Walter Kaufmann

Date of Birth: July 1, 1921

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Date of Death: September 4, 1980

Biography

Walter Arnold Kaufmann was a prominent German-American philosopher, translator, and poet, best known for his scholarship on existentialism and his translations and interpretations of Friedrich Nietzsche’s works. Born on July 1, 1921, in Freiburg, Germany, Kaufmann emigrated to the United States in 1939 to escape the Nazi regime. He pursued his education at Williams College and later at Harvard University, where he earned his Ph.D. in philosophy. Kaufmann’s academic career was primarily spent at Princeton University, where he taught for over three decades. He was a prolific writer, authoring numerous books and essays on various philosophical topics, including existentialism, religion, and literature. His notable works include “Nietzsche: Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist,” “Existentialism: From Dostoevsky to Sartre,” and “Critique of Religion and Philosophy.” Kaufmann’s translations of Nietzsche’s works are widely regarded as some of the best in the English language. His ability to capture Nietzsche’s complex ideas and lyrical style made Nietzsche’s philosophy more accessible to an English-speaking audience. Kaufmann passed away on September 4, 1980, in Princeton, New Jersey, leaving behind a legacy of rigorous scholarship and profound philosophical inquiry.

5 Interesting Facts about Walter Kaufmann

1. Kaufmann was a polyglot, fluent in multiple languages including German, English, French, and Latin.

2. He converted from Judaism to Christianity as a teenager but later became a staunch critic of organized religion.

3. Kaufmann served in the U.S. Army during World War II, where he worked as a translator and interrogator.

4. He was an accomplished pianist and often incorporated musical themes into his philosophical writings.

5. Kaufmann’s translation of Nietzsche’s “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” is considered one of the most accurate and poetic renditions available in English.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Walter Kaufmann

1. “I am a man who values the integrity of the mind and the depth of the heart.”

2. “The deepest insights spring from pain and suffering; they are the gifts of the most acute crises.”

3. “To understand a philosopher, one must understand his life and times as well as his work.”

4. “True philosophy should make life more bearable, not more complicated.”

5. “We must learn to face life without illusions, to live without myths and to embrace the reality of our existence.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

There is no publicly available information on Kaufmann’s net worth, as he was primarily an academic and not known for accumulating significant personal wealth.