Guide to the Papers of Harry Sugarman
1917-1919

P-1042

Processed by Rachel Brill

American Jewish Historical Society

Center for Jewish History

15 West 16^th Street

New York, N.Y. 10011

Phone: (212) 294-6160

Email: inquiries@cjh.org

URL: http://www.ajhs.org

© 2019  American Jewish Historical Society, New York, NY. All Rights Reserved.

Electronic finding aid was encoded in EAD 2002 by Rachel Brill in 2018. Description is in English.

Biographical Note

Postcard from Harry Sugarman (1891-)

Harry Sugarman was born in Russia in 1891 to Joseph and Rose Sugarman, Russian Jews, and had several siblings. Sugarman and his family lived for a time in England, where Sugarman went to school, and around 1910 they immigrated to New York. Sugarman was a furrier. In 1917, he was drafted into the U.S. army to serve as a private in World War I, in which capacity he went to France with the 148th Infantry. He spent much of his time in the army hospitalized, having been wounded. Sugarman returned home and was naturalized as an American citizen in 1919. Information about Sugarman’s life following the war is scarce. He married Anna (Fox) Sugarman and had several children, including his daughter Rena Kleinhandler, who donated the Harry Sugarman papers to the AJHS.

Scope and Content Note

This collection contains written materials relating to Harry Sugarman’s time in the U.S. army during World War I.

The collection is primarily composed of Sugarman’s personal letters home to his parents and siblings. The first letters detail his training and daily activities in several U.S. barracks. Once he is deployed to France, he writes about his relations with French soldiers and his activities during his free time; he briefly describes his experience in the trenches. He also writes about spending time in the hospital for “influenza.” Following the official end of the war, Sugarman describes how he spends time in France while waiting to be able to return home. Throughout the letters, he strives to assure his family that he is in good health. Sugarman makes brief mention of his Judaism, asking about the holidays in one letter.

Also included in the collection are military documents and some newspaper clippings.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into three series:

• Series I: Correspondence, undated, 1918-1919
• Series II: Military Documents, 1917-1919
• Series III: Newspaper Clippings, undated

Access and Use

Access Restrictions

The collection is open to all researchers by permission of the Director of Library and Archives of the American Jewish Historical Society, except items that are restricted due to their fragility.

Use Restrictions

Information concerning the literary rights may be obtained from the Director of Library and Archives of the American Jewish Historical Society. Users must apply in writing for permission to quote, reproduce or otherwise publish manuscript materials found in this collection. For more information contact:
American Jewish Historical Society, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY, 10011
email: reference@ajhs.org

Related Material

The American Jewish Committee - Office of Jewish War Records, undated, 1918-1921, 1962, I-9 has a record for Harry Sugarman, which includes information about his military service and wounds received. The collection also contains information about many other Jews who served in World War I. Sugarman’s record is in Box 9, Folder 4.

The Bernard C. Ehrenreich (1876-1955) Papers, undated, 1871-1971, P-26] contains correspondence of soldiers in World War I.

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); Harry Sugarman Papers; P-1042; box number; folder number; American Jewish Historical Society, New York, NY.

Acquisition Information

The collection was donated to AJHS by Rena Kleinhandler in 2016.

Access Points

• Individuals:

  • Sugarman, Harry, 1891-

• Subjects:

  • Jewish Soldiers
  • World War, 1914-1918

• Organizations:

  • United States. Army. American Expeditionary Forces
  • United States. Army. Infantry Regiment, 148th. Company B

• Places:

  • Camp Lee (Va.)
  • Camp Upton (N.Y.)
  • Fort Dix Army Air Base(N.J.)
  • France
  • New York (N.Y.)
  • Oisseau-le-Petit (France)

• Document Types:

  • Certificates
  • Clippings (information artifacts)
  • Letters (correspondence)
  • Postcards
  • Telegrams

Container List

Click the box in the request column to open the form that allows you to request a box for onsite viewing in the reading room at the Center for Jewish History, New York, NY.

Series I: Correspondence, 1918-1919
In English.
6 folders.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically.
Scope and Content: This series contains letters written home by Sugarman during his time serving in the military. The majority of the letters are handwritten, with a few government-issued postcards and one telegram included.
Box	Folder	Title	Date	Request
1	1	Correspondence—April-May 1918	1918
1	2	Correspondence—June-August 1918	1918
1	3	Correspondence—September-November 1918	1918
1	4	Correspondence—December 1918-January 1919	1918-1919
1	5	Correspondence—February-March 1919	1919
1	6	Correspondence—Undated	Undated

Series II: Military Documents, 1917-1919
In English.
1 folder.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically.
Scope and Content: This series contains documents relating to Sugarman’s military career, including his enrollment and honorable discharge papers. It also contains a photocopy of Sugarman’s naturalization certificate.
Box	Folder	Title	Date	Request
1	7	Military Documents	1917-1919

Series III: Newspaper Clippings, undated
In English.
1 folder.
Arrangement: In order of original collection.
Scope and Content: This series contains two newspaper clippings found in the original collection.
Box	Folder	Title	Date	Request
1	1	Newspaper Clippings	undated