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Marlis Gildemeister papers

 Collection
Identifier: HC.MC-1297

Scope and Contents

This collection contains the papers of Marlis Gildemeister, a graduate of Haverford College's master's program in Relief & Restoration and a volunteer with American Friends Service Committee in Austria after World War II. The materials in this collection span the years 1946 to 2007, and are mostly related to relief work and aid to refugees in the turmoil following the second world war. The collection contains correspondence, reports, photographs, pamphlets, and other manuscript and published documentation relating to Gildemeister's relief work in Austria, and relief work more generally. Some of the materials are in German, particularly some of the correspondence and reports about relief work in Austria and Germany.

Dates

  • Creation: 1946-2007

Creator

Language of Materials

Some materials are in German.

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research use.

Use Restrictions

Standard Federal Copyright Laws Apply (U.S. Title 17).

Biographical Note

Marlis Gildemeister was born on May 16, 1917 in Miraflores, Peru, the daughter of Anita B. Gildemeister. Her full name was Maria Luisa Gildemeister, but she went by Marlis. She graduated in 1945 from the Relief & Reconstruction graduate program at Haverford College. In this program, she was was a student of Douglas Steere, who created the program. Gildemeister served with the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) in Austria for 18 months beginning on March 13, 1946. She served again in Vienna, Austria, starting in November of 1956, for three or more months. Some of her assignments included helping displaced persons in Germany who had received their American entry papers prepare for the adjustment to life in the United States. After working with AFSC, she raised beef and grew timber on her family's alpine farm in Austria. By 1961, she was back in Peru and involved with family and business matters there, including caring for her parents, so she did not continue working with AFSC. Gildemeister remained connected to Haverford College by providing support to the Center for Peace and Global Citizenship and a gift to help fund the Douglas and Dorothy Steere Professorship in Quaker Studies. She died on May 11, 2017 in Austria.

Extent

1.7 linear ft. (4 boxes)

Abstract

This collection contains the papers of Marlis Gildemeister, a graduate of Haverford College's master's program in Relief & Restoration and a volunteer with American Friends Service Committee in Austria after World War II. The materials in this collection span the years 1946 to 2007, and are mostly related to relief work and aid to refugees in the turmoil following the second world war. Some of the materials are in German.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into two series, Correspondence and World War II Relief Efforts. This second series is divided into five subseries: Work and Travel, American Friends Service Committee, Exhibition Materials, Seminar Materials, and Photographs. Within each subseries, materials are arranged chronologically.

Related Materials

Master thesis from 1945 Gildemeister, Maria Luisa: American relief and reconstruction work in Austria, 1918-1923; Douglas V. Steere and Dorothy M. Steere papers, HC.MC.1174.

Processing Information

Processed by Madison Arnold-Scerbo; completed July, 2018.

Title
Marlis Gildemeister papers
Author
Madison Arnold-Scerbo
Date
July, 2018
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 Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections Library

Contact:
370 Lancaster Ave
Haverford PA 19041 USA US