United States Holocaust Museum Committee Collection of Alfred Gottschalk

Manuscript Collection No. 712

1978-1997. 5.6 Linear ft.

ACCESS AND PROVENANCE

The United States Holocuast Museum Committee Collection was donated to the American Jewish Archives by Dr. Alfred Gottschalk in June, 2000. Property rights are assigned to the American Jewish Archives. Literary rights to materials are held by the individual author or his/her heirs. Questions concerning rights should be addressed to the Director of the American Jewish Archives.

The collection is open to all users and available in the reading room of the American Jewish Archives.

INSTITUTIONAL SKETCH top

On November 1, 1978, President Jimmy Carter established the President’s Commission on the Holocaust. The purpose of the Commission was to make recommendations on establishing and funding an appropriate memorial to victims of the Holocaust. The Commission suggested the following:

that a living memorial be established to honor the victims and survivors of the Holocaust and which would ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust be taught in perpetuity;

that an educational foundation be established to stimulate and support research in the teaching of the Holocaust;

that a Committee on Conscience be established that would collect information on and alert the national conscience regarding reports of actual or potential outbreaks of genocide throughout the world; and

that a national Day of Remembrance of victims of the Holocaust be established in perpetuity and be held annually.

In order to meet these goals, the Commission took on a new identity, that of the United States Holocaust Memorial Committee. The Committee, brought about by passage of Public Law 96-388 in 1980, was made up of prominent Jews and non-Jews alike. Chaired by Elie Wiesel, its members included Mario Cuomo, Kitty Dukakis, Rabbi Irving Greenberg, Miles Lerman and Professor Alfred Gottschalk, then president of Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. The membership of the Committee has changed over the years; however, it is the Museum’s governing body to this day.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum was completed in 1994, the product of endless meetings, phone calls, correspondence, and even research trips. The Museum consists of 44,000 square feet of exhibit space, as well as an archive, library, Hall of Witness and Hall of Remembrance. Built by architectural firm Pei, Cobb, Freed and Partners, it is the recipient of numerous awards, most notably the National Honor Award of the American Institute of Architects, and the Sixth Annual Jewish Cultural Achievement Award of the National Foundation for Jewish Culture.

SCOPE AND CONTENT top

Dr. Alfred Gottschalk, president of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion from 1971–1995, served on both the President’s Commission on the Holocaust and the United States Holocaust Museum Committee. The scope of this collection reflects the extent of his involvement. Dr. Gottschalk served on the following committees:

· Executive Committee
· Committee on Commemoration
· Committee on Conscience
· Subcommittee on Higher Education
· Committee on International Relations

As a result, these are the committees about which we have the most information.

It could not have escaped Dr. Gottschalk at the time that he was participating in an historic undertaking, one in which future generations would take a keen interest. This awareness manifested itself in his diligent recordkeeping. The items to be found include correspondence, financial reports, periodical articles, minutes of meetings, press releases and publicity.

It should be noted that this is the story of the United States Holocaust Museum, not of Alfred Gottschalk. The strength of this collection resides in its unbiased and comprehensive presentation of the facts.

The content of this collection is organized into one series and is presented in approximate chronological order. By going through its 14 boxes from first to last, a “you were there” sensibility can be created as events unfold. While the minutes of meetings will never be the stuff of high drama, the people involved were – some of them – very well known within the Jewish community, and sometimes beyond. The task they set themselves was one of the most important of their careers.

The task was also onerous and time-consuming. Committee meetings were held almost entirely in Washington, D.C., undoubtedly a hardship for some. Members, all of whom acted in a leadership capacity in their daily lives, had to somehow find the time and energy so that they could give the evolving Museum their very best. Finally, it must certainly have been true that all those involved realized that seeing this project through to completion would take years. For those who stuck with it, the level of commitment required was nearly heroic. Dr. Gottschalk’s service began in 1978 and ended in 1997.

BOX AND FOLDER LIST top


BOX		FOLDER			CONTENTS

1		1			Establishment. November 1, 1978.
		2			Members. 
		3			Press Releases and Publicity. 1978-1979. 
		4			Miscellaneous. 1979.
		5			First Meeting. February 15, 1979.
		6			Subcommittee Meetings and Recommendations. March 1979. 
		7			Days of Remembrance and Second Meeting. April 24, 1979.
		8			Third Meeting. June 7, 1979.

					
2		1			Correspondence A-Z. 1980-1984. 
		2			Fact-Finding Mission to Europe, Soviet Union and Israel. July 29 – August 12, 1979.
		3			Committees and Subcommittees on which Dr. Gottschalk 
					served.
		4			Final Report of the Commission. September 27, 1979. 
		5			Education Subcommittee – Minutes. March 26, 1979.
		6			Academic Research and Higher Education Subcommittee -	Minutes. April 16, 1979. l  
		7			By-laws and Establishment. January 16, 1980.
		8			Days of Remembrance. April 26. 1980. 
		9			Meetings and Minutes. May 28, 1980.
		10			Working Committees.   
		11			Publicity and Press Releases. 1980 – 1983.  
		12			Subcommittee on Higher Education.   
		13			Members, Corrected List. June 3, 1980.   
		14			Subcommittee Meetings and Minutes. June 11, 1980. 
		15			Emergency Session. October 22, 1980. 
		 
3		1			Miscellaneous. 1980 – 1982.   
		2			Meeting Minutes.  December 10, 1980.							

		3			Coordinating Committee Membership List.
		4			Development and Budget Committee Meeting 
   					Minutes. March 19, 1981.
		5			Site Committee Meeting Minutes. April 29, 1981.  
		6			Days of Remembrance. April 26 – May 3, 1981.
		7			Meeting Minutes. April 30, 1981.
		8			Ohio Holocaust Commemoration (photographs).
		9			Coordinating Committee Meeting Minutes. September 10, 1981.
		10	                Meetings (1981 – 1985), inc. Emergency Session. April 15, 1985.

4		1			Recommendations on Themes of the Museum.
		2			International Liberators’ Conference. October 26-28, 1981.
		3			Search for Director. 1981 – 1982.
		4			Meeting Minutes. September 24, 1981.
		5			Meeting Minutes. December 2, 1981.
		6			Miscellaneous. 1982 – 1984.
		7			Days of Remembrance. April 18-25, 1982
		8			Fundraising. 1982 – 1985.


5		1			American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors. 
					April 11-14, 1984.  
		2			Seymour Siegel, Director. 1982 – 1984.
		3			Staff Executive Committee Meeting Minutes. 1983–1984.
		4			Chairman’s Executive Committee Meeting 
					Minutes. 1983.
		5			Executive Committee Meeting Minutes. May 23, 1984.
		6			Days of Remembrance. April 29-30, 1984.
		7			Meeting Minutes. 1986.
		8			Members, inc. Congressional Members. 1985.
		9			Days of Remembrance. April 14-21, 1985.
		10			Content Committee Meeting Minutes. September 3, 1985.Museum Groundbreaking Ceremony. 	

					October 16, 1985.
		12			Amended Bylaws. June 10, 1986.
		13			Miscellaneous. 1984 – 1986.

6		1			Museum Design Concept Proposal. January 31, 1986.
		2			Holocaust Genocide Studies: An International Journal.
		3			Meeting and Minutes. June 9-10, 1986.
		4			Day of Remembrance for Gypsy Victims. September 16, 1986.
		5			Meeting, Minutes, Resolutions. December 4, 1986.
		6			Miscellaneous. 1986 – 1987.		
		7			Museum Development Committee Meeting Minutes. February 4, 1987.
		8			Museum Development Committee Meeting Minutes. March 4, 1987.
		9			Miscellaneous. 1987.

7		1			Museum Development Committee Meeting Minutes. April 27, 1987.
		2			Meeting Minutes, inc. Executive Committee Meeting Minutes. April 27-28, 1987.
		3			Members; Quarterly Financial Reports; Fundraising; Executive Committee Terms of 	
					Reference; Meeting Minutes; Museum Design; Miscellaneous. 1987.
		4			Museum Design. May 22, 1987.
		5			Executive Committee Meeting: Financial Reports. June 1987.
		6			Approval of Museum Design. July 1987.
		7			Days of Remembrance: Press Reports/Newspaper Articles.1987.
		8		        Miscellaneous. 1987.

8		1			Miscellaneous. 1988 - 1993
		2			Narrative Justification Statement. 1988.
		3			Fundraising. 1992.
		4			Progress Report. 1992 – 1993.
		5			Opening Committee Meeting Minutes. June 24, 1992.
		6			Dinner hosted by Dr. and Mrs. Gottschalk. October 27, 1992.
		7			Meeting Minutes. June 24, 1993, Operating Budget. 1994.
		8			Meeting Minutes. 1992 – 1993.

9		1			Days of Remembrance. April 18-25, 1993.
		2			Dedication Ceremony. April 22, 1993.
		3			Post-Dedication Correspondence. 1993.
		4			Museum Opening – Newspaper Articles. 1993.
		5			Miscellaneous. 1993.
		6			Miscellaneous, inc. Executive Committee	Meeting Minutes. 1993 – 1994.
		7			Executive Committee Meeting Minutes. August 26, 1993.
		8			Executive Committee Meeting Minutes. September 29, 1993.
		8			Financial Statement with Auditors’ Reports. September 30, 1993.
		10			Comments and Suggestions. January 1994.
10		1			Museum Visitor Study. 1993.
		2			Meeting Minutes.  November 4, 1993.
		3			U.S. Holocaust Research Institute Inaugural Conference. December 5-8, 1993.
		4			Committee on Conscience Meeting Minutes. December 6, 1993.
		5			Executive Committee Meeting Minutes. October 27, 1993.
		6			Executive Committee Meeting Minutes. December 8, 1993.
		7			Miscellaneous. 1993.

11		1			Office of Council Relations. 1994.
		2			Background Information about Committee on Conscience. 1980-1982.
		3			Committee on Conscience – Various. 1994.
		4			Executive Committee, inc. First Quarter Report FY 1994.
		5			United States Holocaust Memorial Museum -Miscellaneous. 1994.
		6			Committee on Conscience Meeting Minutes. February 23, 1994.
		7			Executive Committee Meeting Minutes. February 23, 1994 and March 23, 1994.
		8			Publications Subcommittee, inc. Policies and Procedures and Meeting Minutes. April 					12, 1994.
		9			Days of Remembrance. April 6, 1994.
		10			Committee on Conscience Meeting Minutes. May 24-25, 1994.
		11			Executive Committee Meeting Minutes. May 25, 1994.
		12			Committee on Conscience Meeting Minutes. June 22, 1994.
		13			Executive Committee Meeting Minutes. June 22, 1994.	

12		1			1994 Mid-Year Report.
		2			Brunch honoring German Resistance.  May 21, 1995.
		3			Spring Meeting Minutes, inc. various Reports. June 23, 1994.
		4			Press Releases/Newspaper Articles. 1994-1995.
		5			Academic Committee. 1994.
		6			Miscellaneous. 1994.  
		7			Miscellaneous. 1995.
		8			Third Quarter Report. FY 1994.
		9			Museum Orientation Meeting – Governance Processes
					and Committee Structure. October 25, 1994.
		10			Committee on Conscience Meetings and Minutes. October 25, 1994.

13		1			Fall Meeting, inc. Minutes of Spring 
					Meeting. November 15, 1994.
		2			Miscellaneous. 1994.
		3			1995 Budget
		4			Academic Committee Meetings and Minutes. 1995.
		5			Committee on Conscience. 1995-1996.
		5			Committee on Conscience Meeting Minutes. April 26, 1995.
		7			Days of Remembrance. April 27, 1995.
		8			Steg Correspondence. 1995.
		9			Meyerhoff Lecture. June 11, 1995.
		10			Miscellaneous. 1995-1996.

14		1			Third Quarter Report, Year-End Report. 1995.
		2			Miscellaneous. 1995.
		3			Fall Meeting. December 5, 1995.
		4			Miscellaneous. 1996.
		5			Academic Committee. 1996.
		6			Mid-Year Report. 1996.
		7			Academic Committee. 1997.
		8			Budget Proposal. 1997.

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