{{Short description|French pedagogue and researcher (1924–2024)}} {{use dmy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Arno Stern | image = PEW5585arnostern.png | landscape = yes | caption = Stern in his studio, the {{lang|fr|Closlieu}} on {{ill|rue Falguière|fr}}, Paris | birth_date = {{birth date|1924|6|23|df=y}} | birth_place = Kassel, Hesse, Germany | death_date = {{death date and age|2024|6|30|1924|6|23|df=y}} | death_place = Paris, France | occupation = {{flatlist| * Pedagogue * Researcher }} | spouse = Michéle Stern | children = 3, including Bertrand | website = {{URL|https://arnostern.com/}} }}

'''Arno Stern''' (23 June 1924 – 30 June 2024) was a German-born French pedagogue and researcher.

== Life and career == Stern was born on 23 June 1924, in Kassel, Hesse, Germany. He attended a school there for three years before emigrating to France with his parents after Hitler came to power. After the outbreak of World War II, the family continued to flee to Switzerland. Together with around 300 other refugees, Stern spent his youth there in a makeshift factory building until the end of the war. During this internment period, the refugees were looked after by aid agencies that provided them with books, including about art history. He was a refugee for 12 years.<ref name=Brigitte>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.malortmitte.de/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Familie-Stern-Brigite-Women.pdf|access-date=3 July 2024|via=malortmitte.de|magazine=Brigitte|language=de|author1=Ariane Heimbach|author2=Thomas Rusch|title=Beziehungsportrait: Michè und Arno Stern|date=February 2024|pages=68–73}}</ref> Stern also used his limited free time to draw in these years. After years of internment and statelessness, Stern returned to France with his family after the war and became a French citizen.<ref name=Kalmann>{{harvnb|Kalmann|2012|pp=7ff}}</ref>

He was married to Michéle Stern<ref name=Brigitte /> and the couple have two sons (Bertrand Stern<ref name=sternstunde>{{Cite web|url=https://kinderwaerts.de/sternstunde-mit-bertrand-stern/|title=Sternstunde mit Bertrand Stern|date=2018-06-01|website=Kinderwärts|language=de-DE|access-date=2020-03-18}}</ref> (born 1948) and André Stern{{sfn|Stern|Stern|2011}} (born 1971)) and a daughter (Elénore Stern (born 1978 or 1979<ref name=Kalmann />)). His first son, Bertrand, went to school but did not like it there,<ref name=sternstunde /> which is why his later born children were unschooled.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=André Stern – Home|url=https://www.andrestern.com/en|access-date=2024-07-03|website=andrestern.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|type=interview|title=A Life of Learning & Passion|author=Edith Chabot-Laflamme|url=https://www.life.ca/lifelearning/1210/Interview-with-Grown-Unschooler-Andre-Stern.htm|access-date=2024-07-03|magazine=Life Learning Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Die Schule nach der Schule|language=de|author=Henning Köhler|date=January 2014|url=https://www.erziehungskunst.de/archiv-suche/archiv/die-schule-nach-der-schule|access-date=2024-07-03|website=erziehungskunst.de}}</ref>

Over time, the media became aware of Stern's work. He was interviewed several times, reports were made and he wrote articles about his work.<ref>Olivier Keller: ''Denn mein Leben ist Lernen. Wie Kinder aus eigenem Antrieb die Welt erforschen'', Mit-Kindern-Wachsen, Freiamt im Schwarzwald 1999, {{ISBN|3-933020-06-9}}, pp. 21f</ref>

UNESCO also became aware of Stern and delegated him as an expert to the first international congress on art education in Bristol. On 9 September 2019 Stern was honored by UNESCO and the Paris-Sorbonne University.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://unesco.delegfrance.org/Liste-des-patronages-accordes-par-la-Commission-nationale-francaise-pour-l|title=Liste des patronages accordés par la Commission nationale française pour l'UNESCO|website=La France à l’UNESCO}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.painting-room.ch/blog/la-trace-de-la-memoire-organique-sous-le-patronage-unesco/|title=La trace de la mémoire organique – sous le patronage UNESCO |website=Painting Room Basel}}</ref>

Stern turned 100 on 23 June 2024. He died a week later, on 30 June.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/share/p/St75wzego8X3Z4RA/|access-date=3 July 2024|title=Last night, Arno Stern passed away|date=1 July 2024|website=Facebook|language=en,de,fr}} Posted by {{Facebook|id=arnosternofficial|name=arnosternofficial}}.</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Arno Stern e la traccia naturale che è in noi|trans-title=Arno Stern and the natural trace that is within us|url=https://www.lastampa.it/speciale/scienza/galassiamente/2024/07/04/news/arno_stern_e_la_traccia_naturale_che_e_in_noi-14446094/ |access-date=9 July 2024|newspaper=La Stampa|language=it|date=4 July 2024}}</ref>

== Writings == * ''Der Malort''. With Eléonore Stern (images). Daimon, Einsiedeln 1998, {{ISBN|3-85630-573-4}}. * ''Die natürliche Spur. Wenn die Mal-Lust nicht zu Werken führt.'' Verlag Mit Kindern wachsen, Freiburg 2001; ''La traccia naturale: quando il piacere di dipingere non si trasforma in opera'', Luni, Milano 1997, {{ISBN|88-7984-074-6}} {{OCLC|797609530}} (in Italian). * ''Das Malspiel und die natürliche Spur. Malort, Malspiel und die Formulation.'' Drachen Verlag, Klein Jasedow 2005, {{ISBN|3-927369-14-4}}: new edition 2012, {{ISBN|978-3-927369-14-6}}. * ''Die Expression. Der Mensch zwischen Kommunikation und Ausdruck.'' Classen, Zürich 1994, {{ISBN|3-7172-0268-5}}; Klotz, Eschborn 2008, {{ISBN|978-3-88074-023-5}}. * {{cite book|last1=Stern|first1=Arno|last2=Stern|first2=André|title=Mein Vater, mein Freund – das Geheimnis glücklicher Söhne|language=de|publisher=Zabert-Sandmann|location=Munich|year=2011|isbn=978-3-89883-291-5}} * {{cite book|last=Kalmann|first=Herbert|editor=Arno Stern|title=Erinnerungen an Europa – 1933–1949|language=de|publisher=Sich Verlag|location=Magdeburg|year=2012|isbn=978-3-942503-17-4}} * ''Wie man Kinderbilder nicht betrachten soll''. Zabert-Sandmann, Munich 2012, {{ISBN|978-3-89883-328-8}}. * ''Die Spur. Gewesenes Kindsein.'' Klotz, Magdeburg 2014, {{ISBN|978-3-88074-395-3}}. * ''Das Malspiel und die Kunst des Dienens. Die Wiederentdeckung des Spontanen.'' Drachen, Klein Jasedow 2015, {{ISBN|978-3-927369-92-4}}. * ''Das Malspiel und das Leben. Erinnerungen, Betrachtungen, Fragmente.'' Drachen, Klein Jasedow 2018, {{ISBN|978-3-947296-05-7}}.

== References == {{Reflist}}

== Further reading == *André Stern: ''... und ich war nie in der Schule: Geschichte eines glücklichen Kindes'', Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau, 2013, {{ISBN|978-3-451-06552-1}}

== External links == * {{official website|https://arnostern.com/}}

{{Authority control|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stern, Arno}} Category:1924 births Category:2024 deaths Category:German art educators Category:Emigrants from Nazi Germany to France Category:20th-century German Jews Category:20th-century German educators Category:21st-century German educators Category:21st-century German Jews Category:German men centenarians Category:French men centenarians Category:Jewish centenarians Category:Artists from Kassel