Adolf Althoff (German: [ˈaːdɔlf ˈʔalthɔf] ⓘ; 25 June 1913 in Sonsbeck – 14 October 1998 in Stolberg (Rhineland) was a German circus owner, animal tamer and performer who saved several people from the Holocaust by having them work and travel in his circus.
[2] In 1940, Althoff began five years work in concealing four members of the Danner performing family in his circus.
[7] Irene Danner stated that Adolf would allow all to work without papers, and even fired an employee that had threatened to denounce him for hiding Jews in the circus.
[9][10] Althoff and his story have been featured in and provided inspiration for books such as Other Germans Under Hitler by Herbert Straeten, The Ringmasters Daughter by Carly Schabowski,[11] and Hidden on the High Wire by Kathy Kacer.
[12] The events of his rescue during World War II are also dramatized in a 1998 Showtime TV-movie entitled Rescuers: Stories of Courage: Two Families.