Medical Library administrator Gerald J. Oppenheimer was born in 1922 and grew up in Frankfurt, Germany, where his father was a salesman for a textile export firm. As conditions worsened for Jews in Germany in the 1930s, his family tried to leave and were finally able to emigrate to the United States in 1940 via Russia, China, Korea, and Japan. The Oppenheimers arrived in Seattle in September 1940, but soon moved to Walla Walla, where Gerald attended Whitman College until he was drafted into the Army in 1943 and later served in the Coast Guard. He later attended the University of Washington, where he met his wife, Mildred.
Oppenheimer's memoir, entitled "Reminiscences Personal and a Bit Historical of the First Third of My Life." Contains Oppenheimer's family history and recollections of his early life. The text is interspersed with photocopies of family memorabilia, photographs, and other historical items. It describes the lives of his grandparents, parents, and other members of his family in Frankfurt, Germany and in Washington state.
Forms part of the Washington State Jewish Archives.
Open to all users.
Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
2003-12-24