Life and work Leopold Kohr

leopold kohr’s best known book

kohr grew in small town of oberndorf near salzburg, , remained ideal of community. commented on fact christmas carol silent night written , composed stille nacht in home village. earned doctorate degrees in law, @ university of innsbruck, austria, , political science, @ university of vienna. studied economics , political theory @ london school of economics.

in 1937, kohr became freelance correspondent during spanish civil war, impressed limited, self-contained governments of separatist states of catalonia , aragon, small spanish anarchist city-states of alcoy , caspe. became close friend of journalist george orwell , shared offices correspondents ernest hemingway , andré malraux.

kohr fled austria in 1938 after annexed nazi germany , emigrated united states. later became american citizen.

kohr taught economics , political philosophy @ rutgers university, in u.s. state of new jersey, 1943 1955. 1955 1973, professor of economics , public administration in university of puerto rico, in san juan, except period in 1965-66 when professor of economics @ university of americas in mexico city, mexico; during these years developed concepts of village renewal , traffic calming, , lent advice local city planning initiatives. advised independence movement of nearby island of anguilla.

after many rejections american , british publishers, kohr s first book, breakdown of nations, published in 1957 in britain after chance meeting anarchist sir herbert read.

kohr moved puerto rico wales, taught political philosophy @ university college of wales, aberystwyth 1968 until 1977. project of welsh independence, founded on ideal of cymdeithas (community) dear him, , kohr became mentor plaid cymru , close friend of leader, gwynfor evans. after retiring teaching, kohr divided time between gloucester, england, , hellbrunn, outside salzburg.

in 1983, in stockholm, sweden, kohr received right livelihood award, inspiration of movement human scale. in 1984, salzburg created leopold kohr academy , cultural association tauriska put theories of regional autonomy practice.

kohr planning return hometown of oberndorf live when died in 1994. ashes buried in oberndorf. salzburg journalist gerald lehner completed biography of kohr, based in part on long audiotaped interviews, in 1994.

kohr charming conversationalist , witty, elegant debunker of popular assumptions. author ivan illich describes him funny bird—meek, fey, droll, , incisive , unassuming , radically humble.