Schmidt (Eric J.) Collection, ca. 1941-1996

Summary

Title:

Eric J. Schmidt Collection

Dates:

ca. 1941-1996

Creators:

Schmidt, Eric J.

Abstract:

Eric J. Schmidt taught at the Shanghai American School and was interned by the Japanese in the Chapei camp outside of Shanghai during World War II. The collection contains drawings and photographs depicting life at Chapei camp, an oral history interview with Schmidt, and scenes filmed in Shanghai and the surrounding area post-World War II.

Extent:

0.06 linear feet (3 oversized folders) and 3.35 Gigabytes

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materials guide.

Background

Scope and content:

The Eric J. Schmidt Collection contains drawings done by Schmidt, including pencil portraits of fellow internees at the Chapei internment camp outside of Shanghai, as well as a pastel drawing of the camp buildings. Also included is a poster made by Schmidt with photographs of internees recreating their daily routine at Chapei taken after the Japanese abandoned the camp in 1945.

Films include digitized 8mm film showing parts of Shanghai and China shortly after World War II and a video oral history interview taken with Schmidt by the Holocaust Oral History Project. The 8mm film includes descriptive title cards and depicts locations such as the Bund in Shanghai, countryside in China, a puppet show with kids watching, a bridge over Soochow Creek, the American School in Shanghai, Chapei Camp, the Kadoorie family's Marble Hall, Hongkew, and Gordon Road Temple.

Folders are arranged alphabetically by folder title.

Biographical / historical:

Eric J. Schmidt was born on December 4, 1915 in Hillsborough, Illinois. He attended UC Berkeley, and graduated in 1940 after taking some time off of school to work on ships.

In November of 1940, he and a friend went on a ship headed to Australia, as they had plans to travel around the country. The ship made a stop in Shanghai on the way to pick up departing American citizens, and Schmidt and his friend decided to jump ship and stay in the city. Schmidt began working for an advertising company as the head of the art department, and arranged for his fiancée to come to China from America as well. They were married in Hong Kong in 1941, and shortly after they both began teaching at the Shanghai American School.

In 1943, the Schmidts were placed by the Japanese into the Chapei Civil Internment Center outside of Shanghai, where they lived for two and half years. The internees were able to convince the Japanese to let them continue to run the Shanghai American School for children in the camp, so Schmidt continued to teach and eventually became principal of the school while interned. He and his wife also had a daughter who was born at the camp.

After the war, Schmidt found work with the U.S. Army and the State Department in China, before returning to the United States with his family. He eventually settled in the San Francisco area. Schmidt passed away September 26, 2007.

Acquisition information:

Eric J. Schmidt, 2003

Processing information:

Original processing completed by Jessica Geiser in 2013. Digital file additions made in 2026.

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Documents
Photographs

About this collection guide

Date Encoded:

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-05-05 10:23:28 -0700.

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research use.

Terms of access:

Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge. Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Preferred citation:

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materials guide.

Location of this collection:

California State University, Northridge, Old China Hands Archives

18111 Nordhoff Street

Northridge, CA 91330, US

Contact:

(818) 677-4594

Website