Longtime professor Henry Remak remembered for love of simple things

Not only is it fair to say many have breathed easier because Henry Remak lived, but his benevolence influenced everyone he came in contact with.

Remak died last week in his Bloomington home off Maxwell Lane. He was 92.

Remak was professor emeritus of comparative literature and Germanic and Western European Studies. Never using e-mail – just a typewriter – and not having driven a car since the 1960s, those who knew him said Remak found joy in life’s simple things.

“Gosh, he was the most unpretentious, down-to-earth person I’ve – there’s so many things, so many facets I don’t even know where to turn to discuss what to touch on,” said Larry Lee, a former student of Remak’s.

After his graduation in 1996, Lee established the Henry H.H. Remak Professorship. The professorship rotates every three years and acknowledges professors who represent great merit in Germanic studies, West European studies and comparative literature.

When creating the professorship, Lee “could not afford to” fund the operation, he said, as he wanted to establish it while Remak was still alive.

“I just enjoyed the man and respected him so much. He was the most incredible person I ever met,” Lee said. “It’s hard for me to articulate exactly – he’s a unique combination. He could engage you after an absence of many months or even years.”

Remak was born in 1916 into a Jewish family in Germany. He left Nazi Germany at the age of 20 in 1936 to reside in Bloomington. The YMCA program found him a
Jewish fraternity, Sigma Alpha Mu, where he could stay for free, and the rest of his
family soon followed, just escaping the Holocaust.

Without having any way to pay for his education, Remak visited former IU President
William Lowe Brian and asked if he could be a student free of charge. Brian, who grew fond of Remak, let him receive the education he sought.

Justin Shea, member of Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity, graduated from IU in 2000 – an honor he would not be able to claim if it were not for Remak.

“It was after first semester freshman year, and I had tanked the semester. The school couldn’t wait to turn me home,” Shea said. “I was pledging, that’s probably the reason.”

After feeling devoid of all hope, a brother told Shea of a professor who was a member of Sigma Alpha Mu.

“He heard my story, and without even knowing me he went to bat for me,” Shea said of Remak.

Remak pulled the strings he could and got Shea re-enrolled in the University.

“It showed how much he owed to the fraternity,” Shea said. “He took brotherhood to a whole new level.”

After Shea was given a second chance, he did not lose touch with Remak.

Remak was at Shea’s graduation, serving as honorary dean for one of the schools.
After congratulations from Remak, Shea explained how he couldn’t have done it without him.

“He shook my hand and in some words told me, ‘You did it yourself,’” Shea said.
Lee said whenever he returned to campus after graduating, he would visit Remak’s home on Maxwell Lane, either as a first stop or whenever it was convenient for Remak.

Lee paused. His voice cracked and broke down.

“As I speak, I want to keep it together ‘cause he’s gone now,” he said.

After IU, Lee met many people, but he said none compared to Remak.

“I’ve went on to Harvard Law School, and I’ve met some incredibly fine professors and fine people from the business world and have rubbed elbows with wonderful, prominent people – and prominent for all the right reasons,” Lee said, “but Henry Remak was unique. He was what humanity is all about.”

Although Remak retired in 1987, he was still very much involved in the intellectual atmosphere of IU, said William Rasch, chair of Germanic studies.

After Remak’s retirement, he voluntarily taught in the Hutton Honors College.

Some are working to organize a memorial service for Remak toward the end of March. His family will try to get his former students to attend, said Remak’s daughter, Heidi Ziff said.

“He was a great guy. I’ve been living with him for 62 years,” said Remak’s wife, Ingrid. “That’s a long time.”