Alter, Henry Karl (0552538) - Revision history

Admin: Expanded full name in Biography first mention

2026-09-26T01:33:28Z

Expanded full name in Biography first mention

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:33, 26 September 2026
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	== Biography ==		== Biography ==
	Henry C. Alter was born Heinrich Andreas Karl "Heiner" Alter in Vienna on 14 June 1918, into a Catholic family with Jewish roots. He passed his Matura at the Gymnasium of the Theresianum and was studying music and art at the State Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, training as a dramaturge, stage designer, and assistant director, when the Anschluss cut his studies short. In the summer of 1939 he fled through France to the United States. He resumed his studies at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, transferred to the University of California, Berkeley, where he completed a bachelor's degree in dramatic literature in 1941, and from 1942 worked as secretary to the film actor Paul Henreid.		Henry Karl Alter was born Heinrich Andreas Karl "Heiner" Alter in Vienna on 14 June 1918, into a Catholic family with Jewish roots. He passed his Matura at the Gymnasium of the Theresianum and was studying music and art at the State Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, training as a dramaturge, stage designer, and assistant director, when the Anschluss cut his studies short. In the summer of 1939 he fled through France to the United States. He resumed his studies at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, transferred to the University of California, Berkeley, where he completed a bachelor's degree in dramatic literature in 1941, and from 1942 worked as secretary to the film actor Paul Henreid.

	Alter volunteered for the Army in September 1943 (enlisted ASN 39709940) and took field artillery basic training at the Field Artillery Replacement Training Center at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. In January 1944 he was transferred to the Military Intelligence Training Center at Camp Ritchie, where he graduated with [[:Category:Class 16\|Class 16]] (section 5A, IPW German; certificate 5850) as a prisoner-of-war interrogator and was commissioned directly as a second lieutenant (officer ASN O552538). From June 1944 he belonged to the 4th Mobile Radio Broadcasting Company and served as a propaganda interrogation officer and intelligence officer, among other assignments for the headquarters of the Psychological Warfare Division of SHAEF in Britain, the Publicity and Psychological Warfare Section of the 12th Army Group, and the Psychological Warfare Branch of the Ninth U.S. Army in France, Belgium, Luxembourg (possibly at Radio Luxembourg), and Germany.		Alter volunteered for the Army in September 1943 (enlisted ASN 39709940) and took field artillery basic training at the Field Artillery Replacement Training Center at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. In January 1944 he was transferred to the Military Intelligence Training Center at Camp Ritchie, where he graduated with [[:Category:Class 16\|Class 16]] (section 5A, IPW German; certificate 5850) as a prisoner-of-war interrogator and was commissioned directly as a second lieutenant (officer ASN O552538). From June 1944 he belonged to the 4th Mobile Radio Broadcasting Company and served as a propaganda interrogation officer and intelligence officer, among other assignments for the headquarters of the Psychological Warfare Division of SHAEF in Britain, the Publicity and Psychological Warfare Section of the 12th Army Group, and the Psychological Warfare Branch of the Ninth U.S. Army in France, Belgium, Luxembourg (possibly at Radio Luxembourg), and Germany.

Admin: Expand documented full name in infobox and lead

2026-09-26T01:33:12Z

Expand documented full name in infobox and lead

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:33, 26 September 2026
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	\|surname=Alter		\|surname=Alter
	\|first=Henry		\|first=Henry
	\|middle=C.		\|middle=Karl
	\|class_section=5A		\|class_section=5A
	\|class_rank=Private		\|class_rank=Private
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	<div class="soldier-lead">		<div class="soldier-lead">
	'''Henry C. Alter''' (born Heinrich Andreas Karl Alter; 14 June 1918 – 13 May 1999) was a Vienna-born Ritchie Boy who graduated from [[Camp Ritchie]] with [[:Category:Class 16\|Class 16]] as a German-language prisoner-of-war interrogator, was commissioned a second lieutenant, and served in psychological warfare in Europe and, after the war, as a theater and culture control officer in Germany and Austria.		'''Henry Karl Alter''' (born Heinrich Andreas Karl Alter; 14 June 1918 – 13 May 1999) was a Vienna-born Ritchie Boy who graduated from [[Camp Ritchie]] with [[:Category:Class 16\|Class 16]] as a German-language prisoner-of-war interrogator, was commissioned a second lieutenant, and served in psychological warfare in Europe and, after the war, as a theater and culture control officer in Germany and Austria.
	</div>		</div>

Admin: Admin moved page Alter, Henry C. (0552538) to Alter, Henry Karl (0552538) without leaving a redirect: Expand documented middle name: Karl

2026-09-26T01:33:02Z

Admin moved page Alter, Henry C. (0552538) to Alter, Henry Karl (0552538) without leaving a redirect: Expand documented middle name: Karl

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:33, 26 September 2026
(No difference)

Admin: Photo from Austriansoldiers biography: remove from Sources document list; credit shown with the image

2026-09-26T01:22:04Z

Photo from Austriansoldiers biography: remove from Sources document list; credit shown with the image

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:22, 26 September 2026
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	\|alias=Heinrich Andreas Karl Alter		\|alias=Heinrich Andreas Karl Alter
	\|photo=Alter_Henry_C_0552538_portrait_1944.png		\|photo=Alter_Henry_C_0552538_portrait_1944.png
			\|caption=Henry C. Alter, 1944. Photo credit: (c) United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Henry Alter papers
	}}		}}

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	* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)		* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
	* [https://austriansoldiers.lbg.ac.at/bio/henry-c-alter/ Austriansoldiers biography: Henry C. Alter], Austriansoldiers / Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Research on Consequences of War (in German; accessed 25 September 2026)		* [https://austriansoldiers.lbg.ac.at/bio/henry-c-alter/ Austriansoldiers biography: Henry C. Alter], Austriansoldiers / Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Research on Consequences of War (in German; accessed 25 September 2026)
	* [[:File:Alter_Henry_C_0552538_portrait_1944.png\|Henry C. Alter, 1944]]

Admin: Biography enrichment from Austriansoldiers (Ludwig Boltzmann Institute) biography

2026-09-25T04:46:31Z

Biography enrichment from Austriansoldiers (Ludwig Boltzmann Institute) biography

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:46, 25 September 2026
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	\|religion=Catholic		\|religion=Catholic
	\|overseas=Y		\|overseas=Y
	\|rank_final=~~Private~~		\|rank_final=Second Lieutenant
	\|certificate=5850		\|certificate=5850
	\|confidence=medium		\|confidence=medium
	\|class_number=16		\|class_number=16
	\|class_display=16		\|class_display=16
			\|birth_date=14 June 1918
			\|birth_place=Vienna, Austria
			\|death_date=13 May 1999
			\|death_place=Dobbs Ferry, New York
			\|alias=Heinrich Andreas Karl Alter
			\|photo=Alter_Henry_C_0552538_portrait_1944.png
	}}		}}

	<div class="soldier-lead">		<div class="soldier-lead">
	'''Henry C. Alter''' (1918–1999) was a ~~United States Army Private~~ who ~~trained at~~ [[Camp Ritchie]]~~, Maryland, in~~ [[Class 16]].		'''Henry C. Alter''' (born Heinrich Andreas Karl Alter; 14 June 1918 – 13 May 1999) was a Vienna-born Ritchie Boy who graduated from [[Camp Ritchie]] with [[:Category:Class 16\|Class 16]] as a German-language prisoner-of-war interrogator, was commissioned a second lieutenant, and served in psychological warfare in Europe and, after the war, as a theater and culture control officer in Germany and Austria.
	</div>		</div>

	== Biography ==		== Biography ==
	~~''Add~~ a ~~biography~~, ~~family details~~, and ~~sources~~. ~~Click Edit~~ to ~~change this page; no account is required~~.''		Henry C. Alter was born Heinrich Andreas Karl "Heiner" Alter in Vienna on 14 June 1918, into a Catholic family with Jewish roots. He passed his Matura at the Gymnasium of the Theresianum and was studying music and art at the State Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, training as a dramaturge, stage designer, and assistant director, when the Anschluss cut his studies short. In the summer of 1939 he fled through France to the United States. He resumed his studies at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, transferred to the University of California, Berkeley, where he completed a bachelor's degree in dramatic literature in 1941, and from 1942 worked as secretary to the film actor Paul Henreid.

	~~== Research notes ==~~		Alter volunteered for the Army in September 1943 (enlisted ASN 39709940) and took field artillery basic training at the Field Artillery Replacement Training Center at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. In January 1944 he was transferred to the Military Intelligence Training Center at Camp Ritchie, where he graduated with [[:Category:Class 16\|Class 16]] (section 5A, IPW German; certificate 5850) as a prisoner-of-war interrogator and was commissioned directly as a second lieutenant (officer ASN O552538). From June 1944 he belonged to the 4th Mobile Radio Broadcasting Company and served as a propaganda interrogation officer and intelligence officer, among other assignments for the headquarters of the Psychological Warfare Division of SHAEF in Britain, the Publicity and Psychological Warfare Section of the 12th Army Group, and the Psychological Warfare Branch of the Ninth U.S. Army in France, Belgium, Luxembourg (possibly at Radio Luxembourg), and Germany.
	* Ushmm
			From April 1945 Alter served with the 6871st District Information Services Control Command of what became the Information Control Division of the American occupation, and after the war he worked as a film, theater, and culture control officer in Germany and Austria. He was probably discharged as a second lieutenant in 1950. He died in Dobbs Ferry, New York, on 13 May 1999.

	== Gallery ==		== Gallery ==
	''After you are autoconfirmed, [[Special:Upload\|upload a photo]] and add <code><nowiki>[[File:Example.jpg\|thumb\|caption]]</nowiki></code> here, or set <code>\|photo=Example.jpg</code> in the infobox.''		''After you are autoconfirmed, [[Special:Upload\|upload a photo]] and add <code><nowiki>[[File:Example.jpg\|thumb\|caption]]</nowiki></code> here, or set <code>\|photo=Example.jpg</code> in the infobox.''

			== Timeline ==
			<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
			<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
			* 14 June 1918 — Born in Vienna, Austria.
			* Summer 1939 — Fled through France to the United States.
			* 1941 — BA in dramatic literature, University of California, Berkeley.
			* 1942 — Secretary to the actor Paul Henreid.
			* September 1943 — Volunteered for the Army (ASN 39709940); field artillery basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
			* January 1944 — Transferred to Camp Ritchie; graduated with Class 16 (IPW German); commissioned second lieutenant (O552538).
			* June 1944 — Joined the 4th Mobile Radio Broadcasting Company.
			* April 1945 — 6871st District Information Services Control Command.
			* c. 1950 — Discharged as a second lieutenant.
			* 13 May 1999 — Died in Dobbs Ferry, New York.
			</div>
			</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>

	== Technical record ==		== Technical record ==
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	\| row_source \|\| both		\| row_source \|\| both
	\|}		\|}

			== Research notes ==
			* Ushmm
			* Also held enlisted ASN '''39709940''' (Class 16 roster ASN; Austriansoldiers biography). The page title uses his officer ASN O552538.

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==
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	* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)		* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
	* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)		* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
			* [https://austriansoldiers.lbg.ac.at/bio/henry-c-alter/ Austriansoldiers biography: Henry C. Alter], Austriansoldiers / Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Research on Consequences of War (in German; accessed 25 September 2026)
			* [[:File:Alter_Henry_C_0552538_portrait_1944.png\|Henry C. Alter, 1944]]

Admin: Expand exact roster rank codes (rank_final: Pvt -> Private; class_rank: Pvt -> Private)

2026-09-16T03:53:53Z

Expand exact roster rank codes (rank_final: Pvt -> Private; class_rank: Pvt -> Private)

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:53, 16 September 2026
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	\|middle=C.		\|middle=C.
	\|class_section=5A		\|class_section=5A
	\|class_rank=~~Pvt~~		\|class_rank=Private
	\|birth_year=1918		\|birth_year=1918
	\|death_year=1999		\|death_year=1999
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	\|religion=Catholic		\|religion=Catholic
	\|overseas=Y		\|overseas=Y
	\|rank_final=~~Pvt~~		\|rank_final=Private
	\|certificate=5850		\|certificate=5850
	\|confidence=medium		\|confidence=medium

Admin: Clarify museum roster and Dan Gross research sources

2026-08-31T01:19:46Z

Clarify museum roster and Dan Gross research sources

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:19, 31 August 2026
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	== Sources ==		== Sources ==
	* Camp Ritchie ~~class roster~~ (~~classes~~ 1–31), ~~merged~~ research ~~file~~		* Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
			* Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
	* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)		* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
	* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)		* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)

Admin: Normalize nativity/religion; split arm of service from branch

2026-08-26T17:03:56Z

Normalize nativity/religion; split arm of service from branch

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:03, 26 August 2026
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	\|birth_year=1918		\|birth_year=1918
	\|death_year=1999		\|death_year=1999
	\|nativity=Au		\|nativity=Austria
	\|religion=C		\|religion=Catholic
	\|overseas=Y		\|overseas=Y
	\|rank_final=Pvt		\|rank_final=Pvt

Admin: Move opening paragraph onto page for visual editing

2026-08-20T04:04:03Z

Move opening paragraph onto page for visual editing

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:04, 20 August 2026
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	{{Soldier		{{Soldier
			\|lede_on_page=1
	\|asn=0552538		\|asn=0552538
	\|surname=Alter		\|surname=Alter
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	\|class_display=16		\|class_display=16
	}}		}}

			<div class="soldier-lead">
			'''Henry C. Alter''' (1918–1999) was a United States Army Private who trained at [[Camp Ritchie]], Maryland, in [[Class 16]].
			</div>

	== Biography ==		== Biography ==

Admin: Remove invalid assignment field

2026-08-20T03:00:14Z

Remove invalid assignment field

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:00, 20 August 2026
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	\|nativity=Au		\|nativity=Au
	\|religion=C		\|religion=C
	~~\|assignment=VI-905~~
	\|overseas=Y		\|overseas=Y
	\|rank_final=Pvt		\|rank_final=Pvt