Richard Dern manuscript, 1925-2001, Date acquired: 2008-03-03, Date accessioned: 2020-06-09, bulk 1923-2001
Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- Dern, Richard
- Extent:
- 1 folders
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
[Title of Item], [Date of Item], [Box and Folder number], Richard Dern manuscript, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_08_0073.
Background
- Scope and content:
This collection contains the memoir of Richard Dern who served in the Luftwaffe on the Eastern Front during World War II.
- Biographical / historical:
Richard Dern was born October 14, 1925 in a small village outside of Frankfurt called Schwalbach. In 1926 his family emigrated to Buffalo, NY. In the 1930s during the Depression, his family moved to Blossom, NY to start a farm. In 1939 his mother and brother went to visit family in Schwalbach. While vacationing, Germany invaded Poland and World War II began. Dern and his brother, while American citizens, were able to return to the US but chose not to, to stay with their mother, who was not a US citizen and unable to return. At the beginning of the war, Richard and his brother began apprenticeships at a manufacturing plant of optical lenses for cameras. Two years after their arrival in Germany, Dern regained his German Citizenship and he and his brother were called for the labor service called the "Arbeitsdienst." Later, Dern received his draft notice and was inducted into the Luftwaffe. For training they were sent to Brügges, Belgium. From there he was sent to Fürth, near Nuremberg, for training on the 88mm Anti-aircraft Flack Cannon where he was first trained as a loader (position K3), then moved to the aimer position (K2).
- Custodial history:
This collection was donated by Roger Freed. The collection was acquired by the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience on March 3, 2008.
Transferred from the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience to FSU Libraries Special Collections & Archives in July 2022.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- World War, 1939-1945--Germany
Germany. -- Luftwaffe -- History.
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Eastern Front
Germany--History--1933-1945
Buffalo (N.Y.)--History--20th century.
Buffalo (N.Y.)--History.
Norway--History--German occupation, 1940-1945
Saint Petersburg (Russia) -- History -- Siege, 1941-1944.
World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons - Names:
- Germany. Luftwaffe
- Places:
- Schwalbach-Griesborn (Germany)
Frankfurt am Main (Germany)
Bruges (Belgium)
Access and use
- Restrictions:
This collection is open to all researchers.
- Terms of access:
All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
- Preferred citation:
[Title of Item], [Date of Item], [Box and Folder number], Richard Dern manuscript, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_08_0073.
- Location of this collection:
-
116 Honors WayTallahasseeFL32306-2047USA
