Harry J. Marks Collection

The Harry J. Marks Collection documents the years this future history professor spent living as a student abroad in Germany during the late 1920s and early 1930s. A prolific letter and diary writer, the collection consists largely of his letters to his family and diaries from this time. The collection also includes correspondence from friends, brief biographical information on him, a few notes and family trees.

With the bulk of the diaries and correspondence dating from Harry J. Marks's time in Germany in the early 1930s, they include both his external commentary to his family on life in Germany at this time as well as his own internal reflections in his diary. As a student studying German history and politics his letters, in Series I, and diary entries, in Series II, often mention events he witnessed or news he read related to the changes in German politics and society, along with his opinions. The mood in the country is often addressed as well. Some notable historic events are mentioned, such as the election of Adolf Hitler, the Reichstag fire, and the elections of March 5, 1933, among many others. Multiple diary entries reference the growing anti-Semitism in the country, the restrictions on the press and politics, and the growing strength of the Nazis.

The correspondence and diaries reflect on more quotidian topics as well, such as Marks's academic interests and efforts and daily life as a student in Heidelberg or Berlin. Included among these are descriptions of lectures, student life and activities, discussions with friends or professors, or potential subjects for papers or further study. Reviews of books, art, and performances are also frequent subjects. Many letters and diary entries additionally include his descriptions of travel in Europe, especially in Germany and Italy. Among the diaries is also an earlier one from a trip with fellow high school students through France in 1926.

In addition to Harry Marks's correspondence with his parents, Series I also holds a small amount of letters of other individuals to him, primarily from friends after he had returned home to the United States. Several relate to the immigration of members of the Meyer family. Aside from diaries Series II also holds biographical material, notes, and family trees of the Hirschbach family.