Connecticut Soldiers Collection, Carl Viggiani Papers
Scope and Content
The collection includes a set of 17, possibly inspirational, broadsides issued as a series to Nazi officials, photographs of Dachau concentration camp (mostly of victims) and a brief fictionalized article about Viggiani's reaction to the photographs and his experiences at Dachau.
Dates
- undated, 1938-1996
Access
The collection is open and available for research.
Restrictions on Use
Permission to publish from these Papers must be obtained in writing from both the University of Connecticut Libraries and the owner(s) of the copyright.
Biography
Carl Viggiani, Emeritus Professor of Romance Languages and Literature at Wesleyan University, was a member of a “Spearhead Military Government Team” attached to the 83rd Infantry Division during World War II. As the 83rd moved down toward the Elbe in April 1945, Viggiani's unit took over a Nazi official's home in Braunschweig for a night. The broadsides were found in the home. He identifies the photographs as follows:
“On or about 30 April 1945, his detachment was ordered to turn south and take over the Landkreis of Dachau, the site of the huge concentration camp which had just been liberated. Our Detachment was responsible initially for overall supervision of the camp; international groups soon took over that responsibility. In the meantime the men and officers of the Detachment became closely acquainted with the camp and some of its inmates. A group of inmates (I think calling themselves 'The Yugoslav Anti-Fascist Committee') photographed people and events in the camp when it was liberated and later, when things had quieted down. The packet of photographs is obviously incomplete.”
Viggiani left Dachau two months after its liberation and never returned, although the memories of what he saw there have remained with him, as demonstrated by the article published in the Haddam paper, also included in the collection.
Extent
0.15 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Carl Viggiani, Emeritus Professor of Romance Languages and Literature at Wesleyan University, was a member of a “Spearhead Military Government Team” attached to the 83rd Infantry Division during World War II.
Custodial History
The materials were donated to Archives and Special Collections in September 2001 by Dr. Viggiani.
Acquisition Information
The materials were donated to Archives & Special Collections in September 2001 by Dr. Viggiani.
- Concentration camps Subject Source: Fast
- Educators Subject Source: Fast
- Europe (continent) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) Subject Source: Fast
- Photographs Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Propaganda Subject Source: Fast
- Propaganda, German Subject Source: Fast
- World War (1939-1945) Subject Source: Fast
- broadsides (notices) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Title
- Carl Viggiani Papers
- Status
- Published
- Author
- Archives & Special Collections staff
- Date
- 2002 February
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Archives and Special Collections, University of Connecticut Library Repository
University of Connecticut Library
405 Babbidge Road Unit 1205
Storrs Connecticut 06269-1205 USA US
860-486-2524
archives@uconn.edu