Seymour Krieger papers

Identifier
irn692583
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 1986.A.0024.2
  • 1986.A.0024
  • 2011.52
Dates
1 Jan 1934 - 31 Dec 1946
Level of Description
Item
Languages
  • English
Source
EHRI Partner

Extent and Medium

folders

oversize folder

10

1

Creator(s)

Biographical History

Seymour Krieger (1913-1959) was born in East Orange, New Jersey and served with the Office of the U.S. Chief of Counsel under Justice Robert H. Jackson during the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg from 1945 and 1946. He worked to discover, collect, examine, and translate information that resulted in the indictments against Nazis for crimes against Allied soldiers and prisoners of war and for the persecution of Jews. After his service in Nuremberg, he returned to Washington, D.C. where he continued practicing law and opened his own firm. Seymour married Rita (née Zachary, circa 1913-1982) and they had a son Julian and a daughter Deborah.

Archival History

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Acquisition

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Margaret Frankston

Funding Note: The accessibility of this collection was made possible by the generous donors to our crowdfunded Save Their Stories campaign.

The Seymour Krieger papers were donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in two separate donation. Susan Becker, the executrix of Rita Krieger's estate, donated 1986.A.0024 in 1986. Peggy Frankston, the daughter of Rita Krieger’s cousin, donated 2011.52 in 2010. The accessions previously numbered 1986.A.0024 and 2011.52 have been incorporated in this collection.

Scope and Content

The Seymour Krieger papers include correspondence, a diary, and printed material relating to Seymour's involvement with the office of the U.S. Chief of Counsel during the International Military Tribunal (IMT) at the Nuremberg trials. The collection also includes military documents relating to Seymour’s service in the United States Army and two photographs of Seymour in Nuremberg and with his wife, Rita Krieger. Correspondence includes almost daily letters to his wife, Rita, describing his activities as a member of the prosecution team as well as his daily activities. Also included is a letter to Helen Kahau concerning Hitler, dated April 13, 1934. The typewritten diary was kept by Seymour from 1945-1946 during his time working with the office of the U.S. Chief of Counsel in Nuremberg. Seymour wrote almost daily entries describing staff meetings, courtroom observations, detailing what he was working on, the development of the case, and his daily activities. The diary also includes newspaper clippings, postcards to his wife, and other documents relating to the trial and his time in Nuremberg. Military documents include correspondence relating to changing assignments and Seymour’s return to the United States. Printed material and writings include original and photocopies of newspaper clippings relating to the trial, transcriptions of reports from the office of the U.S. Chief of Counsel, and an article titled “The World Eventually at Peace under Law” from the New York Herald Tribune, 1946.

System of Arrangement

The Seymour Krieger papers are arranged as a single series.

People

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.