Victor Brombert, Beloved HA Alumnus, Renowned Scholar and WWII Hero, Dies at age 101
Victor Brombert, Harrisburg Academy alumni and graduate, distinguished literary scholar, World War II veteran, and revered professor of comparative literature, passed away on November 26, 2024 at the age of 101. A man whose life was shaped by intellectual pursuit and extraordinary courage, Brombert leaves behind an inspiring legacy that spans literature, history, and heroism.
Born in Berlin in 1923 to a Russian-Jewish family, Brombert’s early life was marked by displacement. Fleeing Nazi persecution, his family moved through France and Switzerland before ultimately settling in the United States in 1941. Brombert then attended Harrisburg Academy for his senior year in the 1941-1942 school year, where he quickly adapted to his new surroundings and distinguished himself as a gifted student. These formative years of upheaval instilled in him a deep understanding of exile and human resilience—themes that would later define his academic work.
Shortly after his graduation, Brombert was drafted into the army and sent to Camp Ritchie at the age of 19. During World War II, Brombert served in the U.S. Army as part of the famed Ritchie Boys, a secretive and elite intelligence unit trained to interrogate prisoners and gather frontline intelligence. His fluency in German, French, and Russian proved invaluable in the Allied efforts, particularly during the Normandy invasion and the Battle of the Bulge. Decades later, Brombert's wartime contributions were recognized in documentaries and news features, including a 2021 episode of 60 Minutes that brought renewed attention to the role of the Ritchie Boys in securing victory.
Following the war, Brombert pursued his passion for education and literature at Yale University, where he earned his B.A. in English in 1948 and Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literature in 1953. His scholarly journey led him to become one of the most respected voices in 19th- and 20th-century European literature. At Yale and later at Princeton University—where he served as the Henry Putnam University Professor—Brombert inspired generations of students with his incisive lectures and deep love for the written word.
Brombert’s works, of which there are 16 published, are celebrated for their profound insights into writers such as Flaubert, Kafka, Camus, and Primo Levi, and for his ability to marry rigorous scholarship with a humanistic understanding of art and literature. Brombert earned many honorary awards throughout his career including the Harrisburg Academy Academic Achievement Award at the Alumni Achievement Awards Ceremony in 2012. He was also elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society, among other honors.
Victor Brombert's life embodied the intersection of history and humanity. As a scholar, a soldier, and a survivor, he confronted the darkest chapters of the 20th century and emerged as a voice of clarity and compassion. He will be lovingly remembered by everyone here at the Academy, as well as countless students, colleagues, readers who were enriched by his words. He is survived by his beloved wife, Beth, their children, Marc and Lauren.
