Manuscript Collections - Walter Engel Papers

WALTER ENGEL PAPERS, 1926-1990
1 linear foot, 9 linear inches (4 manuscript boxes)
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Walter Engel was born in Vienna in 1911 and graduated from university in 1932 with a degree in literature. From 1932 to 1938 Engel, under the stage name Walter Martin, was part of the acting guild Political Kaberet, which performed satirical anti-Nazi plays. In 1938 Engel moved to the United States and acted in New York with other Austrian and German immigrants in troupes such as the Players from Abroad and the Vienna Theater Group. Engel enlisted in the United States Army in 1941. After the war he worked as a reporter with the Voice of America (VOA) and Radio in the American Sector (RIAS) from 1947-1957.  Engel returned to Washington in 1969 where he was active in theater, writing scripts, translation, and lecturing on German and Austrian literature until his death on January 28, 1990.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The collection is divided into two series:

The PERSONAL FILES consist primarily of correspondence, most in German. Includes correspondence with Thomas Mann commenting on Engel’s thesis on Mann and the middle class. There are several items regarding Austrian history. Arranged alphabetically by type of material.

The PROFESSIONAL FILES contain lectures, scripts, theater, translations, playbills, photographs, sheet music, and minutes. Most of the material is in German. Topics include: German and Austrian Literature, Vienna Theater Group, Players From Abroad, American foreign policy, Voice of America, and Radio in the American Sector. Arranged alphabetically by type of material.

FOLDER LIST

PERSONAL FILES

Box Contents

1

Biography, undated
Correspondence

Bohm, Wolfgang, 1987
Daicher, Lawrence, 1953
Engel, Emil, 1938-1939 (father)
Ewing, Gordon, 1971-1982
Huterer, Christine, 1984-1986
Jarka, Horst, 1976-1984
Kaiser, Konstantin, 1985
Kaufman, George, undated
Kielinger, Thomas, 1986-1989
Koch, Renate, 1977
Lawrence, Gertrude, 1940
Lawrence, Robert, 1984
Loewy, Ernst, 1976
Maddox, Brenda, 1985
Mann, Klaus, 1948
Mann, Thomas, 1930 (includes Engel paper on Mann and middle class)
Metzel, Lothar, 1976-1983
?Peisen, Fedridand, 1980
Spira, Bil, 1980-1990
Thurber, James, 1939
Torberg, Freidrich, 1964-1983
Vujica, Elke, 1981
Welstch, Heinz, 1939; 1982-984
Wiegel, Hans, 1978-1981
Wilder, Thornton, 1937-1939
Zohn, Harry, 1981
Miscellaneous, 1939-1985

?International Biographies of Central Europe’s Émigrés, 1977 (Emil Engel)
?Notebooks, ca. 1970-1980
Statements supporting claims against Austria, 1977
Vienna’s Jewish history (110 Jahre Biene Stada Tempel), 1926

PROFESSIONAL FILES
2

Lectures

American Humor, 1961
Austrian Literature, 1980 (2 folders, Georgetown University)
Austrian State Solution, 1980-1981
?Cabaretist in the Cold War: Gunter Neuman and RIAS, c. 1977
Christmas in German Poetry and Music, 1981 (Goethe Society)
Education and Culture in Radio, 1964
Egon Friedell, c. 1980
Hans van Kleist, 1986
Georg Lichtenberg, 1981
Thomas Mann, 1985 (George Washington University)
Walter Roberts, 1981
Satire in Eastern Europe, 1984
Arthur Schnitzler, 1987
Dr. M. Schweiben, undated
Friedrich Torberg, 1981
Totalitarian Ddiplomacy, 1950
Vienna’s Literature, 1980 (2 folders)
Hans Weigel on Political Literature, 1979

3

Scripts

Der Kontrabass, undated
?The Marshall Plan, c. 1955
The new humans by Ernest Angell, undated
Tradition and renewal by Jura Soyfer, undated

Theater

Photographs, 1932
Players from Abroad, 1939-1948
Pittersdorf Players, 1956-1959
Vienna Theater Group

Minutes, 1939-1940 (2 folders)
Sheet Music, 1939-1940

Translations

Faust, 1987
Here is New York by E. B. White, 1950
Von Katzen (The Cats), undated

Voice of America – Radio in American Sector Scripts, 1969-1973 (4 folders)

4

Voice of America – Radio in American Sector Scripts, 1974-1978 and undated (13 folders)