Contents

Collection Overview

Historical Note

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Organization of the Collection

Search Terms

High Commissioner for Germany. Women's Affairs Branch Records, 1949-1985

Finding Aid

Finding aid prepared by mnsss.

Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

2003

Historical Note

In 1949, the H.I.C.O.G. sent Betsy Knapp of the League of Women Voters as their Women's Affairs Specialist to Germany to assist in organizing travel to the U.S. for German women. In addition, her responsibility included targeting women's organizations for Marshall Plan funding. With Knapp as their American consultant, the Buero fuer Frauenfragen was created in 1949-50 under the directorship of Antje Lemke-Bultmann. The funding for the first year (1951) came predominantly from the U.S. By the end of 1952, the U.S. was pressing the organization to seek its funding in Germany. Ursula Gaertner, a delegate from the German government, was able to secure resources for that year. At the end of 1952, the organization realized that in order to increase their constituency, they needed to broaden their platform, and the Buero fuer Staatsbuergerliche Frauenarbeit was created in early 1953. Furthermore, they combined their efforts with the Council of Hessian Women's Organizations to counsel approximately 16 women's organizations. Their purpose was to span from voter registration to foreign affairs, to the promotion of women in politics and public affairs. Erna Schlepper replaced Antje Lemke-Bultmann as the director of the Buero in 1954.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

These are records of the Women's Affairs Specialist of the H.I.C.O.G. and affiliated women's organizations in the Federal Republic of Germany. The collection has printed materials and official correspondence of the H.I.C.O.G.'s National Office, the Women's Affairs Branch, the Council of Hessian Women's Organizations, and the Buero fuer Staatsbuergerliche Frauenarbeit of the Regional Branch in Hessen. The records document these organizations' efforts to promote women's participation in the public sphere of postwar Germany. There are scattered reports for each of the organizations from 1949 to 1985.

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Search Terms

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Organization of the Collection

This collection is organized into two series:

• I. National Office
• II. Regional Branch (Hessen)

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SERIES I NATIONAL OFFICE

SERIES II REGIONAL BRANCH (HESSEN)