Guide to the William Hermanns Papers MSS-2019-10-21
Eilene Lueck
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Spring 2022
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
special.collections@sjsu.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Title: William Hermanns Papers
Identifier/Call Number: MSS-2019-10-21
Physical Description:
10 Box
(10.56 linear ft.)
Date (inclusive): 1900-2019
Date (bulk): 1970-1984
Abstract: This collection consists of correspondence, transcripts, publications, manuscripts, and photographs.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into five series organized by subject and format: Series I. Personal Papers, 1917-1990; Series
II. Professional Papers, 1920-1989; Series III. Subject Files, 1921-1990; Series IV. Photographs, Negatives, and Film, 1900-1990;
Series V. Writings, 1920-2019.
Biographical Information
William Hermanns (1895-1990) was born in Koblenz, Rhineland, Germany, to Michael and Bertha Hermanns, née Wolff, and was the
third child of four siblings (Hans, Gretel, William, and Hildegard). After he was orphaned at ten years old, Hermanns was
raised by his aunt, Veronika Hermanns. Hermanns was of Jewish ancestry, and later converted to Christian Science, then to
Catholicism. In 1914, he enlisted in the Kaiser's army at the beginning of World War I and became one of the longest-living
survivors of the Battle of Verdun in 1916. After Germany's loss, Hermanns was captured by the French and held prisoner for
forty months. Following his release, he returned to Germany to study at the Universities of Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt,
where he received a doctorate in Sociology by 1926.
Soon after, he met Albert Einstein, who would be the subject of some of Hermanns's most significant works. During the late
1920s and early 1930s, he became a prolific poet and activist, working with the League for Human Rights, Walter Rathenau Society,
and Alexander von Humboldt Club. He witnessed the rise of Hitler and was forced to flee Nazi Germany in 1934, staying in Lisbon,
Paris, and London before being granted entrance into the United States. From 1937 to 1939, he worked for the New York Institute
for the Blind and lectured at Harvard University. When the US entered World War II, Hermanns briefly aided the Office of Strategic
Services (OSS) until 1945. After the war, he moved to California and worked after learning of the death of his sister, niece,
and thirty-five other relatives.
By 1946, Hermanns was teaching again, appointed as a Professor of German Language and Literature at San Jose State College,
where he remained until his retirement in 1965. Post-retirement, he continued to write German and English works while increasing
his political contributions by creating the Einstein-Hermanns Foundation, which was incorporated in 1983 and inaugurated in
1988 in Sweden.
Hermanns had written many manuscripts, poems, radio broadcasts, plays, and songs over his nearly seventy-year career. Of his
published works, his book
The Holocaust - from a Survivor of Verdun has significant critical acclaim. This collection was donated by his son, Ken Norton, a Trustee of the William Hermanns Trust,
and includes the correspondence, photographs, and original writings that serve as a testament to his prolific scholarship
and lifelong dedication as an anti-war activist.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Use Restrictions
Copyright has been assigned to the San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives. All requests for permission
to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Special Collections. Permission for publication
is given on behalf of the SJSU Special Collections & Archives as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include
or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader. Copyright restrictions also apply
to digital reproductions of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
Preferred Citation
William Hermanns Papers, MSS-2019-10-21, San José Sate University Library, Special Collections & Archives.
Processing Information
Eilene Lueck, May 2023. Initial processing by Michael Lara(2022) and Monica Keane (2019).
Content Description
This collection consists of ten boxes of materials pertaining to the life and work of William Hermanns (1895-1990). Series
I. Personal Papers, 1917-1990 (Bulk 1945-1984) consists of correspondence with Hermann's friends and family, as well as legal
and financial documents relevant to his life. Series II. Professional Papers, 1920-1989 (bulk 1950-1981), contains a variety
of correspondence recipients relating to his professional career in academia, governmental organizations, and non-governmental
organizations. Publication materials, including correspondence, reviews, public relations documents, and publication agreements,
are also a part of this series. Series III. Subject Files, 1921-1990 (bulk 1954-1964), consist of research materials such
as newspaper clippings, journals, and booklets regarding subjects he would later use in his publications. Series IV. Photographs,
Negatives, and Film, 1900-1990, are photographs, negatives, film reels, and duplicates of photographs of friends, family,
and significant letters from Hermanns' life. Series V. Writings, 1920-2019 (bulk 1971-1984), is the most comprehensive series
in the collection, containing numerous paper manuscripts of published and unpublished articles, books, plays, poems, songs,
and musical notations. This is a multilingual collections, with manuscripts and correspondence written in English, German,
French, Swedish, and Italian.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Religious poetry.
German Americans -- California -- History.
Plays.
Einstein, Albert, 1879-1955.
Hermanns, William.
Verdun, Battle of, Verdun, France, 1916
Series I. Personal Papers
1917-1990
Arrangement
In this series, personal correspondence is organized alphabetically by correspondent and then chronologically by date. Documents
are organized alphabetically by subject.
Scope and Contents
These personal papers primarily consist of Hermanns' correspondence with friends, family, acquaintances, and organizations.
His mostly outgoing letters to Mabel Stonehill, his long-time confidant, are of particular interest in the correspondence,
where he regaled her with moments in his life. Additionally, there is mutual correspondence with Lidine Belova, whom he later
wrote a biography about, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, and Hermine Ruess of Greiss, the second wife of Kaiser Wilhelm II with whom
he shared his poetry. At the same time, she lived in exile after WW I. Also documented in this collection are Hermanns' extensive
exchanges with the Berlin Compensation Office (
Entschädigungsamt Berlin), Fabian von Schlabrendorff, and Dr. Ottmar Menchow regarding reparations for losses suffered before, during, and after World
War II. Other documents include the personal effects of Hermanns, such as financial records, passports, awards, resumes, and
his obituary.
Sub-Series 1. Personal Correspondence
1921-1990
Box 1, Folder 1
Additional Royal Correspondence [Duplicates]
1940-1984
Box 1, Folder 2
Beasom, Herman (1 of 2)
1976-1978
Box 1, Folder 3
Beasom, Herman (2 of 2)
1976-1978
Box 1, Folder 4
Bechdolshein, Markus von
1981
Box 1, Folder 6
Catholic Church Correspondence
1948-1965
Box 1, Folder 7
The Church of Christ, Scientist
1945-1954
Box 1, Folder 8
Einstein, Albert [photocopies]
1943, 1952
Box 1, Folder 9
Entschädigungsamt Berlin [Compensation Office Berlin]
1950-1981
Box 1, Folder 10
Family Correspondence
1921-1972
Box 1, Folder 11
General Correspondence
1922-1984
Box 1, Folder 12
Hermanns, Hermann [Duplicates]
1928
Box 1, Folder 14
Norton, Ken [Regarding Hermanns Estate]
1990
Box 1, Folder 15
O'Neil, Oona [Lady Chaplin]
1978
Box 1, Folder 16
Ruess, Hermine von [Duplicates]
1932-1940
Box 1, Folder 17
Sheen, Fulton J.
1948-1972
Box 1, Folder 18
Schlabrendorff, Fabian von (1 of 2)
1977-1981, 1954
Box 1, Folder 19
Schlabrendorff, Fabian von (2 of 2)
1977-1981, 1954
Box 1, Folder 20
Stonehill, Mabel (1 of 5)
1941-1970
Box 1, Folder 21
Stonehill, Mabel (2 of 5)
1941-1970
Box 1, Folder 22
Stonehill, Mabel (3 of 5)
1941-1970
Box 1, Folder 23
Stonehill, Mabel (4 of 5)
1941-1970
Box 1, Folder 24
Stonehill, Mabel (5 of 5)
1941-1970
Sub-Series 2. Documents
1917-1990
Box 1, Folder 25
Address Book
c. 1969-1972
Box 1, Folder 27
Financial records
1934-1986
Box 1, Folder 28
Polizeiliche Ubmeldung [Police Registration Form, Duplicates]
1933
Box 1, Folder 29
Sterbeurkunde [Death Certificate]
1917
Box 1, Folder 30
William Hermanns Passports
1967-1983
Box 1, Folder 31
William Hermanns Obituary and Life Sketch
1976-1990
Box 1, Folder 32
William Hermanns Resume and Applications
1944-1947
Series II. Professional Papers
1920-1989
Arrangement
This series is seperated by subject then ordered alphabetically by name or title.
Scope and Contents
Hermanns engaged in numerous professional activities, academic, governmental, non-governmental, and literary. In Sub-Series
1. Academic Correspondence, he had numerous exchanges within San Jose State College(SJSC) and many other universities and
academics. In 1951 he was briefly dismissed by the head of the Department of German due to budget cuts. However, by 1953,
he managed to reverse this dismissal with the California Department of Education. In Sub-Series 2. Governmental Correspondence,
his governmental exchanges were similarly diverse, with correspondence with several German and American presidents and other
Royal and governmental bodies. Letters from his work with the Office of Strategic Services are also featured here. In Sub-Series
3. Organization Records, after retiring from San Jose State College in 1965, he dedicated more time to non-governmental organizations
seeking to further international unity. Organizational records, correspondence, and public relations material demonstrate
his role in earlier organizations but most heavily depict the creation and running of the Einstein-Hermanns Foundation meant
to encourage international cultural exchange and understanding. Sub-Series 4. Publication Materials contain his writings'
publication agreements, correspondence, and public relations material. The final Sub-Series 5. Work Papers contain some of
the materials used by Hermanns to teach during his time at SJSC.
Sub-Series 1. Academic Correspondence
1941-1984
Box 1, Folder 33
Harvard University Correspondence
1941-1946
Box 1, Folder 35
MacQuarrie, Thomas
1949-1951
Box 1, Folder 36
Quijano, Margarita
1957-1965
Box 1, Folder 37
San Jose State College Department of German
1951-1962
Box 1, Folder 38
San Jose State College on Dismissal and Reinstatement
1946-1965
Box 1, Folder 39
San Jose State College Modern Language Department on Promotions
1948-1965
Box 1, Folder 40
Student Letters of Recommendation
1949-1960
Box 1, Folder 41
University of California Berkeley
1950-1961
Box 1, Folder 42
Wahlquist, John T. (1 of 2)
1952-1958
Box 1, Folder 43
Wahlquist, John T. (2 of 2)
1952-1958
Sub-Series 2. Governmental Correspondence
1920-1981
Box 1, Folder 44
Additional Military Correspondence
1944-1951
Box 1, Folder 45
Bundespräsidialamt Theodor Huess
1952-1957
Box 1, Folder 46
Bundespräsidialamt Walter Scheel
1976-1981
Box 1, Folder 47
Callori di Vignale, Federico [
Maggiordomo di Sua Santità]
1964
Box 1, Folder 48
Constituent Correspondence
1964
Box 1, Folder 49
Executive Office of the President Dwight E. Eisenhower
1958
Box 1, Folder 50
Executive Office of the President Franklin D. Roosevelt
1944-1945
Box 1, Folder 51
Executive Office of the President Harry S. Truman
1945
Box 1, Folder 52
German Government Correspondence [Duplicates]
1920-1935
Box 1, Folder 53
Jourdan, Henri [Duplicates]
1933
Box 1, Folder 54
Office of Strategic Services
1944-1945
Box 1, Folder 55
Parliament of the United Kingdom
1949
Box 1, Folder 56
Der Reichspräsident Paul von Hindenburg
1933
Sub-Series 3. Organization Records
1926-1989
1983-1987
Box 1, Folder 57
Anne Frank Academy Correspondence and Pamphlet
1959-1960
Box 1, Folder 58
Conscientious Students for Peace Flyers
undated
Box 1, Folder 59
Einstein-Hermanns Foundation Correspondence (1 of 3)
1983-1987
Box 1, Folder 60
Einstein-Hermanns Foundation Correspondence (2 of 3)
1983-1987
Box 1, Folder 61
Einstein-Hermanns Foundation Correspondence (3 of 3)
1983-1987
Box 1, Folder 62
Einstein-Hermanns Foundation Records
c. 1980
Box 1, Folder 63
German International Labor Organization
1926-1928
Box 2, Folder 1
Helena Dudley Association Correspondence and Programs
1939-1940
Box 2, Folder 2
New York Institute for the Education of the Blind
1939-1940
Box 2, Folder 3
Planetary Citizens Pledge
c.1980
Box 2, Folder 4
Swedish Einstein-Hermanns Foundation Correspondence
1983-1987
Box 2, Folder 5
Swedish Einstein-Hermanns Foundation Membership and Financial records
1981-1987
Box 2, Folder 6
Swedish Einstein-Hermanns Foundation Public Relations (1 of 2)
1986-1989
Box 2, Folder 7
Swedish Einstein-Hermanns Foundation Public Relations (2 of 2)
1986-1989
Box 2, Folder 8
World Federalist Youth India Correspondence
1987-1989
Box 2, Folder 9
World Youth Parliament Correspondence
1987
Box 2, Folder 10
Youth Parliament at Mura Marris Gotland
1987
Sub-Series 4. Publication Materials
1937-1985
1976-1984
Box 2, Folder 11
BDF Communication Public Relations
1977
Box 2, Folder 12
Christian Science Publishing Society Hymnal Correspondence
1946-1955
Box 2, Folder 13
Einstein and the Poet Publication Materials
1981-1984
Box 2, Folder 14
Einstein and the Poet Reviews
1983-1985
Box 2, Folder 15
English Poetry Publisher Correspondence
1977-1982
Box 2, Folder 16
Die Feder Stockt Correspondence
1978-1981
Box 2, Folder 17
German Poetry Publisher Correspondence
1980-1981
Box 2, Folder 18
Gespräche mit Einstein in kritischer Zeit (das Kind und der Berg) Publication Agreement
1962
Box 2, Folder 19
The Holocaust Public Relations
1972-1977
Box 2, folder 120
The Holocaust Publication Agreement
1971
Box 2, Folder 21
The Holocaust Publisher Correspondence
1972-1982
Box 2, Folder 22
The Holocaust Review by Linus Pauling
c.1976
Box 2, Folder 23
The Holocaust Reviews
1977-1985
Box 2, Folder 24
Inspirational Method of Teaching a Foreign Language Publication Correspondence
1960
Box 2, Folder 25
Liddy Belova Publisher Contacts and Correspondence
1974-1985
Box 2, Folder 26
Manuscript Synopses
1979-1980
Box 2, Folder 27
Maria und der Spötter Publisher Correspondence
1973-1981
Box 2, Folder 28
Mary and the Mocker Publisher Correspondence
1950-1965
Box 2, Folder 29
Mary Converts her Mocker Publisher Correspondence
1967-1973
Box 2, Folder 30
Music Correspondence
1980
Box 2, Folder 31
Pergolesi Broadcasting Rights
1937
Box 2, Folder 32
The Plains of Abraham Broadcasting Correspondence
1939, 1940, 1976-1982
Box 2, Folder 33
Poor Kaiser, Poor Germany, Poor God Publisher Correspondence
1977-1982
Box 2, folder 34
Publication Requests Correspondence
1950-1982
Box 2, Folder 35
Publisher Booklets, Flyers, and Clippings
1972-1981
Box 2, Folder 36
Publisher Lists, Events, and Pamphlets
1972-1981
Box 2, Folder 37
The Rape of Souls Publisher Correspondence
1951-1974
Box 2, Folder 38
The Rape of Souls Review by Edvin Augusts
1973
Box 2, Folder 39
A Soldier Says No Publication Rights
1982
Box 2, Folder 40
Die Vergewaltigte Lorelei Publisher Correspondence
1978-1982
Sub-Series 5. Work Papers
1942-1986
Box 2, Folder 41
Event Invitations
1942-1984
Box 2, Folder 43
Speaker Events and Programs
1948-1977
Box 2, Folder 45
Themenliste zum Proseminar II [List of topics for literary seminar]
1986
Series III. Subject Files
1921-1990
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically by topic, then alphabetically by title and format.
Scope and Contents
The research materials used by Hermanns are contained in this series and are organized by the research topic he wrote on extensively.
The series contains numerous newspaper clippings, publications, flyers, and other documents. Featured in the sub-series on
Albert Einstein are clippings from May 2, 1955, in Life Magazine, where Hermanns was interviewed. He also collected many German
and English newspapers and clippings which documented the state of German politics in the wake of WWII, the Nuremberg Trials,
and the involvement of Communist nations at the beginning of the Cold War. As for his religious studies, he collected many
Catholic newsletters and articles throughout the 1940s and 1960s, primarily related to Catholicism's relationship to other
religions, including Judaism and liturgical practices. Hermanns compiled his research dossiers for his memoirs which have
been kept in their original order and featured both documents, photographs of correspondence, and an illustration of Hermanns.
He also collected numerous American and British newspapers relating to the death of Churchill.
Many newspaper clippings were scanned and duplicated due to the original's deteriorated condition.
Sub-Series 1. Albert Einstein
1930-1963
Box 2, Folder 46
Journal Articles on Einstein's Death
1955, 1963
Box 2, Folder 48
Life Magazine
May 2, 1955
Box 10, Folder 1
Newspaper clippings - Einstein's Death
1950, 1955
Box 2, Folder 49
Newspaper clippings - Einstein's Religion of Science
1930
Sub-Series 2. Global Politics
1927-1979
Box 2, Folder 50
aus politik und zeit geschichte
1963
Box 2, Folder 51
Correspondence - Rappich, Dominik [with Robert Kempner and Erzbischof con Poznan]
1969,1979
Box 2, Folder 52
Correspondence - Speer, Albert
1966
Box 2, Folder 54
Newspaper Clippings - American Education and Soviet Russia
undated
Box 2, Folder 55
Newspaper Clippings - Friedrich Wilhelm Foerster [duplicates]
1927-1979
Box 10, Folder 2
Newspaper clippings - German politics post-WWII
1944-1964
Box 10, Folder 3
Newspaper clippings - German politics post-WWII [duplicates]
1961-1964
Box 10, Folder 4
The Student Mobilizer, Volume 3, Number 4
April 2, 1970
Box 2, Folder 56
Youth in the Atomic Age: Seminar Report by the World Assembly of Youth
1959
Sub-Series 3. Religious Studies
1949-1990
Box 2, Folder 57
Conscious Choice for a Happy Earth
1990
Box 2, Folder 58
Gnade Über Mayerling by Oda Schneider
1957
Box 2, Folder 59
Memorial Church Times & Eternity
1982
Box 2, Folder 60
Newspaper Clippings [with duplicates]
1949-1979
Box 2, Folder 61
Rom und die Juden by Pinchas Lapide
c.1981
Box 2, Folder 62
Scarboro Missions booklets and flyers
1954
Sub-Series 4. William Hermanns
1921-1990
Box 2, Folder 63
Biographical Notes on Hermanns
undated
Box 2, Folder 64
Der Grosse Ruf on die Katholische
1963
Box 2, Folder 65
Memoir Research Materials
1921-1980
Box 2, Folder 66
Memoir Research Materials
1933-1981
Box 2, Folder 67
Memoir Research Materials
1965-1983
Box 2, Folder 68
Newspaper Clippings -
Desert Sentinel
1984-1987
Box 10, Folder 5
Newspaper Clippings - French
1972
Box 2, Folder 69
Newspaper Clippings - German
1960
Box 10, Folder 6
Newspaper Clippings - Mixed Publishers
1955-1985
Box 2, Folder 70
Newspaper Clippings -
Peninsula Living Weekend Special [duplicates]
January 15, 1977
Box 10, Folder 7
Newspaper Clippings -
San Jose Mercury News
1948-1990
Box 2, Folder 71
Newspaper Clippings -
Spartan Daily
1947-1967
Box 2, Folder 73
San Jose State College Alumni Association Publications
1958-1964
Box 10, Folder 8
Santa Cruz Community Consciousness Carnival
c.1980
Box 2, Folder 74
Welt Kunst Kultur Westermann Monatsmagazin Cover
1971
Sub-Series 5. Winston Churchill
1965-1975
Box 2, Folder 75
The English Speaking Union
1965
Box 10, Folder 10
Churchill Memorial Appeal
1965
Box 10, Folder 11
The Sunday Times Magazine
1965
Box 10, Folder 13
Newspapers - Death of Churchill (1 of 2)
1965
Box 10, Folder 14
Newspapers - Death of Churchill (2 of 2)
1965
Box 10, Folder 12
Newspaper Clippings - Death of Churchill
1965-1975
Series IV. Photographs, Negatives, and Film
1900-1990
Arrangement
This series is organized alphabetically by title.
Scope and Contents
The photographs and negatives in this series primarily feature Hermanns with his friends, family, and acquaintances. There
are additional film negatives of letters and documents containing images of the correspondence between Hermanns and many notable
persons he interacted with throughout his life. During a visit to Verdun, Hermanns had also collected photographs, postcards,
guide maps, and some pressed flowers kept in the original order.
Box 2, Folder 76
Adenauer, Konrad with Hermanns Photograph
1966
Box 2, Folder 77
Beasom, Herman Photographs
1976
Box 2, Folder 78
Churchill, Winston Photographs
1964
Box 2, Folder 79
Einstein, Albert with Hermanns Photographs and Negatives
1955, 1987
Box 2, Folder 80
Hermanns Family Photographs
c.1914-1930
Box 2, Folder 81
Hermanns Family Photographs [duplicates]
c.1900-1921
Box 2, Folder 82
Hermanns, William Photographs
c.1980-1990
Box 8, Box 1
Letters and Documents Film Negatives
undated
Box 2, Folder 83
Ruess, Hermine von and Kaiser Wilhelm II
1933
Box 2, Folder 84
von Papen and Hermanns
c.1960
Box 2, Folder 85
Tagore, Rabindranath Signature Photograph
undated
Box 2, Folder 86
Verdun Souvenir Photographs, Documents, and Pressed Flowers [duplicates]
c. 1981-1985
Series V. Writings
1920-2019
1971-1984
Arrangement
This series is devided by record type which are then organized alphabetically by title.
Scope and Contents
The writings of William Hermanns contain the published and unpublished manuscripts of his many works. The works contained
consist of typed and handwritten papers, screenplays, transcripts, drafts, notes, and notebooks.
Sub-Series 1. Articles
1939-1943
Scope and Contents
While Hermanns has written many articles, but two English articles are documented here. "The Principles of Teaching" was published
in the 1939 journal,
Education, which resulted in his invitation to lecture at Harvard University.
Box 3, Folder 1
The Principles of Teaching
1939
Box 3, Folder 2
A World League to Enforce Peace
1943
Sub-Series 2. Books
1955-2009
1970-1984
Scope and Contents
This sub-series (bulk 1971-1982) mainly contains the English and German unpublished manuscripts of Hermanns' books, excerpts
from chapters, and a CD with an inventory of his microfilms. Three of his published works are represented here,
Mary and the Mocker(1953),
The Holocaust - from a Survivor of Verdun (1972), and
Einstein and the Poet (1983).
Box 3, Folder 4
Bibliographies, Hermann's works
1975-2019
Box 3, Folder 5
Biography, Hermanns
1943-2010
Box 3, Folder 7
Einstein and the Poet (1 of 3)
1982
Box 3, Folder 8
Einstein and the Poet (2 of 3)
1982
Box 3, Folder 9
Einstein and the Poet (3 of 3)
1982
Box 3, Folder 10
Einstein unused articles in 9/79 edition
1979
Box 3, Folder 11
Gift of the Spirit (1 of 2)
1971
Box 3, Folder 12
Gift of the Spirit (2 of 2)
1971
Box 3, Folder 13
I Embrace My Destiny (1 of 2)
1961
Box 3, Folder 14
I Embrace My Destiny (2 of 2)
1961
Box 3, Folder 15
I Embrace My Destiny Calendar of chapters
1961
Box 3, Folder 16
The Holocaust - from a Survivor of Verdun, Harper edition notes
undated
Box 3, Folder 17
The Holocaust Introductory Essay
c.1981
Box 3, Folder 19
Incense & Slaughter, unused manuscript
undated
Box 3, Folder 20
Kaiser and People, with additional works
undated
Box 3, Folder 21
Maria und der Spötter
1962
Box 3, Folder 22
Maria und der Spötter
1963
Box 3, Folder 23
Maria und der Spötter
1979
Box 3, Folder 24
Maria und der Spötter, 7th edition
1979
Box 3, Folder 26
Mary Converts her Mocker, 4th edition
c.1979
Box 3, Folder 27
My Life (1 of 3)
c. 1960s
Box 3, Folder 28
My Life (2 of 3)
c. 1960s
Box 3, Folder 29
My Life (3 of 3)
c. 1960s
Box 3, Folder 30
My Life, 2nd edition (1 of 2)
c. 1960s
Box 3, Folder 31
My Life, 2nd edition (2 of 2)
c. 1960s
Box 4, Folder 1
My Life #2 (1 of 2)
c.1960s
Box 4, Folder 2
My Life #2 (2 of 2)
c.1960s
Box 4, Folder 3
My Life #2, biographical notes
c.1960s
Box 4, Folder 4
Poor Kaiser, Poor Germany, Poor God
1978
Box 4, Folder 5
The Rape of Souls (1 of 4)
1973
Box 4, Folder 6
The Rape of Souls (2 of 4)
1973
Box 4, Folder 7
The Rape of Souls (3 of 4)
1973
Box 4, Folder 8
The Rape of Souls (4 of 4)
1973
Box 4, Folder 9
The Rape of Souls [duplicate] (1 of 4)
1973
Box 4, Folder 10
The Rape of Souls [duplicate] (2 of 4)
1973
Box 4, Folder 11
The Rape of Souls [duplicate] (3 of 4)
1973
Box 4, Folder 12
The Rape of Souls [duplicate] (4 of 4)
1973
Box 4, Folders 13
Rape of Souls, editorial evaluations
c.1973-1974
Box 4, Folder 14
The Rape of Souls, intro copies
1973
Box 4, Folder 15
San Jose State Memoirs
1965-1974
Box 4, Folder 16
Sacrifice Your Son (1 of 3)
1970
Box 4, Folder 17
Sacrifice Your Son (2 of 3)
1970
Box 4, Folder 18
Sacrifice Your Son (3 of 3)
1970
Box 4, Folder 19
Sacrifice Your Son (1 of 2)
1971
Box 4, Folder 20
Sacrifice Your Son (2 of 2)
1971
Box 4, Folder 21
Sacrifice Your Son (1 of 2)
1972
Box 5, Folder 1
Sacrifice Your Son, (2 of 2)
1972
Box 5, Folder 2
Sacrifie ton fils (1 of 2)
1985
Box 5, Folder 3
Sacrifie ton fils (2 of 2)
1985
Box 5, Folder 4
Seeds of the Last Day (1 of 2)
1971
Box 5, Folder 5
Seeds of the Last Day (2 of 2)
1971
Box 5, Folder 6
Seeds of the Last Day
undated
Box 5, Folder 7
A Teacher Wrestles with his German Past (1 of 2)
1960
Box 5, Folder 8
A Teacher Wrestles with his German Past (2 of 2)
1960
Box 5, Folder 9
Vibrations of Heaven and Hell
1981
Box 5, Folder 10
_Timewealth and the Church
1972
Box 5, Folder 11
Wilhelm It Is (1 of 2)
c.1960s
Box 5, Folder 12
Wilhelm It Is (2 of 2)
c.1960s
Box 5, Folder 13
Wilhelm It Is (1 of 2)
1971
Box 5, Folder 14
Wilhelm It Is (2 of 2)
1971
Box 5, Folder 15
Wilhelm It Is, The Story of Sister Nanny
undated
Box 5, Folder 16
Microfilm on CD with inventory
2002-2009
Sub-Series 3. Essays
1943-1980
Scope and Contents
This sub-series (bulk 1973-1980) lists the English and German essays written by Hermanns covering numerous topics in response
to events in global politics and religion. Some of these essays may have been later incorporated into book manuscripts.
Box 5, Folder 17
Catholicism in Crisis
1973
Box 5, Folder 18
Churchill at Harvard
1943
Box 5, Folder 19
Inspirational Method of Teaching
c.1960s
Box 5, Folder 20
Letter to the Kaiser
c.1970
Box 5, Folder 21
Letters to the World
undated
Box 5, Folder 22
Letter to the Youth of the World
1983
Box 5, Folder 23
Open Letter to President Nixon
1971
Box 5, Folder 24
Napoleon's Cup /
Die Tasse Napoleans
1976
Box 5, Folder 25
Short essays omitted from
Vibrations
1976-1980
Box 5, Folder 26
The State-Owned Man, Einstein
1933-1945
Box 5, Folder 27
The State-Owned Man, Hitler, Goebbles, Church, and Mussolini
c.1940s
Sub-Series 4. Plays
1920-2019
1934-1984
Scope and Contents
This sub-series (bulk c.1926-1936, 1980-1984) contains English, German, and French screenplays written for radio, film, and
theater. Hermanns mainly wrote plays during the transitional period between receiving his doctorate in Sociology in 1926 and
his stay in France from 1934-1935 after fleeing Germany. He returned to writing plays in the late 1970s, including several
religious works.
Box 5, Folder 29
The Address Book /
Das Notizbuch
c.1920s-1930s
Box 5, Folder 30
Berufsberatung für Abiturienten
c.1920s-1930s
Box 5, Folder 31
Besuch auf einer Arbeiterkolonie
c.1920s
Box 5, Folder 33
Between Two Fires /
Zwischen Zwei Feuern!
c.1930s
Box 5, Folder 35
Le Costume, Ballet en deux actes
1934
Box 5, Folder 36
La Dixieme Symphonie
c.1934
Box 5, Folder 37
Die Drei Mätressen!
c.1930s
Box 5, Folder 39
Der Englische Parlamentarismus
c.1920s
Box 5, Folder 41
Entwurf zu Lucrezia Borgia!
c.1920s
Box 5, Folder 42
Gesammelte Plauderei (was viele nicht wissen.)
c.1920s
Box 5, Folder 43
The Golden Comb of the Lorelei (1 of 2)
1980
Box 5, Folder 44
The Golden Comb of the Lorelei (2 of 2)
1980
Box 5, Folder 45
Der Goldne Kamm der Lorelei
1941-1944, 1980
Box 5, Folder 46
Du Kannst es, wenn Du net willst!
c.1920s
Box 5, Folder 47
Les Millards de Morell
c.1934
Box 5, Folder 48
Mütter grosser Denker!
c.1920s
Box 6, Folder 1
The Plains of Abraham
1958
Box 6, Folder 2
The Plains of Abraham, Copyright notes
2011
Box 6, Folder 3
The Plains of Abraham, Documents
1940-1982
Box 6, Folder 8
Le Testament de l'abbé Mélier
c.1935
Box 6, Folder 9
Le Testament de l'Abbé Mélier, Harry Baur correspondence
1935
Box 6, Folder 10
Das Testament des Abbe Melier
c.1935
Box 6, Folder 12
Die Vergewaltigte Lorelei
1977
Box 6, Folder 13
Die Vergewaltigte Lorelei
1981
Box 6, Folder 14
Die Vergewaltigte Lorelei
1982
Box 6, Folder 15
Die Vergewaltigte der Lorelei
1984
Box 6, Folder 16
Je veux te voir fort
c.1934-1935
Box 6, Folder 17
The Victory of Democracy
undated
Sub-Series 5. Poetry
1932-2019
1974-1984
Scope and Contents
This sub-series (bulk 1976-1984) contains the English and German poems/
gedicht written by William Hermanns. He was a prolific writer and wrote thousands of poems which he frequently sent to friends and
family. Other works were compiled into published works, such as
Passion and Compassion, but many more remained unpublished.
Box 6, Folder 18
Adam, Wo Bist Du? (1 of 2)
1975
Box 6, Folder 19
Adam, Wo Bist Du? (2 of 2)
1975
Box 6, Folder 20
Epigrams and Proverbs
1947-1987
Box 6, Folder 21
Flash Drive of English and German Poetry
2019
Box 6, Folder 22
From the Tree of Knowledge
1976
Box 6, Folder 23
From the Tree of Knowledge (1 of 2)
1986
Box 6, Folder 24
From the Tree of Knowledge (2 of 2)
1986
Box 6, Folder 25
Loose
Gedicht Drafts
c. 1966-1979
Box 6, Folder 26
Loose
Gedicht Drafts
1968-1985
Box 6, Folder 27
Loose
Gedicht Drafts and Notes
1983-1989
Box 6, Folder 28
Loose Poem Drafts
c.1973-1984
Box 6, Folder 29
Loose Poem Drafts
c.1981-1987
Box 6, Folder 31
Loose Poem Drafts
undated
Box 6, Folder 32
Hymn Book, German Translation for Christian Science (1 of 2)
c.1946-1955
Box 6, Folder 33
Hymn Book, German Translation for Christian Science (2 of 2)
c.1946-1955
Box 6, Folder 34
Journal with Letter
1932-1933
Box 6, Folder 36
Notebooks with Essays and Poems
1983-1984
Box 6, Folder 37
Notebooks with
Gedicht
1977
Box 6, Folder 38
Notebooks with Outlines and Notes
undated
Box 7, Folder 1
Notebooks with Poems
1978-1980
Box 7, Folder 2
Notebooks with Poems (1 of 3)
1982
Box 7, Folder 3
Notebooks with Poems (2 of 3)
1982
Box 7, Folder 4
Notebooks with Poems (3 of 3)
1982
Box 7, Folder 5
Notebooks with Poems
1983-1984
Box 7, Folder 6
Notebooks with Poems
1984
Box 7, Folder 7
Notebooks with Poems
1986
Box 7, Folder 8
Notebooks with Poems
undated
Box 7, Folder 9
Notebooks with Poems and Drafts
c.1978-1980
Box 7, Folder 10
Notebooks with Poems and a Letter
c.1978
Box 7, Folder 11
Notebooks with Poems and Notes
1974
Box 7, Folder 12
Notebooks with Poems and Notes
c.1981
Box 7, Folder 13
Notebooks with Poems and Prose
1984
Box 7, Folder 14
Notebooks with Poems from
Stockholm and Dreams
1975-1983
Box 7, Folder 16
Numbered
Gedicht Index
1981-1984, 2019
Box 7, Folder 17
Numbered
Gedicht 001-100
undated
Box 7, Folder 18
Numbered
Gedicht 101-200
undated
Box 7, Folder 19
Numbered
Gedicht 201-300
undated
Box 7, Folder 20
Numbered
Gedicht 301-400
undated
Box 7, Folder 21
Numbered
Gedicht 401-500
undated
Box 7, Folder 22
Numbered
Gedicht 501-550
undated
Box 7, Folder 23
Numbered
Gedicht 600-605
undated
Box 7, Folder 24
Numbered
Gedicht Drafts
1977-1980
Box 7, Folder 25
Numbered
Gedicht Drafts, 351
Heilige Schande
c.1981
Box 7, Folder 26
Numbered
Gedicht [duplicates] 001-100
1984
Box 7, Folder 27
Numbered
Gedicht [duplicates] 101-200
1984
Box 7, Folder 28
Numbered
Gedicht [duplicates] 201-300
1984
Box 7, Folder 29
Numbered
Gedicht [duplicates] 301-400
1984
Box 7, Folder 30
Numbered
Gedicht [duplicates] 401-416
1984
Box 8, Folder 1
Numbered Poem Index
1982, 2019
Box 8, Folder 2
Numbered Poems 001-100
undated
Box 8, Folder 3
Numbered Poems 101-200
undated
Box 8, Folder 4
Numbered Poems 201-300
undated
Box 8, Folder 5
Numbered Poems 300-375
undated
Box 8, Folder 6
Numbered Poems, Drafts
1972-1984
Box 8, Folder 7
Numbered Poems, Drafts 605-607
1972-1984
Box 8, Folder 8
Numbered Poems [duplicates] 001-100 (1 of 2)
1983
Box 8, Folder 9
Numbered Poems [duplicates] 001-100 (2 of 2)
1983
Box 8, Folder 10
Numbered Poems [duplicates] 101-200
1983
Box 8, Folder 11
Numbered Poems [duplicates] 102-190
1983
Box 8, Folder 12
Numbered Poems [duplicates] 201-300
1983
Box 8, Folder 13
Numbered Poems [duplicates] 301-379
1983
Box 8, Folder 14
Numbered Poems [duplicates] 500-521
1983
Box 8, Folder 15
Numbered Poems [duplicates] 600-609
1983
Box 8, Folder 16
Passion and Compassion
1948
Box 8, Folder 17
Passion and Compassion, Loose Poems
c.1948
Box 8, Folder 18
Poems and Introductions
1974
Box 8, Folder 19
Poems and Introductions, related materials
c.1974-1976
Box 8, Folder 20
Verdun Poetry and Notes
c.1984-1993
Box 8, Folder 21
Zukunft Wohin (1 of 2)
1974-1975
Box 8, Folder 22
Zukunft Wohin (2 of 2)
1974-1975
Box 8, Folder 23
Zukunft Wohin /
Adam, Wo Bist du? Materials
1981-1984
Sub-Series 6. Radio Transcripts
c.1920-1933
c.1920s
Scope and Contents
This sub-series consists of the radio transcripts for Berlin Radio of educational talks and presentations by Hermanns discussing
his political and social exchanges.
Box 9, Folder 1
Alte Werkmeisterfamilien
c.1920s
Box 9, Folder 3
Freiwilliger Arbeitsdienst!
c.1920s
Box 9, Folder 4
Das Gesicht der heutigen Jugend
c.1920s
Box 9, Folder 5
Goethe und der Eros
c.1920s
Box 9, Folder 6
Im nächtlichen Obdach
c.1920s
Box 9, Folder 7
Jeanne d'Arc in Geschichte und Literatur
c.1920s
Box 9, Folder 8
Jugend und Maschine
c. 1920s
Box 9, Folder 9
Kritiken Radiofunk
1931-1933
Box 9, Folder 10
Respecte tu femme!
c.1934-1935
Box 9, Folder 11
Sprechstunde bei einer Fürsorgeärztin
c.1920s
Box 9, Folder 12
Die Sozialen Aufgaben des Völkerbundes!
c.1920s
Sub-Series 7. Songs and Music
1948-1980
Scope and Contents
This sub-series consists of songs written and composed by William Hermanns. Sheet music, lyrics, playbills, associated poems,
and a vinyl record for the song,
Kommt, Menschen, Laßt uns Brüder sein, are included. Of particular note is Free Men Go Forth, his proposed anthem for the United Nations.
Box 9, Folder 14
Free Men Go Forth, Anthem for the United Nations
1949
Box 9, Folder 15
Humanity, we come!
c.1949
Box 9
Kommt, Menschen, Laßt uns Brüder sein, vinyl record with sheet music
c.1978
Box 9, Folder 17
To the Lover of My Soul
undated
Box 9, Folder 18
Unite, Humanity, Unite /
Kommt, Menschen, Laßt uns Brüder sein
1978-1979