Hans Louis Trefousse (December 18, 1921,
Frankfurt/Main
Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , " Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its ...
, Germany – January 8, 2010,
Staten Island, NY) was a German-born American author and historian of the
Reconstruction Era and
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. He was a long time professor (and professor emeritus) at
Brooklyn College, from 1950 to 1998.
He also taught as a distinguished professor of history at
City University of New York.
Early and military life
Trefousse was born in Germany and emigrated to the United States in 1935 (at age 13) as his parents fled the increasingly totalitarian Nazi regime.
He graduated
Phi Beta Kappa
The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ...
from
New York City College
The City College of the City University of New York (also known as the City College of New York, or simply City College or CCNY) is a public university within the City University of New York (CUNY) system in New York City. Founded in 1847, City ...
in 1942.
He then enlisted in the
U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
, where he served as an intelligence officer in the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, using his fluent
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
to interrogate German soldiers.
He also participated in the Liberation of Paris, and in
Leipzig
Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as ...
saved hundreds of lives by arguing for 11 hours with a Nazi commander holed with many troops, convincing him to surrender to Allied forces.
Using his
GI Bill benefits, Trefousse studied history at
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
, receiving his M.A. in 1947 and Ph.D. in 1950. He married Rachelle Friedlander two years later, and they had a son and daughter who survived them.
Career
Trefousse initially was interested in diplomatic history, and his first book, based on his dissertation, was ''German and American Neutrality, 1939–1941''. After encountering racist incidents in New York City, he switched focuses, publishing a biography, ''
Ben Butler: The South Called Him Beast!'' (1957), detailing the military governor's harsh but efficient administration of
, after its surrender to the U.S. Navy during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
. He continued to teach at Brooklyn College and published many books on the
Reconstruction era, including biographies of previously maligned Radical Republicans
Benjamin F. Wade
Benjamin Franklin "Bluff" Wade (October 27, 1800March 2, 1878) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Senator for Ohio from 1851 to 1869. He is known for his leading role among the Radical Republicans. and
Thaddeus Stevens
Thaddeus Stevens (April 4, 1792August 11, 1868) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania, one of the leaders of the Radical Republican faction of the Republican Party during the 1860s. A fierce opponent of sla ...
, as well as Presidents
Andrew Johnson and
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes (; October 4, 1822 – January 17, 1893) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 19th president of the United States from 1877 to 1881, after serving in the U.S. House of Representatives and as governo ...
. Some historians consider his most influential book ''The Radical Republicans: Lincoln's Vanguard for Racial Justice'' (1969), which disagreed with the dominant historical narrative of the time regarding Reconstruction, arguing instead that Reconstruction was a failed attempt "to bring racial justice to the South."
In total Trefousse authored over twenty books.
He gained media attention during
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
's impeachment for drawing comparisons to Johnson's impeachment.
Books
*
* ''German and American Neutrality, 1939–1941'' (1951)
*''Benjamin Franklin Wade: Radical Republican from Ohio'' (1953)
*''Ben Butler: The South Called Him Beast!'' (1957)
*''The Cold War'' (1965)
*''The Radical Republicans: Lincoln's Vanguard for Racial Justice'' (1969)
*
* ''Reconstruction: America's First Effort at Racial Democracy'' (1971)
* ''Impeachment of a President: Andrew Johnson, the Blacks, and Reconstruction'' (1975)
*
* ''Carl Schurz: A Biography'' (1982)
*''Pearl Harbor: The Continuing Controversy'' (1982)
*''Andrew Johnson'' (1989). W. W. Norton & Company.
* ''Historical Dictionary of Reconstruction'' (1991)
*''Thaddeus Stevens: Nineteenth-Century Egalitarian'' (1997)
*''Rutherford B. Hayes'' (2002)
*''"First Among Equals": Abraham Lincoln's Reputation During His Administration'' (2005)
Further reading
Andreas W. Daum, "Refugees from Nazi Germany as Historians: Origins and Migrations, Interests and Identities," in ''The Second Generation: Émigrés from Nazi Germany as Historians. With a Biobibliographic Guide'', ed. Andreas W. Daum, Hartmut Lehmann,
James J. Sheehan. New York: Berghahn Books, 2016, , 1‒52.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Trefousse, Hans L.
Historians of the Reconstruction Era
Expatriate academics in the United States
Jewish historians
City College of New York alumni
Writers from New York City
1921 births
2010 deaths
Brooklyn College faculty
City University of New York faculty
German emigrants to the United States
Ritchie Boys