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George Rowen Papers

An inventory of his papers at Syracuse University

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Rowen, George.
Title: George Rowen Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1941-1963
Quantity: 14 linear ft.
Abstract: Papers of the American photographer, contains clippings, negatives, 16mm film, prints, printed material, and personal papers.
Language: English
Repository: Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

George Rowen was an American commercial and United Nations photographer. He worked as photographer and assistant photo editor for Austrian Illustrated News in Vienna while attending school (1937-1938). In the early 1940s he did publicity and freelance new photography in Chicago. He was inducted into the Army during World War II where he served as photographer for the Public Relations Office at Fort Benning, Georgia, and then was sent overseas with the 12th Army Group, Psychological Warfare Division as chief photographer. After being discharged from the Army in 1945 he was asked to remain in Europe to work for the War Department's newly created Publishing Operations Branch, Information Control Division, as editor and chief of the photo section. Upon returning to the United States in 1948 he was appointed Public Information Officer of the International Refugee Organization (IRO), an agency of the United Nations. When the IRO was eventually disbanded, he worked for several other agencies within the UN.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The George Rowen Papers contains clippings, 16mm film, negatives, personal papers, and prints. Many of the negatives are not identified other than by number. Notable persons and events represented in the photographs and negatives include General Dwight D. Eisenhower in Munich, Josef Goebbels' sister, King Hussein of Jordan, Thor Heyerdahl, Mrs. Rudolf Hess, the Nuremberg Trials, Charlie Chaplin, and the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz. The collection also includes two copies of a film made by the International Refugee Organization (IRO), intended as orientation films for displaced persons (refugees).

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Arrangement of the Collection

Each series is arranged alphabetically.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

Special Collections Research Center has the papers of many noted photographers and photojournalists, including Margaret Bourke-White. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete listing.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Browder, Earl, 1891-1973 -- Photographs.
Chaplin, Charlie -- Photographs.
Dietrich, Sepp, 1892-1966 -- Photographs.
Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969 -- Photographs.
Heyerdahl, Thor -- Photographs.
La Guardia, Fiorello H. (Fiorello Henry), 1882-1947 -- Photographs.
Luce, Clare Boothe, 1903-1987 -- Photographs.
Rowen, George.

Corporate Bodies

Allied Forces. -- Supreme Headquarters. -- Psychological Warfare Division.
International Refugee Organization -- Photographs.
Radio Luxembourg.
United Nations -- Photograph collections.
United Nations. -- General Assembly -- Photographs.
United States. -- Office of War Information.

Subjects

Advertising photography.
Commercial photography.
Nuremberg War Crime Trials, Nuremberg, Germany, 1946-1949 -- Photographs.
Olympic Winter Games (5th : 1948 : Saint Moritz, Switzerland) -- Photographs.
Photographers -- United States.
Photography -- Films.
Soldiers -- Photographs.
Travel photography.

Places

Chicago (Ill.) -- Photographs.
France -- Photographs.
Germany -- Photographs.
Italy -- Photographs.
Mexico -- Photographs.

Genres and Forms

16mm (photographic film size)
Clippings (information artifacts)
Negatives (photographs)
Photographs.

Occupations

Photographers.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

George Rowen Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Finding Aid Information

Created by: MK
Date: 22 Feb 1978
Revision history: 9 Oct 2008 - converted to EAD (MRC); 25 Mar 2016 - rehoused, inventory corrected and expanded (MRC)

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Inventory

Clippings
Box 1 Miscellaneous 1941-1963 (7 folders)
Box 2 Miscellaneous 1941-1963 (2 folders)
Films
Oversize 1 Journey to Your New Home (International Refugee Organization [IRO] Orientation No. 2) undated - can labeled "Orientation Film for DP’s Regarding Shipboard Life” (16mm film, 1 reel) (ID#: rowen_g_001)
Oversize 1 Journey to Your New Home (International Refugee Organization [IRO] Orientation No. 2) undated - duplicate of rowen_g_001 (16mm film, 1 reel) (ID#: rowen_g_002)
Negatives
35 mm negatives, unnumbered
Box 3 Miscellaneous (8 folders)
Box 4 Miscellaneous (7 folders)
Box 5 Miscellaneous (8 folders)
Box 6 Miscellaneous (7 folders)
Box 7 Miscellaneous (7 folders)
Box 8 Miscellaneous (6 folders)
Medium (6cm by 6cm) and large (4"x5") format negatives, numbered
Numbering is not always consecutive, there are gaps in the sequence. This is the first of two numbered sequences (see below for the second).
Box 9 Negatives 33-1499
Box 10 Negatives 1500-4099
Box 11 Negatives 4100-4849
Box 12 Negatives 4850-5559
Box 13 Negatives 5560-5710
Medium (6cm by 6cm) and large size (4"x5") negatives, people and places
People are listed alphabetically, followed by places
Box 13 Allied Syndicate - 2 envelopes, one with 2 indecipherable names
Box 13 Ash, Harry-Dorothy-Fredy Seneca Hotel, [Chicago] 1942 - 2 envelopes
Box 13 Baierl, Lotte (aka Mrs. Lotte Hass)
Box 13 Bemelmans, Ludwig - writer, etc., author of the Madeleine children's books
Box 13 Benatzky, Ralph (Dr.) [in same envelope as Else Kaufmann] 1/23/1943
Box 13 Berger, Dave - Voice of America
Box 13 Bienstock, Freddie 1950 - with Lucille Gordon
Box 13 Boothe Luce, Claire, Cologne 1945 - mis-written on envelope as "Claire Luce Boot"
Box 13 Brandt, Otto
Box 13 Braun, Harald (Dr.)
Box 13 Bridges, Henry Styles - U.S. Senator; pictured with Sen. Saltonstall
Box 13 Bronstein, Paula 1951
Box 13 Browder, Earl 10/26/1942
Box 13 Byrnes, James F. - U.S. Secretary of State from 1945 to 1947; 2 envelopes, "Byrnes in Munich" and "Byrnes in Stuttgart"
Box 13 Chaplin, Charlie 10/14/1942
Box 13 Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Box 13 Dickey, Colonel - wedding at Fort Benning, Georgia
Box 13 Dietrich, Josef "Sepp," Mrs. [Moninger-Brenner, Ursula] - appears in photo with Sigurd (Sigi) Hinrichsen (Mrs. Joachim Peiper) at Malmedy massacre trial in Dachau; her husband Josef "Sepp" Dietrich was general in the Waffen-SS
Box 13 von Dittmar, Kurt - German general
Box 13 Donath, John 4/30/1942 - 2 envelopes
Box 13 Eisenhower, Dwight D. General in Munich - 2 envelopes
Box 13 von Epp, Ritter
Box 13 Friends [of George Rowen, presumably]
Box 13 Goebbels - "sister" written on envelope, presumably sister of Josef Goebbels
Box 13 Gordon, Lucille with Freddie Bienstock 1950
Box 13 Grinde, J. - fellow UN photographer; 2 envelopes
Box 13 Hass, Hans - famous deep-sea diver, pictured with wife Lotte, misspelled “Lottie” on envelope
Box 13 Hass, Lotte - aka Lotte Baierl, second wife of Hans Hass
Box 13 Hess, Mrs. Rudolf 1945 - aka Ilse Pröhl
Box 13 Heyerdahl, Thor
Box 13 Hoffmann, Heinrich - Spruchkammer trial
Box 13 Hussein, King of Jordan
Box 13 Johnston Nov 1950
Box 13 Justh, Moric
Box 13 Kallmann, Hans J. - German artist
Box 13 Kaufmann, Else 1/23/1943 - pictured in same envelope as Dr. Ralph Benatzky
Box 13 Klein, Peter 1/22/1943
Box 13 Kreisler, Fritz 1/20/1943 - Austrian-born violinist; taken at Orchestra Hall, most likely Chicago
Box 13 Kreuzberg, Harald
Box 13 Kwok Nov 1955
Box 13 Kuhn, Fritz 1947 - "ex-Bund leader" on envelope
Box 13 La Guardia, Fiorello in Munich - well-known Mayor of New York City
Box 13 Lehn family
Box 13 Leopoldi, Hermann at Orchestra Hall [Chicago] 10/10/1942 - Austrian composer and musician
Box 13 Loewenstein, Charlie
Box 13 Luckmayer, Karl
Box 13 Lustfield, Betty Joan 5/24/1942, 1/18/1943 - 2 envelopes
Box 13 Lustfield, Charles
Box 13 McGrath [family] 12/06/1942
Box 13 Morse, Wayne [Lyman] - Senator from Oregon
Box 13 Mother [presumably George Rowen's] - 3 envelopes
Box 13 MRBC [Multi-Role Bridge Company), 50th - soldiers
Box 13 Nancy [no surname]
Box 13 Moninger-Brenner, Ursula - Mrs. Josef "Sepp" Dietrich; her husband Josef "Sepp" Dietrich was a general in the Waffen-SS; appears in same photo with Sigurd (Sigi) Hinrichsen (Mrs. Joachim Peiper) at Malmedy massacre trial in Dachau
Box 13 P—, Lilian [last name illegible]
Box 13 Peiper, Joachim Mrs. - aka Sigurd "Sigi" Hinrichsen
Box 13 von Popen, Ernst - labeled "General," wearing German uniform; possibly meant to be Franz von Papen?
Box 13 Reijmers, B— [first name illegible]
Box 13 Reiman, Henry
Box 13 R—gold, Olin [last name only partly legible] 1956
Box 13 Robeson, Paul at Orchestra Hall [Chicago] 11/17/1942 - American singer and activist
Box 13 Russian Army - portraits of soldiers
Box 13 Saltonstall, Leverett A. - U.S. Senator, pictured with Senator Bridges
Box 13 Schwarzkopf, Ruth
Box 13 Shapiro-Landau wedding 8/16/1942
Box 13 Sl—, Marcella [last name illegible], IRO 1950
Box 13 Stadler (family) 9/7/1942
Box 13 Stedman, Seymour 11/20/1942
Box 13 Thiele, Rolf
Box 13 Tillinger
Box 13 UNCA [United Nations Correspondents Association] 1955
Box 13 Weiss, Claire
Box 14 Miscellaneous unidentified people (or unreadable names) in envelopes and separately
Box 14 Austria: Salzburg Festival 1948
Box 14 Austria: Vienna (2 envelopes)
Box 14 Camp Sharpe [near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania] 1944
Box 14 Chicago: Chicago Cathedral 12/24/1942
Box 14 Chicago: Chicago Opera Company 10/22/1942
Box 14 Chicago: Chicago Service Men Center 6/6/1942
Box 14 Chicago: Cuter Squash Club, 1328 E. 55th St. 8/30/1942
Box 14 Chicago: Defense Bond Sales at Marshall Field 4/18/1942
Box 14 Chicago: Defense Bond Sale Parade 5/2/1942
Box 14 Chicago: Easter Parade 4/5/1942
Box 14 Chicago: Fire - 2 envelopes
Box 14 Chicago: Hollywood Victory Campaign 5/6/1942
Box 14 Chicago: Mandel’s Fashion Show College Shop 8/12/1942
Box 14 Chicago: Navy Day Parade 10/27/1942
Box 14 Chicago: O.C.D. [Office of Civilian Defense] 11/2/1942
Box 14 Chicago: Street Condition 5/27/1942
Box 14 France: Paris - 5 envelopes
Box 14 Germany: Bavarian Parliament - 2 envelopes
Box 14 Germany: Berlin - 2 envelopes
Box 14 Germany: Berchtesgaden
Box 14 Germany: Buchenwald Trial
Box 14 Germany: Cologne 1945
Box 14 Germany: Frankfurt, 1946 celebration - 2 envelopes
Box 14 Germany: Frankfurt, 1948 celebration - 4 envelopes
Box 14 Germany: Frankfurt, Paul's Church
Box 14 Germany: Moosburg Internment Camp
Box 14 Germany: Munich
Box 14 Germany: Munich Synagogue
Box 14 Germany: Munich Theater Club
Box 14 Germany: Nurnberg Trial - 5 envelopes
Box 14 Germany: Richard Wagner Monument
Box 14 Germany: Stuttgart
Box 14 Germany: Tengernsee Celebration
Box 14 Germany - unspecified, post-war
Box 15 Italy: Lugano
Box 15 Italy: Milano Fair 1948 - 2 envelopes
Box 15 Italy: Milano May Day Celebration 1948
Box 15 Italy: Mille Miglia 1948
Box 15 Italy: Verona
Box 15 Luxembourg: HABE personnel
Box 15 Luxembourg: Luxemburg Personnel
Box 15 Luxembourg: Psychological Warfare Division (PWD)/Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) office and personnel - mis-written as "SHAEL" on envelope
Box 15 Luxembourg: PWD activities
Box 15 New York City
Box 15 New York City: "Grille for Allied Syndicate" 1949 - the yacht of Adolf Hitler, the Grille, arrives in New York Harbor, with letter explaining who is on board for a publicity shot
Box 15 Prague
Box 15 Publishing Operation Branch - 4 envelopes, unspecified location
Box 15 Security Council
Box 15 Switzerland: Arosa
Box 15 Switzerland: Zurich - 2 envelopes
Box 15 Switzerland: Olympic Games in St. Moritz 1948
Box 15 UNICEF
Box 15 United Nations Correspondents Dinner
Box 15 U.S. Army 9/12/1942 - location unspecified, appears to be training exercises
Box 15 U.S. Airlines lobby
Medium (6cm by 6cm) and large size (4"x5") negatives, miscellaneous
Numbering is not always consecutive, there are gaps in the sequence. This is the second of two numbered sequences (see above for the first).
Box 15 Miscellaneous, unnumbered and unlabeled, in envelopes (2 folders)
Box 15 Negatives 400-599 (2 folders)
Box 16 Negatives 600-2499 (10 folders)
Box 17 Negatives 2500-3199 (10 folders)
Box 18 Negatives 3200-3599 (4 folders)
Miscellaneous
Box 18 Medium (6cm by 6cm) and large (4"x5") format negatives, unidentified, unnumbered, not in envelopes
Box 18 Glass plate negatives (2 items)
Personal papers
Box 2 Antique car show
Box 2 Brazil
Box 2 Cartoons
Box 2 Correspondence
Box 2 Equipment
Box 2 Expenses
Box 2 Fragments
Box 2 Haiti
Box 2 Miscellaneous
Box 2 Notes
Box 2 Official documents
Box 18 Publications, various (2 folders)
Box 19 Publications, various
Oversize 2 Publications, various
Box 2 Resume
Box 2 United Nations
Box 2 Vacation
Prints
Box 19 Advertising
Box 19 Autos (3 folders)
Box 19 Ballet (2 folders)
Box 20 Ballet (cont.) (2 folders)
Box 20 Boating (3 folders)
Box 20 Brazil
Box 20 Europe
Box 21 Europe (cont.) (8 folders)
Box 22 Europe (cont.) (2 folders)
Box 22 Family (2 folders)
Box 22 Far East
Box 22 Hobbies (2 folders)
Box 22 Immigrants
Box 23 Mexico (4 folders)
Box 23 Military (2 folders)
Box 23 Miscellaneous (2 folders)
Box 24 Miscellaneous (cont.)
Oversize 2 Miscellaneous oversize
Box 24 Office of War Information
Box 24 Pets
Box 24 Radio Luxembourg
Box 24 Schoolchildren
Box 24 United Nations (2 folders)
Box 25 United Nations (7 folders)
Box 26 United Nations (6 folders)
Box 26 Woman model

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