LUDWIG FREDERICK SCHAEFER

SCHAEFER LUDWIG FREDERICK
Ludwig Frederick Schaefer died on October 31, 2010 after a long illness. He was born in Maplewood, NJ in 1923 and spent most of his youth in Attleboro, MA. He graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy, attended Dartmouth College for his BA, Harvard University for his MA and Yale University for his Ph.D. in European History. His academic career began at the University of Tennessee and ended at Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh, PA where in a 32 year tenure he was both a professor and served as head of the History Department for 14 of those years. His particular interest was German history and he spent five years in postwar Switzerland and Germany as a student first at the University of Zurich and then at the University of Heidelberg. Reading was his favorite pastime, along with worldwide travel. His abiding interest in aesthetics was reflected in his love of modern art, architecture and classical music, and his sense of design and color became visible every year within the confines of his garden. He was known for his sense of humor, quick turn of phrase, and engaging smile. His devotion to teaching and specifically his commitment to making history live for his students was recognized in several professional awards, as well as the longevity of a number of his well-received history textbooks. This love of history also carried over in his dedication to his family and its German-Scottish heritage. He moved to the Beverwyck Retirement Community in the Albany, NY area where he spent the last 13 years of his life. He is survived by his wife Marguerite Jackson Schaefer, his children Martha Schaefer Hayes and August George Schaefer and his wife Nicole Mronz and five grandchildren Andrew Jacob Hayes, Laura Marguerite Hayes, Ava Augusta Mronz, Calla Marguerite Mronz and Marou Jacqueline Mronz. Gifts in memory can be sent to the Marguerite J. Schaefer Institute, supporting improved skill development of caregivers in nursing home settings, at The Beverwyck, 40 Autumn Drive, Slingerlands, NY.
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