Letters from FBI director J. Edgar Hoover
File — Box: 3, Folder: 3
Scope and Content
From the Collection:
The materials in this collection cover Harry Lashkowitz's career as a politician and an active leader in Jewish organizations. More of Lashkowitz's papers are in an earlier donation to the Institute (Manuscript 161). The majority of this collection document Harry's participation in local and national politics as well as his participation in B'nai B'rith and the Anti-Defamation League. An earlier donation processed as Mss 161 (consult its finding aid). The collection is divided into six series: Biographical, Family, Political, Organizations, Correspondence and Legal.
The Biography Series contains numerous biographical sketches of Harry that appeared in various publications such as Who's Who in American Jewry. A unique aspect is several pages of personal thoughts that Harry wrote about his family and in-laws. The pages are handwritten and very revealing in regards to Harry's personality. There are also newspaper clippings that document Harry's career (public and private) and material from his high school and college years.
The Family Series contains family history research into both the Lashkowitz and Levitz families. The series contains Etta's high school history, science and music notebooks as well as various assignments. There are also letters from the children, Herschel's baby score card. The series also contains two trip books--one from Harry and Etta's trip to Israel and Etta's trip to Europe, which she took after Harry's death. There is also a file of correspondence related to Shelley Lashkowitz’s donations to North Dakota State Historical Society and the American Jewish Archives.
The Political Series covers Harry's campaigns and lifelong involvement in politics. The most notable aspect of the series and possibly the whole collection are two letters from Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt. One is a generic form letter signed by Roosevelt, but the second is a personal letter of thanks to Harry. Harry's campaigns for State's Attorney are not well document in this collection, but there is a post card Harry received from his opponent's support that reminded Harry of how badly he was defeated. Harry's campaign for the District Judge is fairly comprehensive. The interesting aspect of the campaign is the lawsuit filed by Hamilton Englert to protest the last minute filing of Harry. The state and national political scene during the 1930s are well documented by the correspondence and pamphlets Harry kept regarding the various activities and meetings of the Democrats.
The Organizations Series covers Harry's involvement with B'nai B'rith and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The material covering B'nai B'rith is mostly correspondence, but there are several reports written by the various committees that Harry served on. The ADL material is correspondence that reflects the country's attempt to keep Nazi sympathizers out of the public eye and maintain a united front. Much of the correspondence deals directly with the ADL effort to combat anti-Semitism in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. The correspondence shows how long the process could last as everything went through the chain of command and in some cases that there were repeat offenders.
The Correspondence Series covers the years 1910 to 1963 with the majority of the correspondence covering the years 1936-1947. The letters contained in this series are requests for letters of recommendation, replies to friends, and informative letters. One letter that stands out is Harry's letter to a company that overcharged Etta for a vacuum cleaner. Harry wrote to the company telling them of the overcharge according to the price controls established and sent them a copy of the law as well.
The Legal Series contains material on Harry's private practice and his years as First Assistant United States District Attorney. The material in this series consists of transcripts of testimony and legal briefs. The series has been arranged so that Harry's private practice is first then there is a transition to his work as the First Assistant United States District Attorney and finally there is a section containing the numerous briefs that Harry wrote in private practice and for the United States government. The cases were not divided this way when the collection was received. They have been put in somewhat alphabetical order according to private or public practice. The most notable local cases are those involving the Equity Co-operative Packing Company, which was a local beef processing company. The most notable legal cases stem for former North Dakota Governor and United States Senator William Langer. The series contains the lawsuits filed by and against Langer as well as a copy of the transcripts regarding the contention of his election to the United States Senate. The most interesting aspect of this series is the lists of criminal violations against property and people as they contain charges that many people would not consider filing today.
The Oversize Certificates and Posters Series (Oversize Collection 14) contains nine items including two certificates of marriage for Harry and Etta in 1917, one of which is in Hebrew and English; Scottish Rite membership; appointment at attorney by the North Dakota Supreme Court (1912); appointment as Assistant United States Attorney for North Dakota (1947); Red Mogen David poster; election poster for Harry Lashkowitz for States Attorney and a North Dakota ‘Nonpartisan Ballot’ for states attorney.
The Biography Series contains numerous biographical sketches of Harry that appeared in various publications such as Who's Who in American Jewry. A unique aspect is several pages of personal thoughts that Harry wrote about his family and in-laws. The pages are handwritten and very revealing in regards to Harry's personality. There are also newspaper clippings that document Harry's career (public and private) and material from his high school and college years.
The Family Series contains family history research into both the Lashkowitz and Levitz families. The series contains Etta's high school history, science and music notebooks as well as various assignments. There are also letters from the children, Herschel's baby score card. The series also contains two trip books--one from Harry and Etta's trip to Israel and Etta's trip to Europe, which she took after Harry's death. There is also a file of correspondence related to Shelley Lashkowitz’s donations to North Dakota State Historical Society and the American Jewish Archives.
The Political Series covers Harry's campaigns and lifelong involvement in politics. The most notable aspect of the series and possibly the whole collection are two letters from Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt. One is a generic form letter signed by Roosevelt, but the second is a personal letter of thanks to Harry. Harry's campaigns for State's Attorney are not well document in this collection, but there is a post card Harry received from his opponent's support that reminded Harry of how badly he was defeated. Harry's campaign for the District Judge is fairly comprehensive. The interesting aspect of the campaign is the lawsuit filed by Hamilton Englert to protest the last minute filing of Harry. The state and national political scene during the 1930s are well documented by the correspondence and pamphlets Harry kept regarding the various activities and meetings of the Democrats.
The Organizations Series covers Harry's involvement with B'nai B'rith and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The material covering B'nai B'rith is mostly correspondence, but there are several reports written by the various committees that Harry served on. The ADL material is correspondence that reflects the country's attempt to keep Nazi sympathizers out of the public eye and maintain a united front. Much of the correspondence deals directly with the ADL effort to combat anti-Semitism in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. The correspondence shows how long the process could last as everything went through the chain of command and in some cases that there were repeat offenders.
The Correspondence Series covers the years 1910 to 1963 with the majority of the correspondence covering the years 1936-1947. The letters contained in this series are requests for letters of recommendation, replies to friends, and informative letters. One letter that stands out is Harry's letter to a company that overcharged Etta for a vacuum cleaner. Harry wrote to the company telling them of the overcharge according to the price controls established and sent them a copy of the law as well.
The Legal Series contains material on Harry's private practice and his years as First Assistant United States District Attorney. The material in this series consists of transcripts of testimony and legal briefs. The series has been arranged so that Harry's private practice is first then there is a transition to his work as the First Assistant United States District Attorney and finally there is a section containing the numerous briefs that Harry wrote in private practice and for the United States government. The cases were not divided this way when the collection was received. They have been put in somewhat alphabetical order according to private or public practice. The most notable local cases are those involving the Equity Co-operative Packing Company, which was a local beef processing company. The most notable legal cases stem for former North Dakota Governor and United States Senator William Langer. The series contains the lawsuits filed by and against Langer as well as a copy of the transcripts regarding the contention of his election to the United States Senate. The most interesting aspect of this series is the lists of criminal violations against property and people as they contain charges that many people would not consider filing today.
The Oversize Certificates and Posters Series (Oversize Collection 14) contains nine items including two certificates of marriage for Harry and Etta in 1917, one of which is in Hebrew and English; Scottish Rite membership; appointment at attorney by the North Dakota Supreme Court (1912); appointment as Assistant United States Attorney for North Dakota (1947); Red Mogen David poster; election poster for Harry Lashkowitz for States Attorney and a North Dakota ‘Nonpartisan Ballot’ for states attorney.
Dates
- Majority of material found within 1910-1963
Access
The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the NDSU Archives.
Extent
From the Collection: 5.6 Linear Feet (5.6 linear feet)
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Creator
- From the Collection: Lashkowitz, Harry, 1889-1963. (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository
Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu