Kretzschmar, Angelina.

Angelina Kretzschmar, a social activist and feminist, worked for the U.S. Army at Fort Sam Houston from 1974-1996. After earning a BBA degree in 1974 from St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Kretzschmar was hired as a Budget Analyst at Fort Sam Houston where she was active in the National Federation of Federal Employees Union-Local 28. Kretzschmar served as Treasurer of the Union from 1989 to 1991, and also served as Steward for a few months during that time. As a union official, Kretzschmar filed grievances on behalf of herself and other employees, and represented the Union on health and safety issues. In addition, Kretzschmar filed approximately 75 Unfair Labor Practice charges for the Union. Twenty of the charges were complaints in which Kretzschmar was the primary witness.

Kretzschmar's own treatment in her job prompted her to file several charges of discrimination against Fort Sam Houston management officials. A number of the charges were settled out of court, but three times Kretzschmar proved charges of discrimination in court. No single employee had prevailed that many times. Kretzschmar initiated charges of discrimination on the basis of sex, religion, and national origin (German). She also filed several grievances and complaints against Fort Sam Houston Management officials on the basis of reprisal for her previous union activity and for the act of "whistle blowing" information to the Inspector General on misappropriated funds. Cases centered on discrimination in the form of harassment, low performance appraisal ratings, work overload, denied requests for ongoing job training, impediments to her security clearance, improper release of EEO files, and derogatory comments against her.

As part of a settlement to several complaints, Kretzschmar accepted the position of Equal Employment Opportunity specialist in 1992. In her new position, Kretzschmar continued to file against reprisal acts until her retirement in 1996. In 1996, Kretzschmar was awarded payment of medical bills, backpay for lost job advancement opportunities, and removal of all adverse records from her permanent personnel files.

In addition to her personal struggle fighting discrimination in the workplace, Angelina Kretzschmar was and continues to be a feminist and social activist. She has been a member of over fifteen local, regional, and national women's and social action organizations. Kretzschmar has been most closely involved in Federally Employed Women, Inc. and Bexar County Democratic Party. Kretzschmar has also devoted her time to a variety of feminist and social action causes and events, all of which are well documented in her papers.

Kretzschmar earned a paralegal degree in 1991 from the University of Texas-San Antonio. After retiring in September 1996 from civil service, Kretzschmar went to work as a paralegal for Mr. T.A. Guajardo on a class action lawsuit filed under the Equal Pay Act for 321 women educators (excluding teachers), against the San Antonio Independent school district. The lawsuit moved from Mr. Guajardo's office to Mr. Fred Deyeso's law office in 1998.

From the guide to the Angelina Kretzschmar Papers MS 23., 1974-1997, (bulk 1989-1996), (University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections)