Browse Exhibits (3 total)
Albert Schwarz
This exhibit is dedicated to Albert Schwarz who not only made an incredible effort to document his time in the army through pictures but also provided captions. Schwarz's contribution gave a real-life account and context to what it was like to be an American Private in World War II. The scrapbook follows Schwarz extensively from his first station at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas in 1942 to his time in California and eventual furlough in 1943. More on this can be found under the StoryMap page which includes photos of his travels as well as displays the locations featured throughout the scrapbook. There is a small excerpt of three pages in the book from Schwarz's time in Hawaii which would come in 1944. It is important to recognize that this book, and the use of such a source, is not a complete biography of Schwarz's time in the Army. It was difficult to find much information on Schwarz outside of the context of this book, but we encourage those on this site or in future classes at UMW to add any information they come across by visiting the Resource page and sending an email to the project email or reaching out to special collections.
Friends of Schwarz
This Exhibit's pages are dedicated to Privates Bill, Bud, Harry, and Nick. All four of these men were with Schwarz at Camp Chaffee in Arkansas and are featured in various parts of the scrapbook. The first section of this exhibit is dedicated to Privates Bill and Bud. It is clear that these two were close and in the same company. Their various run-ins with Schwarz after being separated can be found here and in the Storymapper tab. The second section of this exhibit is dedicated to Privates Harry and Nick. Though Harry appears in various places it is clear that he and Schwarz remained in contact with one another throughout the years 1942 and 1943. It is very likely Harry is someone Albert knew from home prior to his deployment which explains his frequent photo updates. Harry's journey can also be found in the Storymap JS page tab mixed in with Albert's own travels. Nick is only featured in three photos throughout the scrapbook. Nevertheless, Nick's larger-than-life personality shows through in each one. He is labeled very early on in the book as "Friend Nick" and therefore has found his own place on this site.
Family of Schwarz
This exhibit is divided into two parts. The first is dedicated to the brief feature of Albert Schwartz's mother, father, and sisters. It is understandable that such an intimate item as a personal scrapbook and one labeled "Life in the Army" lacks some information, or captions, on the family. The second part of this exhibit is dedicated to the wife of Albert, Jane Schwarz. It was Jane's contribution of this scrapbook to the University of Mary Washington that allowed for this project. Her oral interview from 2012 can be found on the Resources page as well.