Interview with Gloria and Ulrich Middeldorf, July 1, 1978

Interview Summary

Dr. Middeldorf and his wife discuss their relationship with Victor Hammer, which spanned many years and two continents. Dr. Ulrich Middeldorf was born in a small village in Germany. Dr. Middeldorf enjoyed his studies at the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florence before the rise of the Nazi regime. Dr. Middeldorf became friends with Clarence Kennedy, a professor of art history at Smith College, who established Cantina Press. Middeldorf and Victor Hammer were traveling in the same circle of friends. A colleague with whom he had been working on a photograph collection and sculpture helped Middeldorf get to London during the rise of the Nazi regime, and then Bernard Berenson arranged for Middeldorf to go to Chicago to the University as a Professor of Art History. Dr. Middeldorf and Victor Hammer corresponded on a regular basis and discussed their work. Middeldorf knew that Hammer was also a painter, and interested in architecture, printing, typography.

[Note: the recording quality is low, making it difficult to understand the speakers]

Interview Keyword

Ulrich Middeldorf Victor Hammer Carolyn Hammer Clarence Kennedy Smith College Cantina Press Chicago (Ill.) Lexington (Ky.) Nazis Blacklists

Interview LC Subject

Authors, American--Kentucky Intellectual life Literature Hammer, Victor, 1882-1967 Florence (Italy) Middeldorf, Ulrich, 1901-1983 Hammer, Carolyn Reading Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz College teachers--Nazi persecution Middleton, R. Hunter (Robert Hunter), 1898-1985.

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Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.