Socialism Collections

Subject Listing:
Socialism

Elsner, Richard, 1859-1938.
Papers, 1854-1967.
Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 193
Photocopies from a scrapbook and memoir of Richard Elsner, an early champion of both the trade union and Socialist movements in Milwaukee. Born in Germany, Elsner came to Milwaukee in 1880 and became a pioneer in the Brewery Worker's Union, a veteran of the Socialist Party, an attorney, and was elected as a civil judge, register of deeds, and a member of the Wisconsin legislature. The papers include photocopies of family materials, writings by Elsner, miscellaneous articles, and photographs of Elsner and his family. Also included is an undated biography of Elsner written by Charlotte Bleistein. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Federated Trades Council of Milwaukee.
Records, 1900-1950.
Milwaukee Manuscript Collection DR
Records consist largely of correspondence of General Secretary Frank J. Weber to affiliated member unions (1923-1933) concerning trade unionism, old age pensions, collective bargaining, conscription and wages during World War II, socialism and capitalism, interunion disputes, and labor legislation. Also contains minutes of the executive board (1923-39); minutes of meetings (1900-1903); and some material on the Milwaukee Laundry Strike of 1934-35. Weber founded the Council in 1887 to organize craft unions in Milwaukee, and was its secretary until 1934. Herman Seide was secretary from 1934-1943. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Friedrick, Jacob F., 1892-1978.
Papers, 1931-1968.
Milwaukee Manuscript Collection CT and Milwaukee Tape 1
Correspondence, legal documents, newsclippings, photographs, and speeches (largely dating 1940-1968) concerning Friedrick's career as a socialist labor and civic leader. Of special interest are materials on the Industrial Commission of Wisconsin Advisory Committee on Workmen's Compensation (1953-1961). Finding aid available in the Archives.

Haessler, Carl, 1888-1972.
Biographical information, 1918.
Milwaukee Small Collection 77
Biographical information on a socialist previously employed at the Milwaukee Leader, who was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment for having refused to serve in the U.S. Army during World War I because of his belief that "commercial imperialists" brought about U.S. entry into the war.

Hauser, Otto R., 1886-1972.
Papers, 1860-1972.
Milwaukee Manuscript Collection CF
Papers of a Milwaukee Baptist minister and Socialist leader who helped organize American Relief for Germany, an organization which raised money for German relief after World War II. The collection consists primarily of minutes, organizational materials, photographs, reports, speeches, a film, and other records of American Relief for Germany. Also contains Hauser's recorded autobiography, several school notebooks, and diaries, mostly in German. Miscellaneous items include files on Immanuel Baptist Church, Roger Williams Hospital; a few speeches and pamphlets from Hauser's two political campaigns; his secretaryship to Mayor Hoan of Milwaukee; his opposition to war and fascism; and his support of Milwaukee's blacks. Finding aid available in the Archives.

International Socialist Sunday School (Milwaukee, Wis.).
Scripts, [1915?]
Milwaukee Small Collection 76
Scripts from plays presented by the International Socialist Sunday School in Milwaukee. Includes Up Caesar's Creek: A Play For Boys by Seymour S. Tibbals.

King, Anthony J., 1894-1965.
Papers, 1892-1965.
Milwaukee Manuscript Collection BE
Papers of a Milwaukee labor leader, public servant and Socialist. Most of the collection deals with his activities as secretary-treasurer and business agent of the Plumbers and Gasfitters Union, Local 75. Collection includes briefs presented to the War Labor Board during World War II concerning Wisconsin corporations; reports and bulletins of the union; registrations and minutes (1892-1912); and files concerning the Milwaukee Board of School Directors on which King served from 1951-1957. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Milwaukee (Wis.) Mayor.
Records of the Emil Seidel administration, 1910-1912.
UWM Manuscript Collection 79
Contains miscellaneous records of Seidel's term as mayor of Milwaukee. Includes correspondence and reports on the origin and development of the Child Welfare Association of Milwaukee; efforts to create a municipal or "People's" university in the city; plans for modernizing the harbor; and the controversy over Seidel's appointment of a Health Commissioner. Also contains some preliminary plans for the University of Wisconsin's Institute of Municipal and Social Service; a personal memo from Judge Noyes stating his opposition to the building a life-saving station on the lakefront; and some of Seidel's speeches on labor, the breaking of trusts, police corruption, and his acceptance speech as the Socialist Party's 1912 vice-presidential candidate. Finding aid available in the Archives.

New American Movement (Organization). Milwaukee Chapter.
Records, 1979-1980.
Milwaukee Small Collection 109
Typewritten minutes, agenda, an October 1979 chapter evaluation, committee reports, and 1979 convention papers and resolutions of the Milwaukee Chapter of the New American Movement, a national organization that sought to build a mass-based democratic socialist movement. Also included is a November 1979 issue of the NAM-Milwaukee newsletter Cream City Brick, and proposals for a media branch of NAM, and for a 1980 political candidate's fund.

Papers, 1909-1940.
UWM Manuscript Collection 176
Contains miscellaneous papers, mostly dating 1912-1919, of a Milwaukee political and socialist leader. Includes drafts and a manuscript booklet on Seidel's defense of his 1910-1912 Socialist mayoral administration in Milwaukee; the first report of the strikers' aid committee organized during the strike against Cudahy Brothers Company and against the Illinois Steel Company in 1919; and information on the Socialists' view against World War I. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Seidel, Emil.
Papers, 1916-1944.
Milwaukee Manuscript Collection G
A 1938 autobiography of a Milwaukee mayor and leader of the Socialist Party, composed of two manuscript volumes, fragmentary correspondence, clippings, speeches, and genealogical notes. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Untermann, Ernest.
Papers [microform], 1933-1956.
Milwaukee Micro Collection 23
Papers of a social philosopher, writer, artist, and director of the Washington Park Zoo of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Includes correspondence concerning socialism and politics; typewritten and printed speeches and articles; drafts and manuscripts of published works; reproductions of several of Untermann's artworks; and obituaries following his death. The correspondence includes letters to Joan London containing references to his acquaintance with her father Jack London and to his work at the zoo. Also contains carbon copies of many letters to Milwaukee socialists concerning his critique of Marxism. His writings include three longer works: The Tragedy of Marxism, Science and Thinking, and Lenin's Maggot. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Work, John M., 1869-1961.
Writings, 1958.
Milwaukee Micro Collection 25
Typescript autobiographies and other writings of a Milwaukee socialist and editor of the Milwaukee Leader, describing his career from about 1869 to 1942. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Zeidler, Frank P.
Papers, 1897-1977.
Milwaukee Manuscript Collection DJ
Papers of a Milwaukee socialist and civic leader who served as mayor from 1948-1960. The collection consists mainly of materials (1950-1977) issued by various socialist organizations and a small amount of Zeidler's correspondence and writings about the Socialist Party and Social Democratic Foundation. Also includes various records of the national and state Socialist Party, and the Public Enterprise Committee, a socialist-leftist organization which promoted Zeidler for mayor.