The William Barsky Papers consist primarily of letters he wrote to his sister, the Pittsburgh sculptor Sibyl Barsky Grucci, from his entry into Army basic training in 1942 until his death in Italy in April, 1945.
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Author
The guide to this collection was written by Martha L. Berg.
According to his parents' petition for naturalization as United States citizens, William Barsky was born in Pittsburgh on April 12, 1912. He was the fourth of seven children and the oldest son of Morris and Jennie Barsky, who were immigrants from Russia. After both parents and a sister all died between March and May, 1926, the older sisters Belle and Sibyl kept the family together. After high school, William, Saul, and Samuel Barsky all moved to California. William used the nickname Bill.
A few months after the United States entered World War II, William Barsky joined the Army at Fort MacArthur, near Los Angeles. He had completed basic training by June, 1942, and was attached to the Eight Hundred Fourth Tank Destroyer Battalion with the rank of Private. From September, 1942, to January, 1943, he was stationed in Northern Ireland and England. In February, 1943, he was moved to North Africa and then to Italy by February, 1944. In April, 1945, William Barsky was working as a radio operator in a tank crew when he was killed, probably in a tank explosion near Rome. His remains were buried in a military cemetery in Santa Fe, NM.
Scope and Content Notes
The William Barsky Papers are housed in two archival boxes. The collection consists almost entirely of letters, which have been arranged in four series, with one additional folder of later explanatory material. The letters are written either on inexpensive stationery or on V-mail forms, which were then microfilmed in miniature for easier transportation between the United States and the war zones. After processing, a small facsimile was printed on lightweight photographic paper and delivered to the addressee. There are also a few greeting cards for birthdays and Jewish holidays. Only a few of the letters show signs of military censorship, in the form of individual words blacked out or cut out. Envelopes have been retained for their informational content. Letters within each series are arranged in chronological order by date written, as much as possible.
Series have been designated for letters from William Barsky to his sister Sibyl Barsky Grucci and her husband Joseph (Joe) Grucci, who were living in Pittsburgh; for Sibyl Barsky Grucci's letters to William; for letters to Sibyl Barsky Grucci from other people; and for communications to Samuel Barsky, another sibling, after William Barsky's death.
Conditions Governing Access
No Restrictions.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The papers came in two accessions, in October, 2008, and in January, 2010.
Acc. #2008.0314 - Gift of Mark M. Rubenstein, nephew of Sibyl Barsky Grucci.
Acc. #2010.0029 - Gift of Mark M. Rubenstein, nephew of Sibyl Barsky Grucci.
Preferred Citation
William Barsky Papers, 1942-1949, MSS#500, Rauh Jewish Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Martha L. Berg in December 29, 2008, with additions and revisions by Martha L. Berg, February 1, 2010.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.
Related Materials
Papers of Sibyl Barsky Grucci MSS#423.
Photographs of Sibyl Barsky Grucci MSP#423, which contains photographs of Grucci's sculptures of William Barsky, Pearl Breskin Weinberger and her husband Harold Weinberger.
Museum Acc. #2008.1.11, a charcoal sketch of William Barsky, drawn in 1942 by Sibyl Barsky Grucci.
