Charles Krauthammer is a syndicated columnist who has earned a unique place in American political history. With passion and responsibility to his readers, viewers, and even history, he has worked and written about politics for nearly four decades. Though physically confined to a wheelchair for most of his life, Krauthammer’s thoughts and perspective were not.
The American not only played a huge role in politics in his native country, as he had an influence on policy makers and politicians around the world. Respected by fans and critics alike, his views have shaped generations of political thinkers. Krauthammer was considered the dean of conservative commentators and was once cited as the country’s most influential commentator. Join us to discover lesser-known facts about the psychiatrist, multi-award-winning political columnist, commentator, and best-selling author.
biography
Charles Krauthammer was born on March 13, 1950. The award-winning political expert is the son of Schlum and Thea Krauthammer. Although born in Manhattan, New York, he is ethnically mixed, having been of Ukrainian heritage on his father’s side and Belgian heritage on his mother’s side.
Given that both of his parents were Orthodox Jews, Krauthammer, who lives in Montreal, received his elementary education at a Hebrew school. For his tertiary studies, he graduated from McGill University with honors in economics and politics. He studied politics at Balliol College, Oxford on a Commonwealth scholarship and later received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School.
Interestingly, Krauthammer’s academic endeavors at Harvard were nearly stalled when he was involved in a springboard accident during his freshman year. The accident unfortunately affected his spinal cord, leaving his lower body permanently paralyzed under the neck. Though his journey to recovery took 14 months, Krauthammer remained undeterred in his academic aspirations, but completed medical school in 1975 as a wheelchair-bound psychiatrist.
career success
Before becoming a syndicated columnist, Charles Krauthammer was a sailing instructor in his youth. As a psychiatrist, he worked at Massachusetts General Hospital from 1975 to 1978, where he successfully conducted research and published before moving to Washington DC.
In the early 1980s he worked as an editor for Vice President Walter Mondale. Krauthammer then worked with Die Neue Republica as a writer and editor. His next job came in 1983 as a writer for Time Magazine and later The Washington Post. While working for the latter media company in 1987, he won his Pulitzer Prize for commentary. He was a former editor of The Weekly Standard and The New Republic . He has also worked as a political analyst, commentator and contributor for the FOX news channel .
Given how his weekly columns have been syndicated to more than 200 newspapers worldwide, it’s no surprise the Pulitzer Prize winner has received a host of other awards in his lifetime. In addition to being a political scientist, columnist, and commentator, Krauthammer is also the author of the bestselling book Things That Matter: Three Decades of Passion, Pastimes, and Politics .
who is his wife
Charles Krauthammer’s wife of many years is Robyn Krauthammer (née Trethewey), an Australian lawyer-turned-artist. The couple, who were college sweethearts at Oxford University, married in 1974. Robyn and Charles had a son together named Daniel.
During his lifetime Charles and Robyn Krauthammer were involved in charitable causes. Fearing that some of their Jewish traditions were all but lost and extinct, the couple formed a charitable foundation, Pro Music Hebraica, with the aim of preserving Jewish classical music.
Robyn Krauthammer, a qualified attorney, left the legal profession for artistry in the 1970s. She studied and trained at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington DC and the Maryland Institute College of Art and is fully focused on her art.
What happened to Charles Krauthammer, is he dead?
After a tough battle with colon cancer,Charles Krauthammer died on June 21, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia at the age of 68. The year before, in October 2017, he underwent surgery to remove the abdominal tumor. However, in early 2018, he revealed that he had complications from the surgery that were initially thought to be successful. Unfortunately, in June of the same year, the political expert bravely lost the fight against the serious illness.
More interesting facts you need to know
1. Krauthammer was bilingual. He spoke fluent French and Hebrew.
2. He was considered one of the most successful columnists of all time and his net worth before his death was estimated at $8 million.
3. Krauthammer was known for publicly praising his wife, whom he has credited over the years as a co-author of his life and inspiration.
4. Charles Krauthammer wasn’t the only child born to his parents. He had an older brother Marcel who died in 2006.