Record Groups
Images
Metadata
Collection |
Drucker Family Papers |
Object Name |
Collection |
Catalog Number |
RG-179 |
Dates of Creation |
1943-1992 |
Extent of Description |
2.2 linear feet (6 boxes) |
Admin/Biographical History |
Leo and Hermine Drucker immigrated to San Francisco in 1937 from Salzkotten, Germany along with several members of their extended family. Their eldest son, Eric, was already living in California. Walter Drucker enlisted in the United States Army in 1943 and went through basic training at Camp Barkeley, Texas, after which he was trained in the clerical school. Due to his knowledge of German, Walter was transferred to Army Intelligence at Camp Ritchie, Maryland. He also participated in the lesser known Louisiana Maneuvers at Leesville, LA in February and March 1944. In May, Walter was sent overseas to England and later to France where he served as a translator. In January 1945, he had made it to Luxembourg and by April he was in Germany. Eric Drucker enlisted in the Navy in 1944 and trained in San Diego, California. After training, he was assigned to the Naval Air Corps in Hawaii and later a radio school. In 1945, he was assigned to work as a radioman on Johnston Island. Herbert Simon, a nephew of Leo and Hermine Drucker, seems to have been the first of the cousins to enlist and was assigned to Camp Blanding, Florida but later stationed in New Guinea and the Philippines. Albert Simon enlisted in the Army in 1944 and trained at Camp Roberts, California. By December 1945, both Walter and Eric Drucker were on their way home to San Francisco. In 1992, Walter returned to Germany, including his hometown of Salzkotten. |
Copyrights |
No restriction on use. |
Language of Material |
English, German, and Hebrew |
Scope & Content |
The Drucker Family Papers primarily focus on the wartime service of the Drucker brothers, Eric and Walter between the years of 1943 - 1945. These papers include correspondence, photos, and ephemera relating to World War II. Folders 1 - 19 contain correspondence primarily from the Drucker brothers to their parents; however, there are several letters from the Simon cousins as well as friends of the Druckers, and a few letters from their parents to the boys. The majority of Walter's letters are written in German as are the letters from his parents. Folder 20 has military documents pertaining to Walter's service in the Army. Folder 21 holds ephemera Walter collected during his time in the European Theater. Folder 22 contains several loose ephemera from the scrapbook Walter made after his 1992 trip back to Europe. Folder 23 holds several loose photographs from the same trip in both color and black and white. Box 5 has a scrapbook of Walter's 1992 travels in Europe. Box 6 contains three prayer books. Prayers of Israel is a pocket-sized book, mostly in Hebrew, with a metal plate cover. A siddur, stamped as belonging to Leo Drucker and dated 1933, is written in Hebrew and German. The Prayer Book for the New Year is written in Hebrew and English. |
Subjects |
United States. Army. United States. Army Intelligence. United States. Navy. United States. Naval Air Corps. Salzkotten, Germany Camp Barkeley, Texas, United States Camp Ritchie, Maryland, United States Leesville, Louisiana Louisiana Maneuvers England France Luxembourg San Diego, California, United States Johnston Island Maui, Hawaii Oahu, Hawaii Camp Blanding, Florida, United States New Guinea Philippines Camp Roberts, California, United States |
Imagefile |
003\RG179.JPG |
Relation |
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