Diaries of Henry Morgenthau, Jr., April 27, 1933-July 27, 1945 | Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum
Collection Overview
Title: Diaries of Henry Morgenthau, Jr., April 27, 1933-July 27, 1945
Primary Creator: Henry Morgenthau, Jr.
Extent: 138.06 Cubic Feet
Arrangement: This digitial collection represents one portion of the larger Henry Morgenthau, Jr. Papers. It is arranged into three sub-series: the Diaries, Presidential Diaries, and Diary Index
Scope and Contents of the Materials
This digitial collection represents one portion of the larger Henry Morgenthau, Jr. Papers. It is arranged into three sub-series: the Diaries, Presidential Diaries, and Diary Index.
During Henry Morgenthau, Jr.'s nearly 12 years as FDR's Secretary of the Treasury, he compiled more than 860 diary volumes. These are not typical diaries; rather, they are Morgenthau's daily record of his official activities, including transcripts of his meetings and telephone conversations as well as copies and originals of the most important correspondence and memoranda that passed over his desk. Morgenthau also kept a diary of his brief tenure as Farm Credit Administrator in the early months of the New Deal before becoming Treasury Secretary.
Because of Morgenthau's long tenure in government and his close personal relationship with Roosevelt, the diaries also document Morgenthau's involvement and interest in New Deal fiscal and monetary policy during the Great Depression, wartime economic mobilization and aid to the Allies, post-war planning and the so-called "Morgenthau Plan" for Germany, the plight of European Jews and the War Refugee Board, planning for the Bretton Woods and United Nations conferences, as well as other social, political, economic and diplomatic issues. Combined, these diaries and index cards total some 285,000 pages.
Collection Historical Note
Henry Morgenthau, Jr., was a Dutchess County neighbor and close friend to Franklin D. Roosevelt. Morgenthau, only son of New York City real estate mogul and diplomat, Henry Morgenthau, Sr., attended Cornell University, studying agriculture. Morgenthau's friendship with FDR began in 1915 when the two shared a common wish to increase rural representation in the New York State Democratic Party.
In 1928, Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Morgenthau Chairman of the New York State Agricultural Advisory Commission and State Conservation Commissioner. Later as President, FDR first appointed Morgenthau Chairman of the Federal Farm Bureau and Farm Credit Administration and then as Secretary of the Treasury, a post he would serve from January 1934 through July 1945. Morgenthau made significant and direct contributions to the New Deal and to the US efforts in World War II. He helped develop the Lend-Lease program of aid to Britain, led the homefront war bond effort, and acted as the driving force in creating the War Refugee Board that resulted in the rescuing of as many as 200,000 Jews from Nazi-occupied countries. He is also widely known for presenting the controversial "Morgenthau Plan" for an agrarian postwar Germany.
For more detailed biographical information, please see the finding aid for parent collection: Henry Morgenthau, Jr. Papers.
Administrative Information
Repository: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum
Access Restrictions: None
Use Restrictions: The writings of Franklin D. Roosevelt within this collection are in the public domain. The official writings of United States government officials within this collection are in the public domain. All other materials are subject to the United States Copyright law, 17 U.S.C. 101, et seq.
Related Materials:
Henry Morgenthau, Jr. Papers (parent collection)
Franklin D. Roosevelt's Papers as President
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Morgenthau Diaries],
[Series 2: Morgenthau Presidential Diaries],
[Series 3: Morgenthau Diaries Index],
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Series 3: Morgenthau Diaries Index - Henrietta Klotz, personal secretary to Henry Morgenthau, Jr., compiled an extensive, card-based subject index to Morgenthau's bound Diaries. The cards are alphabetically arranged, and each subject entry cites to a Diary volume and its subsequent page number (top right corner, numbers separated by a colon), the given document's date, along with any cross references that may apply (usually indicated by "see also:" note). For example, 187:26 means volume 187 at page 26.
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Books and Dates - View Online
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A-Aleman, Miguel - View Online
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Alexander, Henry-Appts. and Resignations: Haas, Saul - View Online
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Appts. And Resignations: Richards, Karl-BIS: Conchran reports on annual meeting - View Online
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BIS: Conchran reports on annual meeting (cont.)-Barter - View Online
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Barter (cont.)-Brazil - View Online
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Brazil (cont.)-Business Conditions - View Online
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Business Conditions (cont.)-Canada - View Online
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Canada (cont.)-China - View Online
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China (cont.)-CCC: Conference with FDR - View Online
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CCC: Change in Uniforms-Contracts, War - View Online
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Contracts, War (cont.)-Cuba: Conference on financial assistance - View Online
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Cuba (cont.)-Dependency Benefits, Office of - View Online
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Deposits, Div. of-Engraving and Printing, Bur. Of - View Online
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Engraving and Printing, Bur. Of: Wage Scale-Fifth Ave. Assn., NYC - View Online
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Fifth Column-Financing, Govt.: Inflation - View Online
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Financing, Govt.-Financing, Govt.: War Savings Bonds - View Online
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Financing, Govt.: War Savings Bonds (cont.) - View Online
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Financing, Govt.: War Savings Bonds (cont.)-Foreign Funds Control: France - View Online
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Foreign Funds Control: Mexico-General Counsel, Office of - View Online
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General Counsel, Office of (cont.)-Gold - View Online
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Gold (cont.)-Guaranty Trust Co. of NYC - View Online
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Guaranty Trust Co. of NYC (cont.)-Housing - View Online
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Housing (cont.)-Inflation - View Online
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Inflation (cont.)-Italy - View Online
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Italy (cont.)-Knollenberg, Bernhard (Librarian, Yale Univ.) - View Online
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Knollenberg, Bernhard (cont.)-War Conditions: Latin America - View Online
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War Conditions: Latin America (cont.)-Latin America: Mexico - View Online
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Latin America: Peru-Lend-Lease - View Online
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Lend-Lease: UK-Liquor - View Online
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Liquor (cont.)-McConnell, Robert - View Online
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McConnell, Robert (cont.)-Mint, Bur. Of - View Online
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Mint, Bur. Of (cont.)-Narcotics, Bureau of - View Online
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Narcotics-New York Times - View Online
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New York Times (cont.)-OWI - View Online
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OWI (cont.)-Permanente Corp., Calif. - View Online
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Perrine, Mr.-Post-War Planning - View Online
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Post-War Planning: Currency Stabilization-Post-War Planning: Surplus Property - View Online
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Post-War Planning (cont.)-PWA - View Online
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PWA (cont.)-Refugees - View Online
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Refugees (cont.)-Revenue Revision - View Online
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Revenue Revision (cont.)-Ruml, Beardsley - View Online
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Ruml, Beardsley (cont.)-Secret Service - View Online
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Secret Service (cont.)-Silver - View Online
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Silver (cont.)-Speeches by H.M. Jr. - View Online
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Speeches by H.M. Jr. (cont.)-Stabilization - View Online
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Stabilization (cont.)-Statements by H.M. Jr. - View Online
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Statements by H.M. Jr. (cont.)-Switzerland - View Online
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Switzerland (cont.)-Taxation - View Online
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Taxation (cont.)-Transamerica - View Online
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Transamerica (cont.)-Unemployment Relief - View Online
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Unemployment Relief (cont.)-United Kingdom - View Online
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United Kingdom (cont.)-Universal Trading Corp. - View Online
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Universal Trading Corp. (cont.)-War Conditions: Airplanes - View Online
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War Conditions: Airplanes (cont.)-War Conditions: Burma - View Online
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War Conditions: Business-War Conditions: Exchange Market Resume - View Online
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War Conditions: Exchange Market Resume-War Conditions: Foreign Funds Control: Hungary - View Online
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War Conditions: Foreign Funds Control: Italy-War Conditions: Greece - View Online
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War Conditions: Greece (cont.) -War Conditions: Lend-Lease - View Online
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War Conditions: Lend Lease (cont.)-War Conditions: Price Control - View Online
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War Conditions: Price Control (cont.)-War Conditions: Shipping - View Online
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War Conditions: Shipping (cont.)-War Conditions: Shipping: U.S. - View Online
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War Conditions: U.S.: Surplus Material-War Savings Bonds - View Online
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War Savings Bonds (cont.)-Windels, Paul - View Online
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Windsor, Duke and Duchess-Zita, Empress (former) - View Online
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Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Morgenthau Diaries],
[Series 2: Morgenthau Presidential Diaries],
[Series 3: Morgenthau Diaries Index],
[All]