Fast Facts
Birth: July 31, 1919 (Turin, Italy)
Death: April 11, 1987 (Turin, Italy)
Parents: Cesare Levi and Ester Luzzati
Education: The University of Turin (1937-41)
Spouse: Lucia Morpurgo
Inspirations: Jules Verne, Jack London, Sir William Bragg
Controversial death (suicide or not?)
Death: April 11, 1987 (Turin, Italy)
Parents: Cesare Levi and Ester Luzzati
Education: The University of Turin (1937-41)
Spouse: Lucia Morpurgo
Inspirations: Jules Verne, Jack London, Sir William Bragg
Controversial death (suicide or not?)
Early Life
Primo was born on July 31, 1919, in Turin, Italy. His father was an engineer, and he was the one to influence Primo into the field of science. On the other hand, his mother provided him with his love for literature. By the time Primo entered secondary school, most of Italy was anti-Semitic and he faced a lot of harassment and discrimination from his peers. In fact, all the Antisemitism (and the fact that Levi never responded to the Navy's drafting notice) almost cost Levi his high school diploma. At seventeen, Primo enrolled himself into the University of Turin. He had been inspired by the book Concerning the Nature of Things by Sir William Bragg to take courses in chemistry. Four years later he graduated summa cum laude in that very same field.
After university, he moved to the city of San Vittore, where he worked in an asbestos mine under a false name (in fear of persecution). On September 8, 1943, the Italian government fell to the Nazi Regime. This resulted in Primo hiding out at his non-Jewish friend's house to avoid being caught by the Gestapo. Eventually, he went up all the way to Val d'Aosta where he joined the "Justice and Liberty" movement. He ended up being captured by the Fascist militia, who were in alliance with the Nazi party. On December 13, he was taken to Fossoli di Capri, which was a deportation camp in central Italy.
On February 22, 1944, 650 Jews from Fossoli di Capri were stuffed into crowded cattle cars and taken to Auschwitz. Among them was Prisoner 174517, Primo Levi.
After university, he moved to the city of San Vittore, where he worked in an asbestos mine under a false name (in fear of persecution). On September 8, 1943, the Italian government fell to the Nazi Regime. This resulted in Primo hiding out at his non-Jewish friend's house to avoid being caught by the Gestapo. Eventually, he went up all the way to Val d'Aosta where he joined the "Justice and Liberty" movement. He ended up being captured by the Fascist militia, who were in alliance with the Nazi party. On December 13, he was taken to Fossoli di Capri, which was a deportation camp in central Italy.
On February 22, 1944, 650 Jews from Fossoli di Capri were stuffed into crowded cattle cars and taken to Auschwitz. Among them was Prisoner 174517, Primo Levi.
Auschwitz and Beyond
Primo spent a total of about eleven months at Auschwitz. During this time, he taught himself German by reading old publications on chemistry. He also bartered his ration of bread for German lessons with an older prisoner. It turned out that his academic skills earned Levi a job in IG Farben's lab, where he helped produce synthetic rubber instead of doing manual labor. During his last few months in Auschwitz, he developed scarlet fever and was moved to the camp's hospital. This was around the time the Soviet Army was approaching the camp. The Nazis, in an attempt to evacuate the camp, forced the prisoners to walk the long death march. Most of the prisoners died during this journey. However, because of his sickness, Levi was spared from the march and on January 27, 1945, he was liberated by the Soviet's Red Army.
Primo decided to take the long way home, going through Ukraine, Romania, Austria, Germany, Hungary, and Russia in a journey that lasted almost nine months. Primo spent the few months following his return to Turin recovering from the immense mental trauma he suffered, but also scarlet fever and malnutrition.
Upon his recovery, Primo began looking for a job again, venturing out all the way to Milan. During these travels, he began to tell his stories to the people he encountered along the way. At this time, he also met his future wife Lucia Morpurgo and had begun to write various pieces of poetry about Auschwitz. In 1946, he started working at Du Pont paint factory. The train system from the factory to Primo's home was pretty limited, so on weekdays, he would stay in the factory's dorms instead of returning home. He spent this time composing his first book Survival In Auschwitz, which described his time in Auschwitz―from his arrival to his liberation by the Red Army.
Survival in Auschwitz (originally called If This Is a Man) was published in 1947, the same year he married Lucia. He spent 1961 to 1963 working on The Truce, which he received the Premio Campiello literary award for. After the success of these two books, Primo kept on writing memoirs and poems about his experiences.
On April 11, 1987, at the age of 67, Primo Levi fell from his third story onto the street below. Many people have rendered this a suicide, possibly caused by trauma from his days at Auschwitz. But, some people doubt that. Other possibilities could be his childhood bullies and all the Antisemitism that surrounded him since his youth. The real reason for his untimely demise still remains a mystery.
Primo decided to take the long way home, going through Ukraine, Romania, Austria, Germany, Hungary, and Russia in a journey that lasted almost nine months. Primo spent the few months following his return to Turin recovering from the immense mental trauma he suffered, but also scarlet fever and malnutrition.
Upon his recovery, Primo began looking for a job again, venturing out all the way to Milan. During these travels, he began to tell his stories to the people he encountered along the way. At this time, he also met his future wife Lucia Morpurgo and had begun to write various pieces of poetry about Auschwitz. In 1946, he started working at Du Pont paint factory. The train system from the factory to Primo's home was pretty limited, so on weekdays, he would stay in the factory's dorms instead of returning home. He spent this time composing his first book Survival In Auschwitz, which described his time in Auschwitz―from his arrival to his liberation by the Red Army.
Survival in Auschwitz (originally called If This Is a Man) was published in 1947, the same year he married Lucia. He spent 1961 to 1963 working on The Truce, which he received the Premio Campiello literary award for. After the success of these two books, Primo kept on writing memoirs and poems about his experiences.
On April 11, 1987, at the age of 67, Primo Levi fell from his third story onto the street below. Many people have rendered this a suicide, possibly caused by trauma from his days at Auschwitz. But, some people doubt that. Other possibilities could be his childhood bullies and all the Antisemitism that surrounded him since his youth. The real reason for his untimely demise still remains a mystery.
Created by Asmita Ghosh