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The Unbreakable Spirit: 7 Essential Facts About Robert Clary, The Last Hogan's Hero And Auschwitz Survivor

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The incredible life of Robert Clary, a French-born actor who became a beloved face on American television, is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit. As of December 20, 2025, his story continues to resonate deeply, not just for his role as the feisty Corporal Louis LeBeau on the iconic 1960s sitcom *Hogan's Heroes*, but for the harrowing true story he carried with him: surviving the Nazi concentration camps of World War II. Clary's passing in late 2022 marked the end of an era, solidifying his status as the last main cast member of the famous show, but his dual legacy—as a comedic actor and a tireless advocate for Holocaust remembrance—remains an essential chapter in entertainment and world history. Robert Clary’s journey from a young singer in Paris to a Hollywood star and a powerful voice for survivors is one of profound courage and enduring optimism. He was a man who found humor in the darkest of times and used his platform to ensure the world never forgot the atrocities he witnessed, a commitment that defined the later decades of his life.

Robert Clary: A Complete Biography and Profile

Robert Clary, born Robert Max Widerman, led a life that spanned nearly a century, marked by extraordinary highs and unimaginable lows. His personal history is as compelling as any character he ever played, rooted in a strong Parisian Jewish family and culminating in a significant Hollywood career.

  • Full Name: Robert Max Widerman
  • Date of Birth: March 1, 1926
  • Place of Birth: Paris, France
  • Date of Death: November 16, 2022
  • Age at Death: 96
  • Cause of Death: Natural Causes
  • Spouse: Natalie Cantor Metzger (m. 1965; d. 1997)
  • Father: Max Widerman (had 14 children, Robert was the youngest)
  • Key Role: Corporal Louis LeBeau on *Hogan's Heroes* (1965–1971)
  • Concentration Camp Number: A5714 (tattooed at Auschwitz)
  • Autobiography: *From the Holocaust to Hogan's Heroes* (2001)

From The Holocaust to Hogan's Heroes: Clary's Unforgettable Journey

The story of Robert Clary is inextricably linked to the Holocaust, an experience he carried with him every day. Unlike his fictional counterpart, Corporal LeBeau, who was a prisoner of war in a German camp, Clary was a real-life survivor of the Nazi death machine.

The Nightmare of Auschwitz and Buchenwald

At the age of 16, in 1942, Robert Clary and 13 members of his immediate family were arrested and deported from Paris. He was sent to the infamous concentration camp, Auschwitz, where he was tattooed with the identification number A5714 on his forearm. Clary was later transferred to Buchenwald, where he remained until the camp's liberation in April 1945.

Tragically, Clary was one of only three members of his immediate family to survive the camps; his parents and ten siblings perished. He later recounted that his ability to sing and entertain the guards was what ultimately saved his life, a grim irony that foreshadowed his future career in entertainment.

A Post-War Career Blossoms

After the war, Clary immigrated to the United States and quickly found success. His career began in music, where his talent as a singer led to appearances on Broadway, most notably in the 1952 revue *New Faces of 1952*. He also appeared in films such as *Ten Tall Men* and *Thief of Damascus*.

A pivotal moment came when he met the legendary entertainer Eddie Cantor, who became his mentor. This connection led him to marry Cantor’s daughter, Natalie Cantor Metzger, in 1965.

The Defining Role on Television

In 1965, Clary was cast as Corporal Louis LeBeau in the ensemble comedy *Hogan's Heroes*. The show, set in a German POW camp during WWII, was a controversial premise, yet it became a massive hit, running for six seasons until 1971.

Clary, along with co-star Werner Klemperer (Colonel Klink) and John Banner (Sergeant Schultz), were all Jewish and had fled the Nazis. Clary initially struggled with the concept of a comedy set in a POW camp, but he ultimately agreed to the role on the condition that the show would never make light of the concentration camps.

LeBeau, the diminutive French cook and master escape artist, became Clary's most famous role. The success of the show gave Clary a global platform, which he would later use for a far more serious purpose.

Beyond Stalag 13: Clary's Commitment to Remembrance

Following the end of *Hogan's Heroes*, Robert Clary's acting career continued with a lengthy run in American daytime soap operas. He became a familiar face to a new generation of viewers with recurring roles on *Days of Our Lives*, *The Young and the Restless*, and *The Bold and the Beautiful*. However, his true passion in his later years was dedicated to historical preservation and education.

The Silence is Broken

For the first three decades after the war, Clary rarely spoke publicly about his experiences in the camps. He felt that the world was not ready to hear the truth, and he feared being defined solely by the trauma. However, as Holocaust denial began to gain traction in the late 1970s and 1980s, Clary felt a moral imperative to speak out.

He retired from acting in 2001, the same year he published his powerful autobiography, *From the Holocaust to Hogan's Heroes*.

A Tireless Educator and Witness

Clary committed the final decades of his life to sharing his story. He became a tireless lecturer, speaking at schools, universities, and museums across the country. His testimony was direct, unvarnished, and deeply moving, serving as a vital counterpoint to the fictionalized war he portrayed on television.

He was one of the first 100 Holocaust survivors interviewed for the USC Shoah Foundation’s Visual History Archive, a monumental project to record the testimonies of survivors. Clary’s commitment was so profound that he himself conducted over 75 interviews for the archive, ensuring that others' stories were also preserved.

His message was simple but profound: "They write books and articles about the Holocaust, and they say it's not true. I was there. I have the number." The number A5714 on his arm was not a mark of shame, but a permanent, undeniable historical record.

Robert Clary's life was a bridge between the darkest chapter of the 20th century and the light of entertainment. He taught the world that survival is a form of resistance, and that even after enduring the worst of humanity, one can still choose to live a life full of purpose, love, and laughter. His legacy endures as a powerful call to remembrance and a celebration of the unbreakable human spirit.

robert clary
robert clary

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