Emil Spieth papers

Collection — Container: Single Folder Collections - 2004 Box 8 (04.0264-04.0310), Folder: 04.0295 - Folder 1

Identifier: 04.0295

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collections contains the transcript of an interview with Emil Speith.

Dates

Created: 1937-1950
Other: Majority of material found in 1937-1950
Other: Date acquired: 11/23/0004

Creator

Spieth, Emil (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to all researchers.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Biographical or Historical Information

Born in 1937 in Pforzheim, Germany, Emil Spieth’s earliest memories are from living in wartime Germany. His father was in the German army and was injured during the French campaign, stationed in Germany, and later in Greece and Yugoslavia. Spieth moved away from Pforzheim once the school closed due to the allied air raids, to live with his grandparents in Maulbronn. His grandparents were opposed to Hitler, his grandfather turned off the radio in a restaurant while Hitler was giving a speech, and the next day the police came to his house to explain how he couldn’t do that and confiscated his car. He was later killed in an air raid on February 23, 1945.

Spieth recalls the food shortages Germany had during the war, and how his grandparents worked for the farmers for food for the family. After the war, for the first month, they were under French occupation, then later when zones shifted, they were under the Americans. By the summer of 1945, Spieth was back in school. His father was a POW in Yugoslavia and did not return until 1948. Through the Red Cross, they were notified he was alive. When he returned, he was extremely ill but regained his health for a short while before dying. In 1950 he and his family immigrated to the United States.

Extent

1.00 folders

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Custodial History

Transferred from the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience to FSU Libraries Special Collections & Archives in July 2022.

Source of Acquisition

Emil Spieth

Method of Acquisition

gift

Subjects

Anti-Nazi movement--Germany Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Athens (Greece) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Bombing, Aerial--Germany Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Civil defense Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
France Subject Source: Lcnaf
Greece Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Maulbronn (Germany) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Pforzheim (Germany) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Prisoners of war--Germany--History--20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Red Cross and Red Crescent
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Western Front Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
World War, 1939-1945--Food supply--Germany Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
World War, 1939-1945--Germany Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, German Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Yugoslavia. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings