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My father, Wolfgang Hug, has died of cancer aged 62. The son of Herta and Egon, he was born in Berlin at a time of great social change. He grew up in west Berlin with his older brother Peter. The Berlin Wall was built the night before his 11th birthday and the battles between east and west shaped his early years. In his younger, more idealistic days, he was a socialist, feminist and committed campaigner against the Vietnam war and apartheid. He had a strong social conscience, was a fierce defender of equality and always backed the underdog.
He studied history at the Freie University of Berlin and, after meeting Judy, moved to Britain and started working with children and young people in youth clubs around north London. They had three children and then left Muswell Hill for Devon in 1985. He became a teacher and then an adviser on special educational needs, and was renowned in his field for his rapport with "the naughty children". Wolfgang had a passion for helping the most disadvantaged and could see the good in every child – that was the key to his work.
Retiring in 2005 after suffering a head injury, he continued to teach while living in Papua New Guinea and later Nigeria. He had an adventurous spirit and at home there was never a dull moment. He had an eclectic music taste from Bob Marley to Tom Waits, and a passion for good food (especially cakes).
Diagnosed with lung cancer in 2010 in Nigeria, he returned to Britain for treatment. He continued to live life to the full and in his last few months visited Berlin, Bratislava, Vienna and the 2012 Olympics, and even danced to Paul Simon in Hyde Park.
He is survived by his partner, Annie; his children, Karl, Max and me; our mother, Judy; and two granddaughters, Elise and Kaya.
