All Items 4,475

The death of historical memory? Javier Cercas's El impostor versus the legacy of Spaniards deported to Nazi camps

Brenneis, Sara J. (Spanish Department, Amherst College)

Javier Cercas criticizes what he calls “the so-called memory industry” in his 2014 book, El impostor. While delving into the life story of Enric Marco, who was unmasked in 2005 as a false survivor of the Nazi concentration camp Flossenbürg, Cercas pronounces historical memory dead in Spain. This article retraces Marco’s rise to fame against the backdrop of Spain’s relevance to the Holocaust as well as seven decades of narratives by actual Spanish survivors of Nazi concentration camps published inside the country. These narratives have given increased visibility to Spanish deportees, forming a core aspect of Spain’s historical memory. Countering Cercas’s claim of morbidity, this article demonstrates that the recuperation of historical memory has moved from a grassroots movement to a legislative initiative and back again in Spain, particularly as concerns the legacy of Spanish Republicans deported to Nazi camps. Cercas’s misplaced glorification of a false survivor and his narrow focus on the recuperation of historical memory as a collective memory of the Spanish Civil War and Franco dictatorship governed by the Law of Historical Memory notwithstanding, the movement has had a trickle-down effect on the visibility of the history of Spaniards deported to Nazi camps during World War II.

The death of historical memory? Javier Cercas's El impostor versus the legacy of Spaniards deported to Nazi camps
Jeffery Amherst letter to Colonel John Bradstreet, July 24

Amherst, Jeffery Amherst, Baron, 1717-1797

Letter from Jeffery Amherst to Colonel John Bradstreet in which he acknowledges receipt of Bradstreet's letter and reports on sending troops by batteau to Albany and on to Schenectady by the shortest way and as expeditiously as possible.

Jeffery Amherst letter to Colonel John Bradstreet, July 24
Copy of Heman Humphrey letter to the Anti-Slavery Society, 1835 January

Humphrey, Heman, 1779-1861

A letter written by Heman Humphrey on behalf of and by vote of the faculty to the Committee of the Anti-Slavery Society in Amherst College in which Humphrey responds to the letter from the Anti-Slavery Society to the faculty, dated January 1835 and in Box 1 Folder 48 of this collection. Humphrey states that he shared this communication with the faculty and they were happy to find that it was written in the same excellent spirit as that of the memorial written by the Anti-Slavery Society previously. He writes that though the faculty has the kindest feelings towards every member of the Anti-Slavery Society, they agree with the opinion recently expressed by the student body of the Andover Theological Seminary that in the present agitated state of the public mind, it is inexpedient to keep up any organizations under the name of antislavery or colonization or the like in the literary and theological institutions. Humphrey goes on to explain the reasons for this opinion and responds to the society's objections to the conditions previously suggested to them by the faculty. He states that the Anti-Slavery Society must cease to exist just as the college's American Colonization Society has done already. He again states that they hold the members of the society in the kindest personal regard and are confident in their good principles and judgement. On the back of the letter is a note stating that this is a copy of the communication sent to the society.

Copy of Heman Humphrey letter to the Anti-Slavery Society, 1835 January
Memoir of Catharine Brown: a Christian Indian of the Cherokee nation

Anderson, Rufus, 1796-1880

Memoir of Catharine Brown: a Christian Indian of the Cherokee nation
Collegiate Institution faculty resolution regarding the student petition against Lucius Field, 1822

Collegiate Institution (Amherst, Mass.)

A document stating that at a meeting of the faculty of the Collegiate Institution it was resolved that the petition of the Junior, Sophomore, and Freshman classes against the tutor Lucius Field cannot and ought not to be granted. The document lists the reasons for this resolution. It notes that the faculty also resolved that the claims made in the petition are groundless and slanderous and no student should have stated them or have consented others to stating them. The document goes on to describe the conclusions drawn by faculty after examination of the case. Finally, the document provides the faculty's conclusions in regards to punishment of students. It states that the faculty has decided to treat the students with paternal tenderness and expect the good sense of the students will prevail after time for reflection, but should there be any further disorder or disrespect to the officers of the Institution, the faulty will proceed to notice them with all the severity required. There is another version of this document with slight modifications in Box 1 Folder 65 of this collection. The student petition referred to in this document is in Box 1 Folder 7 of this collection.

Collegiate Institution faculty resolution regarding the student petition against Lucius Field, 1822
Dana Clayes letter to Heman Humphrey, 1824 June 21

Clayes, Dana, 1792-1877

Dana Clayes letter to Heman Humphrey in which Clayes inquires, per the request of Daniel Blood, about the Collegiate Institution in Amherst. Clayes states that Blood is a beneficiary "of the Academy in this place," presumably Kimball Union Academy. On behalf of Blood, Clayes asks Humphrey about the costs associated with attending the Collegiate Institution and potential financial assistance. Clayes states that if the pecuniary circumstances at Amherst are as favorable as elsewhere, Blood thinks he will apply for admission next fall. Clayes asks Humphrey to direct a letter to Blood with the answers to his questions and writes in a postscript that Blood is a young gentlemen of decided piety and respectable scholarship.

Dana Clayes letter to Heman Humphrey, 1824 June 21
Zephaniah Swift Moore graduation testimonial in Latin, 1822 August 28

Moore, Zephaniah Swift, 1770-1823

Zephaniah Swift Moore testimonial in Latin certifying that, with the consent of the Trustees, the president and professors of the Collegiate Institution judge that E.S.S. (Ebenezer S. Snell) is worthy of the title and degree of Bachelor of Liberal Arts. On the back of the testimonial is a note in English.

Zephaniah Swift Moore graduation testimonial in Latin, 1822 August 28
Judah Ely letter to the students of the Collegiate Institution, 1824 March 1

Ely, Judah

Judah Ely letter to the students and alumni of the Amherst Collegiate Institution in which Ely writes regarding the death of Zephaniah Swift Moore and suggests an annual essay contest with a monetary reward, in Moore's honor. Ely writes that he had sent Moore a letter and three dollars for the purchase of a prize to go to an essay winner and that he had suggested to essay subject should be "the evil arising from an intemperate use of distilled liquors in the U. States and the best means of preventing them." He explains his plans for the essay contest he had proposed further, and proposes a new plan for a prize essay contest to honor Moore, called the "Moore Prize Essay" for which a "Moore fund" could be raised. He suggests two possible subjects, one relating to the importance of Christianity to national prosperity and happiness and the other regarding the evils of slavery and best means of removing them. Ely then writes regarding his own opinions on each subject, discussing current topics such as a decreasing reference to God in government and the aims of the American Colonization Society. He also states that he is enclosing ten dollars to go towards the Moore fund. The letter is addressed to the alumni of Amherst Collegiate Institution though the salutation of the letter states it is to the students of the Institution.

Judah Ely letter to the students of the Collegiate Institution, 1824 March 1
Student petition for a band and proposed constitution, 1836 March

Amherst College

A student petition to the faculty asking that they be permitted to organize a society called the Amherst College Band under the proposed constitution provided with the petition. The petition is signed by five students: David Sewall Oliphant, Frederick Augustus Fiske, James Hovey, William Thomas Doubleday, and Jonathan Amos Fowler. An unattributed note on the document states "Petition for a College Band- March 1836- Not Granted."

Student petition for a band and proposed constitution, 1836 March
Commencement address in Latin

Amherst College

A draft in Latin of a Commencement address given by college president Heman Humphrey in which he firstly addresses the Trustees, stating that the young men they have judged to be worthy of the Bachelor of Arts degree are present and with the Trustees' blessing he confers the degrees on them. He goes on to address the graduates, asking them to come down and receive their first laurel.

Commencement address in Latin
Pamphlet of information regarding the Amherst Collegiate Institution, 1824 May 31

Collegiate Institution (Amherst, Mass.)

A pamphlet of information relating to the Amherst Collegiate Institution. Included are lists of the Trustees and faculty of the Institution and the Overseers of the Charity Fund, the student enrollment by class year, a brief description of the college buildings, distances to nearby colleges and state lines, and information regarding the financial status of the Institution and the Charity Fund and the Thirty Thousand Dollar Subscription. Also included is a table with enrollment statistics from other colleges in which New England students are educated and text examining other colleges' financial situations. An appendix is provided at the end of the pamphlet with further information regarding term bills, admission qualifications, and Commencement at the Collegiate Institution as well as a brief abstract regarding Amherst Academy. The information in the pamphlet is compiled from various sources such as catalogs and financier statements, and these sources are identified within the text. Excerpts include information attributed to various individuals including Rufus Graves, Lucius Boltwood, and John Leland, Jr.

Pamphlet of information regarding the Amherst Collegiate Institution, 1824 May 31
Thomas Shepard letter to the faculty of the Collegiate Institution, 1823 August 20

Shepard, Thomas, 1792-1879

Thomas Shepard letter to the faculty of the Amherst Collegiate Institution in which Shepard introduces Edmund P. Sherwin (Edmund Phelps Sherwin). Shepard writes that Sherwin has been a member of "our Academy," presumably Sanderson Academy in Ashfield, and of the Congregational Church in Buckland, Massachusetts. Shepard recommends Sherwin as a young man of irreproachable character. Shepard goes on to say that should Sherwin's literary requirements be approved, he will make a respectable member of their Institution. Shepard addresses the letter specifically to Gamaliel S. Olds, a professor, and notes Sherwin as the bearer of the letter.

Thomas Shepard letter to the faculty of the Collegiate Institution, 1823 August 20
Handwritten transcription of Williams College Commencement program, 1820

Williams College

An unattributed handwritten copy of the 1820 Williams College Commencement program. The order of exercises including the names of speakers is provided in Latin. There are also two notes clarifying when the Corncio ad Clerum will be delivered and by whom that are provided in English.

Handwritten transcription of Williams College Commencement program, 1820
Albert Barnes letter to Heman Humphrey, 1844 October 8

Barnes, Albert, 1798-1870

Albert Barnes letter to Heman Humphrey in which Barnes responds to the offer made by Humphrey and the Board of Trustees to appoint Barnes as President of Amherst College. Barnes discusses how honored he was by the offer and states that he knows the College has been a great blessing to the land under Humphrey's administration. Barnes goes on, however, to decline the offer and explain his reasons for doing so, primarily relating to his reluctance to leave his current position. He states that he thinks he can foresee that there would be peril to the harmony of the church in selecting another pastor and that the interests of religion in his city would be likely to suffer. He writes that another reason he must decline is that he feels it is his duty to preach the gospel. In closing, he prays that the Board will find a man who is qualified to fill the position and wishes Humphrey well.

Albert Barnes letter to Heman Humphrey, 1844 October 8
Levi Hodge letter to Zephaniah Swift Moore, 1822 May 15

Hodge, Levi

A letter from Levi Hodge of Harvard University to Zephaniah Swift Moore in which Hodge shares with Moore the proceedings of the last annual meeting of the Convention of the Colleges which took place in Boston on May 30 and 31, 1821. Hodge includes a transcription of the proceedings originally documented by Moses Stuart who was acting as scribe for the meeting. Provided are the names of attendees, the institutions the attendees are from, and the minutes of the meeting.

Levi Hodge letter to Zephaniah Swift Moore, 1822 May 15
Jepthah Bacon letter to Heman Humphrey, 1824 March 16

Bacon, Jepthah, 1770-1851

Jepthah Bacon letter to Heman Humphrey in which Bacon writes regarding his son Peter C. Bacon (Peter Child Bacon). Jepthah Bacon explains that his son has been at Brown University but has now left and hopes to become a student at the Collegiate Institution. Bacon describes the circumstances of his son's leaving Brown, including a misunderstanding with Brown's president over Peter's need to have time off from college in order to work at a school and make money for funding the cost of his attendance. He goes on to ask that Humphrey receive his son into the Institution and states that he will be accountable for all lawful bills against Peter during his term.

Jepthah Bacon letter to Heman Humphrey, 1824 March 16
William George Howard, David Andrews, and Edward Corrie Pritchett letter to the faculty, 1835 January

Pritchett, Edward Corrie, 1812-1892

Letter from three members of the Anti-Slavery Society to the faculty of Amherst College. Members William George Howard, David Andrews, and Edward Corrie Pritchett write that the society has examined and discussed the conditions that the faculty offered them, presumably referring to the faculty's letter dated November 26, 1834 in Box 1 Folder 48 of this collection. They state that after examination of the specific restrictions which the faculty's letter contained, which they feel deprive the society of all that gives value to any association, the society resolved at the last meeting that their duty as men and Christians forbids them from agreeing to the conditions the faculty submitted. The letter states that Howard, Andrews, and Pritchett, as the undersigned, were appointed to communicate this resolution to the faculty body.

William George Howard, David Andrews, and Edward Corrie Pritchett letter to the faculty, 1835 January
Student petition to Zephaniah Swift Moore, 1822 February 25

Moore, Zephaniah Swift, 1770-1823

A petition from students in the freshman, sophomore, and junior classes regarding the tutor Lucius Field. The students write to Zephaniah Swift Moore, president of the College, and explain that they are dissatisfied with Field. They include the reasons for their dissatisfaction and ask that Moore take measures to secure another instructor as soon as possible. There are unattributed notes in pencil on this item.

Student petition to Zephaniah Swift Moore, 1822 February 25
Francis G. Hopkins letter to Zephaniah Swift Moore, 1823 June 7

Hopkins, Francis G.

Francis G. Hopkins letter to Zephaniah Swift Moore in which Hopkins, a student of the Collegiate Institution, writes regarding his health and his plans for returning to the Institution. He states that his health was improving during his travels, but since arriving to this place he has become quite unwell. Therefore, he writes that he will not be returning this semester to Amherst, but should he regain his health he will probably return in the fall. He goes on to say that he did not pay his last term's bill, but it is his intention to have it settled soon and he is making arrangements immediately.

Francis G. Hopkins letter to Zephaniah Swift Moore, 1823 June 7
Jeremiah Day certification of Samuel Patridge's dismissal from Yale College, 1825 February

Day, Jeremiah, 1737-1806

Jeremiah Day note in which Day writes as the President of Yale College and certifies that Samuel Partridge of the freshmen class of Yale is hereby dismissed at his father's request on account of ill health.

Jeremiah Day certification of Samuel Patridge's dismissal from Yale College, 1825 February