Hannah Arendt in the United States

Introduction to Hannah Arendt

Hannah Arendt (1906-1975), German-born American political scientist, noted for her writings on totalitarianism.

Arendt was born in Hannover, on October 14, 1906. After studies at three universities, she received her Ph.D. degree from the University of Heidelberg at the age of 22. In 1933 she went to France to escape the Nazis and, in 1941, fled to the United States, becoming a United States citizen in 1951. In New York City she worked as an editor and held key positions in several Jewish organizations. After the publication of her widely acclaimed Origins of Totalitarianism (1951), Arendt became a professor and lecturer at such schools as the University of California at Berkeley, Princeton University, and the University of Chicago. She died in New York City on December 4, 1975. Among her many other writings are The Human Condition (1958) and Eichmann in Jerusalem (1963). Her memoirs, Correspondence, 1926-1969, were published in 1992.” (1)

Resources

Notes and References

• Information about Hannah Arendt in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia

Guide to Hannah Arendt