the complexity of the human soul, its moral dilemmas, and conscience. One of the most prominent themes in his works is the moral consequences of the decisions a person makes when he is alone with his conscience in difficult times. Zweig masterfully handles the internal conflicts of individuals and how they are crushed under social pressures. For example, in his work "Conscience Against Tyranny", he tells the story of Castellio, a defender of free thought, and his struggle against the religious oppressive leader Calvin. In this work, Zweig defines conscience as the strongest human value that resists oppression and emphasizes that individuals must act in accordance with this value for their freedom.

Zweig believed that humanity should progress without losing its conscience. However, the destruction brought by World War II and the damage Europe suffered under fascism gradually destroyed these hopes of his. During his last years in Brazil, the hopelessness he felt about the future of Europe led him and his wife Lotte to commit suicide in 1942. However, the works he left behind continue to live on with his universal observations about the depths of the human soul.

Conscience and the Writer:
Stefan Zweig's life and works establish a deep connection with Conscience. The foundation's fundamental principles such as justice, freedom and freedom of conscience are frequently discussed themes in Zweig's writings. In particular, his works such as "Conscience Against Tyranny" defend the importance of human conscience against oppressive regimes and authorities. Zweig believed that individuals should not be crushed under social pressures and should act by listening to the voice of their own conscience. These views of Zweig can be an important source of inspiration for our foundation's volunteers and projects.

Stefan Zweig reminded humanity of the importance of conscience, justice and human rights with his works and tried to remain loyal to these values in his own life. These values, which coincide with the mission of our foundation, are still lived by people inspired by Zweig's ideas today.