Irwin Abrams Papers
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http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf9v19p0dq No online items Register of the Irwin Abrams Papers Finding aid prepared by Katherine Reynolds, Beth Goder; machine-readable finding aid created by Brooke Dykman Dockter Hoover Institution Archives 434 Galvez Mall Stanford University Stanford, CA, 94305-6003 (650) 723-3563 [email protected] © 1998, 2017 Register of the Irwin Abrams 83025 1 Papers Title: Irwin Abrams papers Date (inclusive): 1900-2005 Collection Number: 83025 Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Archives Language of Material: English Physical Description: 38 manuscript boxes, 1 card file box(16.1 linear feet) Abstract: Speeches and writings, correspondence, reports, minutes, bulletins, newsletters, curricular material, and other printed matter, relating to activities of the American Friends Service Committee, international volunteer work camps, conscientious objection during World War II, education in Germany, international educational and cultural exchanges, especially between the United States and East and West Germany, and the Nobel Peace Prize. Physical Location: Hoover Institution Archives Creator: Abrams, Irwin, 1914-2010 Access Collection is open for research. The Hoover Institution Archives only allows access to copies of audiovisual items. To listen to sound recordings or to view videos or films during your visit, please contact the Archives at least two working days before your arrival. We will then advise you of the accessibility of the material you wish to see or hear. Please note that not all audiovisual material is immediately accessible. Publication Rights For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Archives Preferred Citation [Identification of item], Irwin Abrams papers, [Box number], Hoover Institution Archives. Acquisition Information Materials were acquired by the Hoover Institution Archives in 1983. Accruals Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. To determine if this has occurred, find the collection in Stanford University's online catalog at http://searchworks.stanford.edu/ . Materials have been added to the collection if the number of boxes listed in the online catalog is larger than the number of boxes listed in this finding aid. Related Collection(s) Irwin Abrams Papers, Swarthmore College Peace Collection 1914, Born, San Francisco, California February 24 1934 B.A., Stanford University 1935 M.A., Harvard University 1938 Ph.D., Harvard University 1938-1943 Instructor, Department of History, Stanford University 1943-1946 Director of Training, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) 1946-1947 Director, Quaker Overseas Work Camps (AFSC) 1947-1949 Assistant Professor, Department of History, Antioch University 1949-1951 Associate Professor, Department of History, Antioch University 1951-1979 Professor, Department of History, Antioch University 1953 Specialist, Exchange Program, U.S. State Department, Germany 1955-1971 Member, Board of Directors, Antioch Review 1956-1957 Chairman, International Student Seminars, AFSC, Switzerland and Yugoslavia 1956-1964 Educational Director, Shipboard Programs of Council on Student Travel 1961 Fulbright Lecturer, University of Cologne, Germany 1964 Chairman, International Student Seminars, AFSC, Hungary 1965-1967 Director, Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA) Seminars, Yugoslavia 1970 Co-director, GLCA Seminars 1970-1973 Member, Board of Directors, Council on International Educational Exchange 1972 Coordinator, Curriculum Materials Team, GLCA Seminars 1972-1975 Director, GLCA-Antioch European Team in Comparative Urban Studies Register of the Irwin Abrams 83025 2 Papers 1976 Co-director, Task Force on International Education of International City Management Association 1976-1978 Vice president, International Society for Educational, Cultural and Scientific Interchanges (ISECSI) 1978-1982 President, ISECSI 1979 Co-chairman, Project on International Exchange Research of German Academic Exchange Service and ISECSI 1979-1981 Distinguished University Professor, Antioch University 1981- Distinguished University Professor Emeritus, Antioch University 1988 Author, The Nobel Peace Prize and the Laureates, 1901-1987 1990 Editor, Worlds of Peace Scope and Content of Collection The Irwin Abrams papers contain speeches and writings, correspondence, reports, minutes, bulletins, newsletters, curricular material, and other printed matter related to activities of the American Friends Service Committee, international volunteer work camps, conscientious objection during World War II, education in Germany, international educational and cultural exchanges, especially between the United States and East and West Germany, and the Nobel Peace Prize. Irwin Abrams, a peace scholar and historian, influenced the field of peace studies from the beginning of his career. In 1936, Abrams traveled to Europe to do research for his dissertation, A History of European Peace Societies, 1867-1899. Although the dissertation won the Charles Sumner Peace Prize in 1938 and was often quoted by scholars, the paper was never published in its entirety. As a Quaker, pacifist, and conscientious objector during World War II, Abrams was committed to fostering peace through relief work and educational exchange programs. He wrote, "I became convinced that to change the world you had to change yourself." During World War II, Abrams left his teaching position at Stanford to work with the American Friends Service Committee, where he served as Director of Training from 1943 to 1946 and directed relief work camps in Europe from 1946 to 1947. The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) File contains correspondence, diaries, memoranda, bulletins, and notes related to relief work and conscientious objectors. Of note are two travel diaries from AFSC missions--one from 1946 documenting volunteer work camps to rebuild after World War II, the other from a 1963 mission to Germany, where AFSC members visited East and West Berlin, as well as other parts of Germany, shortly after the construction of the Berlin Wall. The 1963 journal includes notes on meetings with government officials. Throughout his career, Abrams wrote about issues of peace. After the publication of The Nobel Peace Prize and the Laureates, 1901-1987, Abrams became known as a leading authority on the subject. Throughout his life, he met many of the peace laureates, including the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Willy Brandt, Jimmy Carter, Jose Ramos-Horta, and Martin Luther King, Jr. The collection includes Abrams' Speeches and Writings on peace, ethics, and educational exchange programs. See also Incremental Materials for speeches and writings from the 1990s and 2000s. In 1981, Abrams interviewed Adolf Ciborowski, Chief Architect of Warsaw, who helped rebuild the city after World War II. A recording of this interview is available in the Sound Recordings. Please note that a use copy is available. In addition to being a peace scholar and professor, Abrams collected materials related to peace and international education. Over the years, Abrams sent many increments of materials to his collection at the Hoover Institution Archives. A large group of these materials was processed in 2017. The Incremental Materials are arranged in nine groups, some of which are continuations of series in the original accession of materials. Within the Incremental Materials, the Academic Career and Peace Organizations File documents Abrams' work as a history professor, peace scholar, and advocate for peace. His work in academia often overlapped with his commitment to creating a more peaceful world, which is perhaps most clearly exemplified by his involvement with study abroad programs. This file includes correspondence, reports, notes, and evaluations related to Abrams' teaching career at Stanford University and Antioch College, his involvement in educational exchange groups, and materials related to his work for peace organizations. See also the Subject File of the original accession for more material related to Abrams' work with peace organizations, educational exchange programs with the Great Lakes College Association, and Antioch College international education programs. These materials also include a variety of printed matter related to peace and international education, including World War II era pamphlets. Subjects and Indexing Terms American Friends Service Committee. Education--Germany. Education. Germany (East)--Relations--United States. Germany (West)--Relations--United States. Register of the Irwin Abrams 83025 3 Papers Germany. Intellectual cooperation. International education. Nobel Prizes. Peace. United States--Foreign relations. United States--Relations--Germany (East) United States--Relations--Germany (West) Volunteer workers in community development. Work camps. World War, 1939-1945--Conscientious objectors. World War, 1939-1945--United States. World War, 1939-1945. Box 1 Biographical File, 1932-1988. Scope and Contents note Curricula vitae and articles arranged chronologically. See also Incremental Materials. Box/Folder 1 : 1 Curricula vitae, correspondence, and one article Speeches and Writings, 1938-1989 Scope and Contents note Typescript, and printed speeches and articles by Irwin Abrams arranged chronologically by date of publication or presentation. See also Incremental Materials. Box/Folder 1 : 2 "The Nobel Peace Prize and the Laureates: An Illustrated Biographical History, 1901-1987," Printed copy n.d. Box/Folder 1 : 3 "A History of European Peace Societies, 1867-1899,"