Edward Y. Hartshorne
Encyclopedia
Edward Yarnall Hartshorne, Jr. (1912 – August 30, 1946, Germany; name pronounced: heart's horn) was the principal education officer in the American Military Government
responsible for the reopening of the German universities in the U.S. occupation zone after World War II
.
teaching sociology. In 1938 he joined other Harvard scientists in gathering numerous personal accounts from refugees who had escaped from Nazi Germany
. As a result he argued publicly against isolationism
. By the time Germany declared war on the United States in 1941 he had joined the newly created Office of Strategic Services
as an analyst, but quickly changed to the Psychological Warfare Branch of the Office of War Information
. He followed U.S. troops to Tunisia and Italy monitoring German radio and interrogating prisoners of war. By the beginning of 1945 he was attached to the Psychological Warfare Division of General Eisenhower's
Supreme Headquarters.
. On this assignment he also came to Marburg
, where he realized his true calling would be to revive the German university system. He let himself be transferred to the Education and Religious Affairs Section of OMGUS
(Office of Military Government, U.S. for Germany), usually simply called the Military Government. At first, he joined Major General Morrison C. Stayer on an inspection tour of medical schools in July 1945. These medical schools turned out to be the loophole for the conservation of German universities as a whole which according to standing orders should have been completely closed down.
Soon Hartshorne was recognized to be the most knowledgeable specialist on higher education in Germany. He was directly in charge of Heidelberg
and Marburg. Using these two universities as test cases Hartshorne developed the standard operating procedure for the denazification
and reopening of all seven universities in the U.S. zone, i.e. he had to select the ones capable of opening – Giessen
was closed down in the process – and planned and supervised the process of opening. Moreover, he was also involved in shaping university policy in general. Before the local planning committees began to function he had to drive around the country never staying for more than four days at any one place. After the Land Greater Hesse
had been proclaimed Hartshorne became in charge of higher education there (universities at Frankfurt
, Giessen, and Marburg) in October. He also succeeded in convincing his wife to come to Germany. She arrived with their three children in June 1946.
sent Hartshorne to investigate. On this assignment he was shot in the evening of August 28 while driving north on the Autobahn to Nuremberg
. The perpetrator was apparently a drunken nineteen-year old black marketeer. Hartshorne never regained consciousness until he died two days later. In just fifteen months he had denazified and reopened the three German universities of Heidelberg, Marburg, and Frankfurt and had prepared the opening of all the other universities in the American zone but one.
Office of Military Government, United States
The Office of Military Government, United States was the United States military-established government created shortly after the end of hostilities in occupied Germany in World War II. Under General Lucius D...
responsible for the reopening of the German universities in the U.S. occupation zone after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Harvard Sociologist
For his doctoral thesis on German Universities under National Socialism Edward Hartshorne had been traveling through Germany in 1935-36. On his return he became an entry-level instructor at Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
teaching sociology. In 1938 he joined other Harvard scientists in gathering numerous personal accounts from refugees who had escaped from Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. As a result he argued publicly against isolationism
United States non-interventionism
Non-interventionism, the diplomatic policy whereby a nation seeks to avoid alliances with other nations in order to avoid being drawn into wars not related to direct territorial self-defense, has had a long history in the United States...
. By the time Germany declared war on the United States in 1941 he had joined the newly created Office of Strategic Services
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
as an analyst, but quickly changed to the Psychological Warfare Branch of the Office of War Information
United States Office of War Information
The United States Office of War Information was a U.S. government agency created during World War II to consolidate government information services. It operated from June 1942 until September 1945...
. He followed U.S. troops to Tunisia and Italy monitoring German radio and interrogating prisoners of war. By the beginning of 1945 he was attached to the Psychological Warfare Division of General Eisenhower's
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
Supreme Headquarters.
Inside Germany
In April 1945 he seized the chance of leading an investigative team into Germany searching for head of Nazi party publishing Max AmannMax Amann
Max Aman was a German Nazi official with the honorary rank of SS-Obergruppenführer, politician and journalist.-Biography:Amann was born in Munich on November 24, 1891...
. On this assignment he also came to Marburg
Marburg
Marburg is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany, on the River Lahn. It is the main town of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district and its population, as of March 2010, was 79,911.- Founding and early history :...
, where he realized his true calling would be to revive the German university system. He let himself be transferred to the Education and Religious Affairs Section of OMGUS
Office of Military Government, United States
The Office of Military Government, United States was the United States military-established government created shortly after the end of hostilities in occupied Germany in World War II. Under General Lucius D...
(Office of Military Government, U.S. for Germany), usually simply called the Military Government. At first, he joined Major General Morrison C. Stayer on an inspection tour of medical schools in July 1945. These medical schools turned out to be the loophole for the conservation of German universities as a whole which according to standing orders should have been completely closed down.
Soon Hartshorne was recognized to be the most knowledgeable specialist on higher education in Germany. He was directly in charge of Heidelberg
Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg
The Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg is a public research university located in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386, it is the oldest university in Germany and was the third university established in the Holy Roman Empire. Heidelberg has been a coeducational institution...
and Marburg. Using these two universities as test cases Hartshorne developed the standard operating procedure for the denazification
Denazification
Denazification was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society, culture, press, economy, judiciary, and politics of any remnants of the National Socialist ideology. It was carried out specifically by removing those involved from positions of influence and by disbanding or rendering...
and reopening of all seven universities in the U.S. zone, i.e. he had to select the ones capable of opening – Giessen
University of Giessen
The University of Giessen is officially called the Justus Liebig University Giessen after its most famous faculty member, Justus von Liebig, the founder of modern agricultural chemistry and inventor of artificial fertiliser.-History:The University of Gießen is among the oldest institutions of...
was closed down in the process – and planned and supervised the process of opening. Moreover, he was also involved in shaping university policy in general. Before the local planning committees began to function he had to drive around the country never staying for more than four days at any one place. After the Land Greater Hesse
Greater Hesse
Greater Hesse was the provisional name given for a section of German territory created by the US military administration in at the end of World War II...
had been proclaimed Hartshorne became in charge of higher education there (universities at Frankfurt
Johann Wolfgang Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main
The Goethe University Frankfurt was founded in 1914 as a Citizens' University, which means that, while it was a State university of Prussia, it had been founded and financed by the wealthy and active liberal citizenry of Frankfurt am Main, a unique feature in German university history...
, Giessen, and Marburg) in October. He also succeeded in convincing his wife to come to Germany. She arrived with their three children in June 1946.
Early Death
In the spring of 1946 reports had appeared of incomplete denazification of Bavarian universities in the U.S. press. General Lucius ClayLucius D. Clay
General Lucius Dubignon Clay was an American officer and military governor of the United States Army known for his administration of Germany immediately after World War II. Clay was deputy to General Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1945; deputy military governor, Germany 1946; commander in chief, U.S....
sent Hartshorne to investigate. On this assignment he was shot in the evening of August 28 while driving north on the Autobahn to Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
. The perpetrator was apparently a drunken nineteen-year old black marketeer. Hartshorne never regained consciousness until he died two days later. In just fifteen months he had denazified and reopened the three German universities of Heidelberg, Marburg, and Frankfurt and had prepared the opening of all the other universities in the American zone but one.