William W. Johnson collection on B. Traven
Finding aid prepared by Heidi Hutchinson, Processing Archivist.
Special Collections & University Archives
The UCR Library
P.O. Box 5900
University of California
Riverside, California 92517-5900
Phone: 951-827-3233
Fax: 951-827-4673
Email: specialcollections@ucr.edu
URL: http://library.ucr.edu/libraries/special-collections-university-archives
© 2011
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: William W. Johnson collection on B. Traven
Date (inclusive): 1946-1987, undated
Date (bulk): 1966-1985
Collection Number: MS 244
Creator:
Johnson, William Weber, 1909-1992
Extent:
1.25 linear feet
(3 boxes)
Repository:
Rivera Library. Special Collections Department.
Abstract: The William W. Johnson collection on B. Traven contains publications, correspondence, and other material related to Johnson's
research on the author B. Traven, which spanned more than forty years. This collection includes various articles on B. Traven,
newspapers from Chiapas, Mexico covering the three-day homage to B. Traven, and Johnson's B. Traven related research notes.
Also includes correspondence with Rosa Elena Lujan (B. Traven's wife), Lawrence Hill (B. Traven's United States publisher),
and Paul Kohner (B. Traven's agent) as well as a rare certified copy of Traven Torsvan Croves' will dated March 4, 1969 (in
English).
Languages: The collection is primarily in English. Also contains items in German and Spanish.
Access
This collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the University of California, Riverside Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives.
Distribution or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission
of the copyright owners. To the extent other restrictions apply, permission for distribution or reproduction from the applicable
rights holder is also required. Responsibility for obtaining permissions, and for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], [date if possible]. William W. Johnson collection on B. Traven (MS 244). Special Collections & University
Archives, University of California, Riverside.
Acquisition Information
The William W. Johnson collection on B. Traven was acquired in 1986.
Processing History
Processed by Heidi Hutchinson, Processing Archivist, 2011.
Biographical Note
William Weber Johnson (1909-1992) was a journalist, a professor of journalism at UCLA, and an author of countless articles
and a dozen books, the best known of which is
Heroic Mexico: the narrative history of a twentieth century revolution (New York: Doubleday, 1968). He served with Time, Inc. from 1941-61 as a writer (New York), war correspondent (European Theater
and WWII) and chief of various domestic and foreign bureaus (Mexico and Central America, Argentina and South America, Dallas,
Boston and Beverly Hills). Johnson's interest in B. Traven began while Johnson was Time, Inc. bureau chief in Mexico City
and continued well after Traven's death. Johnson was personally acquainted with the elderly Hal Croves (as Traven was calling
himself in Mexico City) and his wife Rosa Elena Lujan. Johnson had many conversations and a lengthy cordial correspondence
with Rosa Elena Lujan, and at one time intended to write the definitive B. Traven biography. This was never fully realized,
but his thirty years of collected research and correspondence on B. Traven came to University of California, Riverside in
1986.
B. Traven was the pseudonym for an internationally famous writer who guarded his identity with jealousy and determination
throughout his life, creating one of the greatest literary puzzles of the 20th century. Other names he went by in his lifetime
are Traven Torsvan, Hal Croves, and Ret Marut. His twelve novels, the best known of which are
The Death Ship and the
Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and many short stories have been translated into numerous languages. Films have been made of his the
Treasure of the Sierra Madre,
White Rose,
Macario,
The Death Ship, and
Rebellion of the Hanged. He died in March 1969 in Mexico City, Mexico.
Collection Scope and Contents
The William W. Johnson collection on B. Traven contains publications, correspondence, and other material related to Johnson's
research on the author B. Traven, which spanned more than forty years. This collection includes various articles on B. Traven,
newspapers from Chiapas, Mexico covering the three-day homage to B. Traven, and Johnson's B. Traven related research notes.
Also includes correspondence with Rosa Elena Lujan (B. Traven's wife), Lawrence Hill (B. Traven's United States publisher),
and Paul Kohner (B. Traven's agent) as well as a rare certified copy of Traven Torsvan Croves' will dated March 4, 1969 (in
English).
Collection Arrangement
This collection is arranged into three series. The contents of each series are arranged sequentially according to box and
folder number. The series arrangement of this collection is as follows:
- Series 1. Publications, 1948-1987, undated
- Series 2. Correspondence, 1946-1986
- Series 3. Research material, 1966-1986, undated
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Lujan, Rosa Elena
Traven, B.
Genres and Forms of Materials
Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence
Manuscripts
Notes
Series 1. Publications
1948-1987, undated
Series Scope and Contents
This series contains publications, clippings, and other material regarding B. Traven. Includes several articles on B. Traven
by E.R. Hagemann, Gerd Heidemann, and William W. Johnson as well newspapers from Chiapas, Mexico covering the three-day homage
to B. Traven.
Series Arrangement
This series is arranged sequentially according to box and folder number.
Box 1, Folder 1
Press clippings regarding B. Traven (includes photocopies)
circa 1966-1969
Box 1, Folder 2
Publications and press clippings regarding B. Traven from Mexican, United States, and British publishers. Includes book reviews,
obituaries, an interview with filmmaker Gabriel Figueroa, and an invitation to subscribe to the
B. Traven Newsletter published by Terrence L. Ponick
circa 1969-1976
Box 1, Folder 3
Article by E.R. Hagemann titled "Huye! A conjectural biography of B. Traven" (photocopy)
1961
Box 1, Folder 4
Article by Gerd Heidemann titled "Wer ist der Mann, der Traven heisst?" from
Stern magazine
1967
Box 1, Folder 5
Article by Stephen Meyer titled "From a journalist's notebook: William Weber Johnson's encounters with the legends of his
time" in
Reader (San Diego's Weekly) (photocopy)
1987
Box 1, Folder 6
Article by Luis Spota in the Mexican newspaper
Mañana (photocopy)
1948
Box 1, Folder 7
Magazine titled
Ramparts (vol. 6, no. 2-3). Includes articles by Judy Stone titled "The mystery of B. Traven" and "Conversations with B. Traven" (includes
photocopies)
1967
Box 1, Folder 8
Magazine, correspondence, and other material regarding the article titled "Trying to solve the enigma of the Sierra Madre,"
by William W. Johnson in the
Smithsonian (vol. 13, no. 12)
circa 1982-1983
Box 1, Folder 9
Drafts, correspondence, and other material regarding an article by William W. Johnson for the
Smithsonian
1982-1983
Box 1, Folder 10
Magazines, correspondence, and other material regarding B. Traven. Includes issues of the
B. Traven Newsletter by Terence L. Ponick and an article titled "Hitler's Munich" from
Mankind (includes photocopies)
circa 1966-1976, undated
Box 1, Folder 11
Newspapers from Chiapas, Mexico covering the three-day homage to B. Traven
1969
Box 1, Folder 12
Book review by William W. Johnson of
The Night Visitor and Other Stories, in the
New York Times Book Review (vol. 71, no. 16, April 17, 1966). Includes correspondence prior to and reader reaction following the publication of the article
1966
Box 1, Folder 13
Reviews of William W. Johnson's books and articles on B. Traven (includes photocopies)
1949-1980, undated
Box 1, Folder 14
Publication titled
Texas Quarterly (vol. 6, no.1) including the B. Traven story
Macario
1963
Series 2. Correspondence
1946-1986
Series Scope and Contents
This series contains William W. Johnson's correspondence with various individuals regarding B. Traven. Includes correspondence
with Rosa Elena Lujan (B. Traven's wife), Lawrence Hill (B. Traven's United States publisher), and Paul Kohner (B. Traven's
agent).
Series Arrangement
This series is arranged sequentially according to box and folder number.
Box 2, Folder 1
Correspondence between William W. Johnson and Michael L. Baumann
circa 1976-1985
Box 2, Folder 2
Correspondence between William W. Johnson and William L. Bischoff regarding Rolf Recknagel (an East German Traven researcher)
1966-1969
Box 2, Folder 3
Correspondence between William W. Johnson and Peter Briscoe
1986
Box 2, Folder 4
Correspondence from Hal Croves (B. Traven) to the editors of
Time and
LIFE magazines regarding their article on the filming of the
Treasure of the Sierra Madre and his role therein
1948
Box 2, Folder 5
Correspondence between William W. Johnson and Karl S. Guthke
1985
Box 2, Folder 6
Correspondence between William W. Johnson and Lawrence Hill
1966-1974
Box 2, Folder 7
Correspondence between William W. Johnson and Paul Kohner
1946-1983
Box 2, Folder 8
Correspondence between William W. Johnson and the Sterling Lord Agency regarding a B. Traven biography to be written by Johnson
1968-1970
Box 2, Folder 9
Correspondence between William W. Johnson and Rosa Elena Lujan
1966-1980
Box 2, Folder 10
Correspondence between William W. Johnson and Rosa Elena Lujan regarding a biography of B. Traven to be written by Johnson
1969-1970
Box 2, Folder 11
Correspondence between William W. Johnson and Esperanza Lopez Mateos
1946
Box 2, Folder 12
Correspondence between William W. Johnson and Charles Henry Miller
1966
Box 2, Folder 13
Correspondence from B. Traven to Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
1946
Box 2, Folder 14
Correspondence and reviews regarding books written by Will Wyatt and Jonah Raskin on B. Traven. Includes comments by Rosa
Elena Lujan
1967-1980
Box 2, Folder 15
Correspondence between William W. Johnson and various individuals regarding B. Traven
1966-1985
Box 2, Folder 16
Correspondence and clippings regarding William W. Johnson and B. Traven
1946-1986
Series 3. Research material
1966-1986, undated
Series Scope and Contents
This series contains notes, manuscripts, drafts, programs, and other material pertaining to William W. Johnson's research
on B. Traven. Includes the will of Traven Torsvan Croves (certified copy in English) as well as research notes on B. Traven
and Johnson's trips to Chiapas and Mexico City, Mexico.
Series Arrangement
This series is arranged sequentially according to box and folder number.
Box 3, Folder 1
Application form completed by William W. Johnson for renewal of a Guggenheim Fellowship to undertake a B. Traven biography
1969
Box 3, Folder 2
Research notes by William W. Johnson on B. Traven. Includes Alfred A. Knopf Inc. record of contracts to publish B. Traven
books
1966-1969, undated
Box 3, Folder 3
Research notes by William W. Johnson on B. Traven for a lecture to the Friends of the UCLA Library
1969
Box 3, Folder 4
Synopsis of a proposed biography of B. Traven by William W.Johnson (photocopy)
undated
Box 3, Folder 5
Program from a B. Traven conference held at Pennsylvania State University
1982
Box 3, Folder 6
Typescript of
The Great Traven Hunt, or
Erica's Dream: A play in three acts by Robert B. Olafson
1977
Box 3, Folder 7
Research notes, book reviews, and correspondence between William W. Johnson and various publishers and scholars. Includes
correspondence from Peter Briscoe encouraging Johnson to donate his personal collection to the University of California, Riverside's
Special Collections & Archives
circa 1985-1986, undated
Box 3, Folder 8
Programs, photographs, and other material regarding the three-day homage to B. Traven in Chiapas, Mexico. Includes keepsake
with soil from Chiapas, Mexico
1969
Box 3, Folder 9
Notes on William W. Johnson's conversation with Rosa Elena Lujan regarding his projected biography of B. Traven
1969
Box 3, Folder 10
Will (certified copy in English) of Traven Torsvan Croves
1969 March 4
Box 3, Folder 11
Notebooks kept by William W. Johnson. Includes his trip to Chiapas, Mexico and his conversations with Rosa Elena Lujan in
Mexico City, Mexico
1969
