James Wechsler Research Files on Hugo Gellert
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Abstract
The James Wechsler Research Files on Hugo Gellert contain Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) files on artist Hugo Gellert. They include two sets of files on Gellert from the main FBI office as well as two small sets of FBI files related to individuals associated with Gellert including that of his brother Otto Gellert, and fellow artist Anton Refregier. Hugo Gellert was a communist graphic artist who is most well-known for his depictions of working-class struggle and artwork supporting organized labor. His work appeared in a number of radical publications including the Masses, the Liberator, and the New Masses, as well as mainstream periodicals like the New Yorker.
Biographical / Historical
James Wechsler submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 1994 to gain access to the agency's file on artist Hugo Gellert. At that time Wechsler was a Ph.D. student in Art History and intended to use the files as research for his dissertation. The files were eventually released to Wechsler in 2000. He submitted several subsequent between 2000 and 2007 for files on several of Gellert's associates including his brother Otto Gellert and fellow artist Anton Refregier for additional information on the FBI's surveillance on Gellert.
Hugo Gellert was a communist graphic artist whose work appeared in a number of radical publications including the Masses, the Liberator, and the New Masses. His is most well-known for his depictions of working-class struggle and artwork supporting organized labor.
Arrangement
This collection is arraged by FBI file, which are grouped by section or serial number.
Scope and Contents
The James Wechsler Research Files on Hugo Gellert primarily consist of Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) files on artist Hugo Gellert. The collection includes two sets of files on Gellert from the main FBI office: File 100-19719, Sections 1-4, and the New York regional office: File 100-NY-9645, Serials 1-1015. The collection also contains a small amount of correspondence between James Wechsler the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding Wechsler's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to obtain access to Gellert's files. Also included among these materials are two small sets of FBI files related to individuals associated with Gellert including that of his brother Otto Gellert, and fellow artist Anton Refregier.
Subjects
Donors
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Because of the assembled nature of this collection, copyright status varies across the collection. Copyright is assumed to be held by the original creator of individual items in the collection; these items are expected to pass into the public domain 120 years after their creation. The Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archive is not authorized to grant permission to publish or reproduce materials from this collection that were not created by James Wecshler. Any rights (including copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy) held by James Wechsler, the creator of this collection, were relinquished and transferred to the public domain in 2017 by James Wecshler. These materials are governed by a Creative Commons CC0 license, which permits publication and reproduction of materials accompanied by full attribution. See, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; James Wechsler Research Files on Hugo Gellerts; TAM 719; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by James Wechsler in 2017. The accession number associated with this gift is 2017.011.
About this Guide
Processing Information
At the time of accessioning materials were moved into archival housing and described at the collection level. FBI files, which were roughly arranged by series and section number, were placed in sequential order by the archivist.
