H. A. Rey
H. A. Rey, born Hans Augusto Reyersbach on September 16, 1898, in Hamburg, Germany, was a notable writer and illustrator of children's books, best remembered for creating the beloved character Curious George. Rey's early artistic talent flourished during his education, but his life took a dramatic turn when he served in World War I. After the war, he pursued higher education in Germany and later worked in Brazil, where he met his wife, Margaret Waldstein. Together, they fled to Paris, and during the Nazi invasion of France, Rey faced suspicion due to his German heritage.
Remarkably, his manuscript for Curious George helped secure his release from detention, allowing him and his wife to escape just ahead of the Nazi forces. Rey eventually settled in New York City, where he became a naturalized citizen and continued to write and illustrate a plethora of children's books. While Curious George remains his most famous creation, Rey produced various other works that engaged young readers with themes of adventure and education. His legacy endures, particularly with the continued popularity of Curious George, which was adapted into a successful live-action film in 2005.
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H. A. Rey
Writer
- Born: September 16, 1898
- Birthplace: Hamburg, Germany
- Died: August 26, 1977
- Place of death: Boston, Massachusetts
Biography
H. A. Rey was born Hans Augusto Reyersbach on September 16, 1898, in Hamburg, Germany. He was the son of Alexander Reyersbach and Martha Reyersbach, née Windmuller. From an early age, he showed a talent for drawing, and during classes he would often practice in his sketchbook if he found the lessons particularly boring. During World War I, he served with the Infantry and Medical Corps on both the eastern and western fronts in William II’s army.
Reyersbach attended the University of Munich from 1919 to 1920, then returned to his native Hamburg to attend the University of Hamburg until 1923. After completing his degree, he became an executive in an import/export business based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a position he held until 1936. While he was in Brazil he met and married Margaret Waldstein, who shared both his love for art and his distaste for the Nazis. Shortly thereafter, the couple moved to Paris, France, and Reyersbach became a writer and illustrator of children’s books. When the Nazis invaded France, he fled to the United States, settling in New York City. He subsequently became a naturalized U.S. citizen, and legally changed his name to Rey.
Rey produced a large number of illustrated books for children, mostly dealing with exotic animals he had seen in zoos. It was with Curious George, however, a book about a mischievous little ape, that he achieved literary immortality. Although Curious George is generally described as a monkey, all of Rey’s drawings of him show the little primate as tailless and more closely resembling a chimpanzee.
Rey had originally written the first of the Curious George series while still living in France during the Sitzkreig or “phony war,” the period of heightened tension but in Western Europe that followed the Nazi invasion of Poland. Because Rey was of German origin, he came under suspicion as a possible spy during that period, and the French authorities decided to detain him for questioning. However, while interrogating him, the French officer came across the manuscript and was so enchanted by the antics of Curious George that he could not believe the little ape’s creator could be a Nazi spy. As a result, Rey and his wife were freed and thus were able to escape the Nazi invasion, riding bicycles just ahead of the Nazi lines.
Rey subsequently wrote an entire series of Curious George stories, although the last two, written shortly before Rey’s death in 1977, took on a more practical, educational character. In 2005, Curious George was made into a popular live- action motion picture. However, Curious George was by no means Rey’s only work, and he wrote a number of other children’s books, including the story of a carnivorous plant.