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Alice Herz and Helga Herz Collected Papers

 Collection
Identifier: SCPC-CDG-A-Herz, Alice and Helga Herz

Scope and Contents

Helga Herz's apartment was cleared out after her death and some of her papers were sent to the SCPC in 2012. There were comprised of four boxes of periodicals, most of which were in German and were so torn and brittle that they had to be discarded. The small amount left was added to the small collection of Alice Herz papers that were already at the SCPC.

Dates

  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1941-2002

Creator

Language of Material

Materials are in English.

Restrictions on Access

Collection is open for research without restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

None.

Biographical note

Alice Strauss Herz was born in Hamburg, Germany on May 25, 1882, the child of a middle-class Jewish family. She married Paul Herz, a chemist and soldier, with whom she had two children, a son and a daughter (Helga, born on August 9, 1912). After the death of her son and husband, Alice began intensive study of the Nazi movement. In order to escape its threat, in 1933 Alice fled to Switzerland, and then to France, with her daughter. There Alice worked as a news correspondent, while Helga earned a degree at the Sorbonne in Paris, and became a teacher of languages. After Germany invaded Paris, the pair were placed in a detention camp by the French for being German nationals; they were released, after three weeks, at the time of the French armistice. Alice and Helga left for the United States soon after in 1942.

Alice and Helga took up residency in Detroit, Michigan, where Alice worked for some years as an adjunt instructor of German at Wayne State University, and Helga earned a degree in library science from the University of Michigan and became a librarian at the Detroit Public Library, where she served for 34 years. They petitioned for, but were denied, U.S. citizenship due to their refusal to vow to defend the country by taking up arms. Helga later reapplied and was granted citizenship in 1954.

Both Alice and Helga were activists for peace. In her later years, Alice joined the Society of Friends (Quakers) and later the Unitarian Church. More and more she became concerned over the actions of her adopted country and felt compelled to do something drastic. She took note of the monks in Vietnam who immolated themselves as a bodily witness against war, and Alice decided to do the same. On the evening of March 16, 1965, on a Detroit street corner, Alice set herself on fire in an act of protest against the actions of the United States in Vietnam and in relation to the global arms race. Alice died of her burns 11 days after the incident. Her sacrifice led to an outcry around the world and her memorial brought people from a variety of backgrounds to honor her. In particular, the Detroit Women for Peace took the actions of Alice as a push to protest and demand peaceful change.

After her retirement in 1978, Helga headed the library at the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Wayne State University, where her work has been compiled as the Helga Herz Peace Archives. She received the Spirit of Detroit Award and other accolades for her tireless volunteer work; she was active with the Detroit Branch of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom for many years.

Helga filed for reparations from the German government for the large family property in East Berlin that had been seized by the Nazis. She won the appeal in 2000 and sold the property, donating the proceeds to the German Branch of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.

Helga moved to Silver Spring, Maryland, several years before her death to be near family members. She died on February 27, 2010.

Extent

0.42 linear ft. (5 linear inches.)

Abstract

Papers of a German mother and daughter who emigrated to the United States and were peace activists in the Detroit area; mother was the first American to immolate herself in protest of the Vietnam War.

Custodial History

The Swarthmore College Peace Collection is the official repository for this set of papers.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Diane Herz, 2012 [acc. 2012-029].

Related Materials

  1. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Records (DG 043): Series B
  2. American Friends Service Committee, Refugee Records, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

Related Materials

For related materials, search the library's online catalog.

Separated Materials

Items removed to the SCPC Audiovisual Collection:

  1. "Film in memory of Mrs. Alice Herz" (Motion Picture 0185)
  2. DVD "Helga Herz 1912-2010: Peace - Justice - Life" (Videorecording 1051)

Legal Status

Copyright may have been transferred to the Swarthmore College Peace Collection or may have been retained by the creators/authors (or their descendants), in this collection, as stipulated by United States copyright law. Please contact the SCPC Curator for further information.

Processing Information

Processed by Anne Yoder, Archivist, October 2013.

Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Find It at the Library

Most of the materials in this catalog are not digitized and can only be accessed in person. Please see our website for more information about visiting or requesting repoductions from Swarthmore College Peace Collection Library

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