Fry, Varian, 1907-1967

Variant names

Hide Profile

Varian Fry, an American journalist, was sent to France in 1940 as an emissary of the Emergency Rescue Committee, a private American relief organization formed in 1940 in New York to aid refugees in Vichy, France who stood in danger of Nazi persecution; Fry expedited the emigration of many prominent intellectuals. He made the acquaintance of Alma Mahler and Franz Werfel in Marseilles in August 1940 and helped them make their way safely across the border into Spain and then to Portugal, from whence they emigrated to the U.S.

From the description of Correspondence with Alma Mahler and Franz Werfel, 1942-1947. (University of Pennsylvania Library). WorldCat record id: 155863300

Fry, a 32 year old Harvard-educated classicist and editor from New York City, helped save thousands of endangered refugees who were caught in the Vichy French area during World War II. His efforts saved prominent persons: Max Ernst; Marc Chagall; Hannah Arendt; Andre Breton; Marcel Duchamp; Franz Werfel; Jacques Lipchitz; Lion Feuchtwanger; Heinrich Mann; Hans Sahl; Wilfredo Lam; Walter Mehring; Otto Meyerhoff; and Alma Mahler. In total, Fry and his collaborators helped to save around 4,000 people. In 1991, 24 years after his death (1967) in obscurity, Fry received his first official recognition from a United States agency, the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. In 1996, Varian Mackey Fry was named as "Righteous Among the Nations" by Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Heros and Martyrs Remembrance Authority in Jerusalem. He was the first American recipient of Israel's highest honor for rescuers during the Holocaust. After the war, Fry wrote a memoir of his days in marseilles, "Assignment Rescue". The FBI kept a file on him throughout his life, viewing his activities with some suspicion.

From the description of Varian Fry papers, [ca. 1940]-1967. (Columbia University In the City of New York). WorldCat record id: 435637931

Varian Fry (1907-1967) was a Harvard-educated journalist who travelled to Marseilles in 1940 on behalf of the Emergency Rescue Committee in order to aid in the escape of endangered citizens, predominantly artists, writers, and intellectuals, from occupied France.

Fry assisted over 2000 people in fleeing the Third Reich and earned the nickname "the American Schindler." Among those whose exits he facilitated were Hannah Arendt, Jean Arp, Marc Chagall, Max Ernst, André Breton, Max Ophuls, and Marcel Duchamp. In the last years of his life, Fry assigned himself to the task of family genealogist, and began collecting family papers and researching his family's origins both in the United States and abroad.

From the description of Varian Fry genealogical research papers, 1829-1966 bulk (1850s-1890s). (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 316805221

Born in New York City in 1907, Varian Fry was a Harvard-educated journalist who traveled to Marseilles in 1940 on behalf of the Emergency Rescue Committee in order to aid in the escape of endangered citizens, predominantly artists, writers, and intellectuals, from occupied France. In the thirteen months before his ouster by the Vichy government, Fry assisted over 2000 people in fleeing the Third Reich and earned the nickname "the American Schindler." Among those whose exits he facilitated were Hannah Arendt, Jean Arp, Marc Chagall, Max Ernst, Andr Breton, Max Ophuls, and Marcel Duchamp.

After the war, Fry returned to his writing career, and later, turned again to humanitarian efforts. He served on the board of the American Civil Liberties Union and the International League for the Rights of Man.

In the last years of his life, Fry assigned himself to the task of family genealogist, and began collecting family papers and researching his family's origins both in the United States and abroad. Fry died in 1967 at the age of 59.

From the guide to the Varian Fry genealogical research papers, 1829-1966, 1850s-1890s, (The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division.)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Joseph Barnes Papers, 1923-1970 Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Fry, Varian, 1907-1967. Surrender on demand. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn New Directions Publishing records Houghton Library
referencedIn Houghton Mifflin Company contracts, 1831-1979 (inclusive) 1880-1940 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Franz Werfel Family Collection, undated, 1925-1947, bulk 1940-1944 Leo Baeck Institute.
referencedIn Ruth Fischer papers, 1925-1961 (inclusive) 1940-1961 (bulk) Houghton Library
referencedIn Joseph Barnes Papers, 1923-1970 Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Varian Fry Papers, [ca. 1940]-1967 Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Central and Eastern European Planning Board records, 1942-1945 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Varian Fry Papers, [ca. 1940]-1967 Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Lentschner, Walter Samuel, 1906-1986. Walter Samuel Lentschner papers, 1923-1986. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Guide to the American Labor Conference on International Affairs Records, 1939-1950 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
creatorOf Duncan, Fry, White, Storm, Mackey, and Knapp family papers, [ca. 1800-1967] New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn Hound & Horn records, 1925-1940 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Fry, Varian, 1907-1967. Mission sauvetage / par Varian Fry ; préface d'Albert O. Hirschman ; traduit de l'anglais US par Édith Ochs. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
referencedIn Granville Hicks Papers, 1906-1980 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
referencedIn Sharp, Martha Dickie, 1905-1999. Martha and Waitstill Sharp collection [electronic resource], 1905-2005. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
referencedIn Boris Souvarine papers, 1915-1984 (inclusive), 1940-1984 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Fry, Varian, 1907-1967. Mission sauvetage / par Varian Fry ; préface d'Albert O. Hirschman ; traduit de l'anglais US par Édith Ochs. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Varian Fry genealogical research papers, 1829-1966, 1850s-1890s New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Oswald Garrison Villard papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Records, 1940-1951. Andover-Harvard Theological Library
creatorOf Fry, Varian, 1907-1967. Correspondence with Alma Mahler and Franz Werfel, 1942-1947. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Central and Eastern European Planning Board records, 1942-1945. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
creatorOf Varian Fry genealogical research papers, 1829-1966, 1850s-1890s New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Guide to the American Labor Conference on International Affairs Records, 1939-1950 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
referencedIn The Nation, records, 1879-1974 (inclusive), 1920-1955 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Fry, Varian, 1907-1967. Artist file : miscellaneous uncataloged material. Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith American Labor Conference on International Affairs. corporateBody
associatedWith Baldwin, Roger N. (Roger Nash), 1884-1981. person
associatedWith Barnes, Joseph, 1907-1970. person
associatedWith Central and Eastern European Planning Board. corporateBody
associatedWith Chagall, Marc, 1887-1985. person
associatedWith Duchamp, Marcel, 1887-1968. person
associatedWith Duncan, Anna. person
associatedWith Duncan family family
associatedWith Duncan, Francis person
associatedWith Duncan, Hester Ann person
associatedWith Duncan, Isabella. person
associatedWith Emergency Rescue Committee. corporateBody
associatedWith Ernst, Max, 1891-1976. person
correspondedWith Fischer, Ruth, 1895- person
associatedWith Frye family family
associatedWith Gide, André, 1869-1951. person
associatedWith Hicks, Granville, 1901-1982 person
associatedWith Hirschman, Albert O., 1915-.... person
associatedWith Hoover, J. Edgar (John Edgar), 1895-1972. person
associatedWith Houghton Mifflin Company. corporateBody
associatedWith International Rescue Committee. corporateBody
associatedWith Kinsey, Alfred C. (Alfred Charles), 1894-1956. person
associatedWith Komroff, Manuel, 1890-1974. person
associatedWith Lentschner, Walter Samuel, 1906-1986. person
associatedWith Lipchitz, Jacques, 1891-1973. person
associatedWith Macdonald, Dwight. person
associatedWith Malraux, André, 1901-1976. person
associatedWith Matisse, Henri, 1869-1954. person
associatedWith Miró, Joan, 1893-1983 person
correspondedWith Nation (New York, N.Y. : 1865). corporateBody
correspondedWith New Directions Publishing Corp. corporateBody
associatedWith New York Genealogical and Biographical Society Collection corporateBody
associatedWith Ochs, Édith. person
associatedWith Rieser, Marianne person
associatedWith Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962. person
associatedWith Sharp, Martha Dickie, 1905-1999. person
correspondedWith Souvarine, Boris. person
associatedWith Thomas, Norman, 1884-1968. person
associatedWith Unitarian Service Committee. Executive Director. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities. corporateBody
correspondedWith Villard, Oswald Garrison, 1872-1949 person
associatedWith Ward School 13 (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith White, Ambrose Lipscomb person
associatedWith White, Charles Belden person
associatedWith White family family
associatedWith White, Jessie Bateman person
associatedWith Winter, Ella. person
associatedWith Wouk, Herman, 1915- person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Subject
Expatriation
Genealogical research
Political refugees
Refugees
Refugees
Religious refugees
World War, 1939-1945
World War, 1939-1945
World War, 1939-1945
World War, 1939-1945
World War, 1939-1945
Occupation
Authors
Classicists
Editors
Foreign agents
Genealogists
Journalism
Activity

Person

Birth 1907-10-15

Death 1967-09-13

Americans

English

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w65r5m5j

Ark ID: w65r5m5j

SNAC ID: 84997321