Neil Hertz papers on Paul de Man, 1987-1990

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Summary

Creators:
Hertz, Neil
Abstract:
This collection comprises research notes and correspondence from Neil Hertz' and Tom Kennan's 1988 research trip to Belgium to gather information for Responses: On Paul de Man's Wartime Journalism.
Extent:
0.2 Linear feet (1 box)
Language:
The collection is in English , French , and Dutch.
Preferred citation:

Neil Hertz Papers on Paul de Man. MS-C019. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection comprises research notes and correspondence from Neil Hertz' and Tom Kennan's 1988 research trip to Belgium to gather information for Responses: On Paul de Man's Wartime Journalism. Of particular interest are photocopies of texts that were located by Hertz' Belgium contacts including Galerie des Traitres, denouncing wartime writers for Le Soir; "Le Chant Dans les Ruines"and "LeMassacre des Innocents", poems reviewed by deMan in Le Soir; and "Exercise du Silence", the introductory essay to the fourth issue of Messages, which de Man helped get published in Brussels after the journal was banned in Paris. Additionally, the collection includes correspondence from Georges Poulet and Jan de Man, son of Henrik de Man.

Biographical / historical:

Neil Hertz grew up in New York City. He earned his bachelor's degree in Philosophy from Amherst College in 1953 before spending a year abroad at the University of Bordeaux as a Fulbright Scholar. In 1954 Hertz enlisted in the army and served for two years before enrolling at Harvard where he earned his M.A. in English in 1960.

In 1961 Hertz returned to New York to teach English at Cornell University. He left Cornell in 1982 to continue his career at John Hopkins University as Professor of humanities and English. While at Johns Hopkins, Hertz served as the Director of the Humanities Center from 1993 to 1999, and was awarded visiting professorships at the University of California, Berkley, the University of Geneva, and Wellesly College. He is well known for publishing the books, The End of the Line: Essays on Psychoanalysis and the Sublime and George Elliot's Pulse as well as numerous other articles and publications.

After the discovery, in 1987, of Paul de Man's wartime journalism, Neil Hertz and two colleagues, Werner Hemacher and Tom Keenan, published de Man's wartime writing in Responses: On Paul de Man's Wartime Journalism. Prior to publication, Hertz and Keenan spent a week in Belgium in June 1988 interviewing Paul de Man's family, friends, and colleagues from the 1930s and 1940s; and contacting scholars of the Occupation.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Neil Hertz, 2010.
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged in alphabetical order.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Property rights reside with the University of California. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives.

Preferred citation:

Neil Hertz Papers on Paul de Man. MS-C019. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California.

Location of this collection:
Special Collections and Archives, Critical Theory Archive
The UCI Libraries, P.O. Box 19557
Irvine, CA 92623-9557, US
Contact:
(949) 824-3947
spcoll@uci.libanswers.com
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