Call Number:

SC MS 0366

Repository:

Lehigh University Special Collections

Extent:

0.5 linear feet ([1] box)

Language:

English

Preferred Citation:

[Identification of item] Eric T. Vogel Documents Related to Loewy Hydropress Inc., SC MS 0366, Special Collections, Linderman Library, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA

Date:

1950-1970 (inclusive)

Creator:

Vogel, Eric T., 1906-1980

Form:

Technical drawings

Abstract:

A collection of drawings of large industrial machinery and patents resulting from the refinement and improvement of the machinery manufactured and used by Loewy Hydropress Inc.

Eric Theodore Vogel was born in Brno, Czechoslovakia in 1906 to Arnost and Emma Vogel. He trained and worked as an engineer in Czechoslovakia, but became more famous as an amateur jazz trumpet player in a dixieland combo playing at the "Cafe" in Brno. He was arrested and imprisoned by the Nazis in various concentration camps including Theresienstadt and Auschwitz. He was ordered to form a band with Pavel Lipensky in the Theresienstadt concentration camp. This band appeared in the camp's cabaret review known as the Karussell ("Carousel"). The band was led by a famous jazz musician Martin Roman and named the "Ghetto Swingers." The group performed over 50 times especially during June and July 1944. Following a visit by the Red Cross, the camp Kommendant was instructed to make a propaganda film showing the "Ghetto Swingers." Later the same group of musicians also performed with Fritz Weiss's "Jazz-Quintet-Weiss." Thirteen of the sixteen musicians who performed in these bands were murdered in the camps. Vogel escaped Auschwitz concentration camp during a transfer to Dachau by jumping from a train. He eventually came to the United States and was employed by Loewy-Hydropress as a draftsman but was promoted to a position as a designer and later as a senior design engineer in charge of material handling. Vogel contributed to the development of the efficient material handling devices on modern metal extrusion presses. He also worked on the design of other hydraulic press components and valves, also had troubleshooting assignments in the field. As an inventor, he collaborated with Otto Hammon and Max Hampl?. He held U.S. Patent 3084810 "Rotatable Die Changer" April 9, 1963, E. T. Vogel et al U.S. Patent 3116833 "Horizontal Extrusion Press," U.S. Patent 3116839 "Billet Loading Apparatus," January 7, 1964, Canadian Patent 680020 "Billet Loading Apparatus," February 11, 1964. He left Loewy Hydropress Division of the Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton Corporation in 1960 when the company moved its offices from New York City to Philadelphia. He then worked for Loma Machine Mfg. Co. Inc. as well as Concast Incorporated both in New York. While his day job was as an engineer, he performed at night with his trumpet in various clubs in New York City. He is included on the album New York City 1955-1958. He also coached Gertrude "Trude, Trudy or Traute" Kleinova (1918-1976), a world champion table tennis player for Czechoslovakia in 1935 and 1936. She too survived Auschwitz concentration camp where her first husband Jakob Schallinger was killed. Eric and Trudy came to the United States in 1948. Eric became a naturalized citizen in 1954 and his birth date of 1906 is on his U.S. naturalization certificate No. 7351607. Both Vogels are buried in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The collection consists of correspondence, technical drawings, pamphlets and photographs featuring the names Loewy-Hydropress, Loma Machine Manufacturing Company and Concast Incorporated distributed in five folders.

The materials are arranged by subject and chronologically within the folders.