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COLLECTION Identifier: HOLLIS 9994909

Belle Mayer Zeck papers

Overview

Papers relating to the life of Belle Mayer Zeck including documents from her involvement in the trial of I.G. Farben at Nuremberg (1946-1948), her work in the Treasury Department (1942-1948), and her personal life in Suffern, New York (1948-2002).

Dates

  • Creation: 1933 - 2002

Conditions Governing Access

Access to these papers is governed by the rules and regulations of the Harvard Law School Library. Open to the public without restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

The Harvard Law School Library holds copyright on some, but not all, of the material in our collections. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be directed to the Special Collections staff. Researchers who obtain permission to publish from the Harvard Law School Library are also responsible for identifying and contacting the persons or organizations who hold copyright.

Extent

14 boxes

The papers of Belle Mayer Zeck span the years 1933-2002. However, most of the items in this collection fall between the years 1942 and 1998.

The collection includes correspondence, memoranda, reports, transcripts, press releases, articles, news clippings, financial statements, legal documents, telegrams, speeches, translated documents, resolutions, drafts of documents, handwritten notes, personal writings, bibliographies, book chapters, off-prints, video tapes, CDs and photographs.

The papers of Belle Mayer Zeck relate primarily to her work as a lawyer, in particular her work on the I.G. Farben trial in Nuremberg. The collection includes not only documents from the trial but also articles and correspondence pertaining to it. There are also items relating to her personal and work life before and after the I.G. Farben trial. These items are primarily focused on her work at the Treasury Department and her involvement in both the Democratic Party in New Yorkand the local Jewish community. Her interest in establishing an international criminal court is also reflected in the collection.

Historical/Biographical Information

  • 1919 Born in Port Henry, NY
  • 1942-1946 Employed at the United States Treasury Department in the general counsel’s office
  • 1946-1948Worked as prosecutor in Nuremberg trial against I.G. Farben
  • 1949 Married William Zeck and opened the Mayer, Zeck and Prior law practice
  • 1959-1984Member of Board of Trustee for Rockland Community College
  • 1960Ran for New York State Assembly
  • 1970Served as President of the Rockland Bar Association
  • 2000 Retired from Coral Ortenberg, Zeck, and Codispoti law firm
  • March 18, 2006 Died in Suffern, NY

1919
Born in Port Henry, NY
1942-1946
Employed at the United States Treasury Department in the general counsel’s office
1946-1948
Worked as prosecutor in Nuremberg trial against I.G. Farben
1949
Married William Zeck and opened the Mayer, Zeck and Prior law practice
1959-1984
Member of Board of Trustee for Rockland Community College
1960
Ran for New York State Assembly
1970
Served as President of the Rockland Bar Association
2000
Retired from Coral Ortenberg, Zeck, and Codispoti law firm
March18, 2006
Died in Suffern, NY

Series List/Description

  1. Series I. Nuremberg Related Material, 1933-1955
  2. ___ Subseries A. Nuremberg Trial Material, 1933-1951. Includes legal proceedings,documents used as evidence, and personal notes and information forthe prosecution. Translated documents are also included in thissubseries which accounts for the earlier dates. Items from the trialproceedings are arranged alphabetically by subject. Supplementalitems including notes, reports and memorandums follow this section and are also arranged alphabetically by subject.
  3. ___ Subseries B. Correspondence, 1942-1955. Includes letters, telegrams and memorandums from family and fellowco-workers at the Treasury Department and the Nuremberg Trial such as Telford Taylor and Josiah DuBois. Arranged alphabetically by correspondent’s last name.
  4. ___ Subseries C. Articles, Clippings and Off Prints,1933-1955. Includes articles, news clippings and off prints, many of which are related to I.G. Farben, the Nuremberg Trials or post World War II Germany. Arranged by type of item (article, clipping or off print) and organized chronologically.
  5. Series II. Post Nuremberg Material, 1947-2002
  6. ___ Subseries A. Correspondence, 1959-2002. Includes letters to and from Nuremberg contacts, co-workers, and family. Arranged alphabetically by correspondent’s last name.
  7. ___ Subseries B. Personal, 1930-2000. Includes various items and documents dated after the Nuremberg Trials. Items in this subseries include those related to her work at the Treasury Department, handwritten notes, financial records, bibliographies,Nuremberg reunion information, interview transcripts, Clinton/Gore 1992 campaign information, documents, drafts and other items similar in nature. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
  8. ___ Subseries C. Articles, Clippings and Off Prints, 1957-2002. Includes articles, clippings and off prints regarding the impact of the Nuremberg Trials, the need for and international criminal court and local politics in New York. Arranged by item type and organized chronologically.
  9. ___ Subseries D. Speeches, 1947-1997. Includes speeches made by Belle Mayer Zeck and others including her husband. Arranged by last name of person giving speech. Speeches not attributed to a speaker are organized alphabetically by subject.
  10. Series III. Photographs, undated

    Includes photographs from Zeck’s wedding, a dinner party and speaking engagement from the 1990s.

  11. Series IV. Audio Visual Materials, 1992-2002

    Includes video tapes and CDs containing interviews with Belle and William Zeck.

Physical Location

Harvard Depository

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by Belle Mayer Zeck in 2006.

Processing Information

Processed by Melissa Hendrick, May 2008

Finding aid updated by Margaret Peachy, December 2012.

Title
Zeck, Belle Mayer. Papers, 1933-2002: Finding Aid
Author
Harvard Law School Library, Cambridge, MA 02138
Language of description
und
EAD ID
law00199

Repository Details

Part of the Harvard Law School Library, Historical & Special Collections Repository

Harvard Law School Library's Historical & Special Collections (HSC) collects, preserves, and makes available research materials for the study of the law and legal history. HSC holds over 8,000 linear feet of manuscripts, over 100,000 rare books, and more than 70,000 visual images.

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