Soft launch: Soldier biographies and research notes vary in completeness. Prefer class-roster, NARA, newspapers, and other cited sources for contested facts — treat Research notes as leads, not settled history. Anyone can correct a page; contact us with questions.

Horn, Walter William (01326328): Difference between revisions

From Ritchie Boys Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
← Older edit
VisualWikitext
Repair Wikipedia URL enrichment infobox and biography
RB Archive: Monuments correspondence; enlisted ASN; bio sync
 
(6 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 4: Line 4:
|surname=Horn
|surname=Horn
|first=Walter
|first=Walter
|middle=W.
|middle=William
|alias=Walter William Horn
|class_section=7A (13); E (13)
|class_section=7A (13); E (13)
|class_rank=Pvt
|class_rank=Private
|birth_date=18 January 1908
|birth_year=1908
|birth_year=1908
|death_date=26 December 1995
|death_year=1995
|death_year=1995
|nativity=Germany
|nativity=Germany
|religion=Protestant
|religion=Protestant
|overseas=Y
|overseas=Y
|rank_final=Pvt
|confidence=high
|certificate=4677
|confidence=medium
|class_number=13
|class_number=13
|class_display=13
|class_display=13
|birth_place=Waldangelloch, Germany
|birth_place=Waldangelloch, Germany
|death_place=Berkeley, California
|death_place=Berkeley, California
|birth_date=18 January 1908
|rank_final=Captain
|known_for=Art historian, medievalist
|specialty=Military intelligence; investigation of looted art
|occupation=Art historian, medievalist
|known_for=Medievalist art historian; UC Berkeley; Plan of St. Gall
|death_date=26 December 1995
|photo=Walter_William_Horn_DOJ_portrait.jpg
}}
}}


<div class="soldier-lead">
<div class="soldier-lead">
'''Walter W. Horn''' (1908&ndash;1995) was a United States Army Private who trained at [[Camp Ritchie]], Maryland, in [[Class 13]].
'''Walter William Horn''' (18 January 1908&ndash;26 December 1995) was a German-born art historian and Camp Ritchie trainee ([[:Category:Class 13|Class 13]]) who served in Third Army intelligence on looted-art investigations and later taught at UC Berkeley.
</div>
</div>


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Horn was born in Germany, but fled Nazism and spent most of his academic career at the University of California, Berkeley, where he became the university system's first art historian and co-founded the History of Art department.
Walter William Horn was born on 18 January 1908 in Waldangelloch, Baden, Germany, son of a Lutheran minister. He studied art history at Heidelberg, Berlin, and Hamburg, completing a 1937 Hamburg dissertation on the façade of Saint-Gilles under Erwin Panofsky, and worked at the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florence. Opposed to National Socialism, he entered the United States on 28 February 1938 (visitor), re-entered from Havana on an immigration visa on 3 August 1938, and joined the University of California, Berkeley faculty (visiting lecturer 1939, then assistant professor). He married Ann Elizabeth Binkley on 3 February 1941 and was naturalized in San Francisco on 28 June 1943.


Walter attended Hamburg University, PhD Architecture & Art.
Inducted on 7 July 1943 (enlisted ASN 39136473), he trained at Camp Roberts and transferred to [[Camp Ritchie]] on 24 September 1943 ([[:Category:Class 13|Class 13]]). In November 1943 NYU’s Walter W. S. Cook recommended him for historic-monuments preservation work. Horn served with Third Army intelligence in Europe on looted-art investigations and was discharged as a captain (officer ASN 01326328) in 1946.


On 7 August 1944, he returned to Camp Ritchie as second lieutenant (ASN: 01326328).
Returning to Berkeley, he became a professor and co-founded the History of Art department; with Ernst Born he published ''The Plan of St. Gall'' (1979). He retired emeritus in 1974 and died on 26 December 1995 in Berkeley, California.


Walter William Horn (18 January 1908 – 26 December 1995) was a German-American medievalist scholar noted for his work on the timber vernacular architecture of the Middle Ages. Horn was present as a guest of Austria at the reopening of the rooms dedicated to the Reglia at the Hofburg Museum in 1987. A naturalized citizen of the United States, Horn served in the U.S.
== Research notes ==
 
* Dictionary of Art Historians entry is the main secondary summary cited below (Monuments Men–related intelligence work).
Army during World War II and then in the special intelligence unit that tracked down art works plundered by the Nazis. His most celebrated exploit was the recovery of the crown jewels of the Holy Roman Empire, also known as Charlemagne's Imperial Regalia. As a scholar, Horn is most noted for his work on the medieval architectural drawing known as the Plan of Saint Gall.
* Also enlisted ASN '''39136473''' (Camp Ritchie personal record); canonical officer page 01326328.


== 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.''
<div class="soldier-gallery">
<gallery mode="packed" heights="220px">
Horn_Walter_William_01326328_Cook_recommendation_1943.jpg|NYU Institute of Fine Arts recommendation (Walter W. S. Cook to Huntington Cairns, 30 Nov 1943) for Pvt Walter W. Horn — Monuments / historic preservation committee.
Horn_Walter_William_01326328_personal_record_Ritchie.jpg|Personal record: Pvt Walter W. Horn, ASN 39136473, Co F 2nd Tng Bn, Camp Ritchie; naturalization and induction summary.
Horn_Walter_William_01326328_correspondence_3.jpg|Miscellaneous personnel correspondence — Walter W. Horn (NARA; RB Archive).
Horn_Walter_William_01326328_correspondence_4.jpg|Miscellaneous personnel correspondence — Walter W. Horn (NARA; RB Archive).
</gallery>
</div>


== Technical record ==
== Technical record ==
Line 62: Line 70:
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
* Born 18 January 1908 in Germany.
* 18 January 1908 — Born in Waldangelloch, Baden, Germany.
* 7 July 1943 — Enlisted at San Francisco as Pvt (ASN: 39136473).
* 28 February 1938 — Enters U.S. (visitor); immigration re-entry 3 August 1938.
* July 1943 — Basic training with 54th FA Training Battalion.
* 3 February 1941 — Marries Ann Elizabeth Binkley.
* 10 March 1944 — Promoted to Cpl.
* 28 June 1943 — Naturalized, San Francisco.
* 7 August 1944 — Returned to Camp Ritchie as 2nd Lt (ASN: 01326328).
* 7 July 1943 — Inducted (ASN 39136473); Camp Roberts; to Camp Ritchie 24 Sep 1943 (Class 13).
* Assigned to MFIU-3 (60-man roster, including Major Edmund L. King).
* 30 November 1943 — Recommended for historic monuments preservation work (Cook letter).
* 1944–1946 — Third Army intelligence / looted-art investigations; discharged captain.
* 1979 — ''The Plan of St. Gall'' (with Ernst Born).
* 26 December 1995 — Died in Berkeley, California.
</div>
</div>
</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>
</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Horn Walter Horn — Wikipedia]
* [https://www.fold3.com/image/270026592 Fold3 — Horn miscellaneous correspondence (Camp Ritchie terms)]
* [[:File:Horn_Walter_William_01326328_personal_record_Ritchie.jpg|Camp Ritchie personal record (ASN 39136473)]]
* [[:File:Horn_Walter_William_01326328_Cook_recommendation_1943.jpg|Cook recommendation letter, 30 Nov 1943]]
* [[:File:Walter_William_Horn_DOJ_portrait.jpg|Walter William Horn portrait]] / [[:File:Walter_William_Horn_naturalization_1943.jpg|1943 naturalization certificate]] (Wikimedia Commons; U.S. Department of Justice, public domain)
* [https://arthistorians.info/hornw Dictionary of Art Historians — Horn, Walter W.]
* Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
* 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
* 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)
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Walter W. Horn for Camp Ritchie'' (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Horn, Walter W. for Camp Ritchie'' (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: WALTER W. HORN.doc)

Latest revision as of 03:36, 19 September 2026

Walter William Horn
Walter William Horn
Personal details
Birth nameWalter William Horn
Born18 January 1908
Waldangelloch, Germany
Died26 December 1995
Berkeley, California
NativityGermany
ReligionProtestant
Known forMedievalist art historian; UC Berkeley; Plan of St. Gall
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
ASN01326328
RankCaptain
Rank at RitchiePrivate
Camp RitchieClass 13 (30 October – 23 December 1943)
Section7A (13); E (13)
SpecialtyMilitary intelligence; investigation of looted art
Research notes on this page are compiled from the source file and later edits. They may be unverified, incomplete, or incorrect, and should not be treated as established fact. Please correct the article or add sources on the talk page. For class-roster terms, see About the data.
Sources & confidence: Treat Research notes as leads, not settled fact. Prefer NARA, the class roster, newspapers, Find a Grave, or published histories for contested claims. Mark unsourced claims with {{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.


Walter William Horn (18 January 1908–26 December 1995) was a German-born art historian and Camp Ritchie trainee (Class 13) who served in Third Army intelligence on looted-art investigations and later taught at UC Berkeley.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Walter William Horn was born on 18 January 1908 in Waldangelloch, Baden, Germany, son of a Lutheran minister. He studied art history at Heidelberg, Berlin, and Hamburg, completing a 1937 Hamburg dissertation on the façade of Saint-Gilles under Erwin Panofsky, and worked at the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florence. Opposed to National Socialism, he entered the United States on 28 February 1938 (visitor), re-entered from Havana on an immigration visa on 3 August 1938, and joined the University of California, Berkeley faculty (visiting lecturer 1939, then assistant professor). He married Ann Elizabeth Binkley on 3 February 1941 and was naturalized in San Francisco on 28 June 1943.

Inducted on 7 July 1943 (enlisted ASN 39136473), he trained at Camp Roberts and transferred to Camp Ritchie on 24 September 1943 (Class 13). In November 1943 NYU’s Walter W. S. Cook recommended him for historic-monuments preservation work. Horn served with Third Army intelligence in Europe on looted-art investigations and was discharged as a captain (officer ASN 01326328) in 1946.

Returning to Berkeley, he became a professor and co-founded the History of Art department; with Ernst Born he published The Plan of St. Gall (1979). He retired emeritus in 1974 and died on 26 December 1995 in Berkeley, California.

Research notes[edit | edit source]

  • Dictionary of Art Historians entry is the main secondary summary cited below (Monuments Men–related intelligence work).
  • Also enlisted ASN 39136473 (Camp Ritchie personal record); canonical officer page 01326328.

Gallery[edit | edit source]

  • NYU Institute of Fine Arts recommendation (Walter W. S. Cook to Huntington Cairns, 30 Nov 1943) for Pvt Walter W. Horn — Monuments / historic preservation committee.
    NYU Institute of Fine Arts recommendation (Walter W. S. Cook to Huntington Cairns, 30 Nov 1943) for Pvt Walter W. Horn — Monuments / historic preservation committee.
  • Personal record: Pvt Walter W. Horn, ASN 39136473, Co F 2nd Tng Bn, Camp Ritchie; naturalization and induction summary.
    Personal record: Pvt Walter W. Horn, ASN 39136473, Co F 2nd Tng Bn, Camp Ritchie; naturalization and induction summary.
  • Miscellaneous personnel correspondence — Walter W. Horn (NARA; RB Archive).
    Miscellaneous personnel correspondence — Walter W. Horn (NARA; RB Archive).
  • Miscellaneous personnel correspondence — Walter W. Horn (NARA; RB Archive).
    Miscellaneous personnel correspondence — Walter W. Horn (NARA; RB Archive).

Technical record[edit | edit source]

Field Imported value
Approx Age at Death 87
Class_ASN 39136473
Class_Name HORN, Walter W.; Horn, Walter W.
match_method pass2_unique_name
row_source both

Timeline[edit | edit source]

  • 18 January 1908 — Born in Waldangelloch, Baden, Germany.
  • 28 February 1938 — Enters U.S. (visitor); immigration re-entry 3 August 1938.
  • 3 February 1941 — Marries Ann Elizabeth Binkley.
  • 28 June 1943 — Naturalized, San Francisco.
  • 7 July 1943 — Inducted (ASN 39136473); Camp Roberts; to Camp Ritchie 24 Sep 1943 (Class 13).
  • 30 November 1943 — Recommended for historic monuments preservation work (Cook letter).
  • 1944–1946 — Third Army intelligence / looted-art investigations; discharged captain.
  • 1979 — The Plan of St. Gall (with Ernst Born).
  • 26 December 1995 — Died in Berkeley, California.


Sources[edit | edit source]

Retrieved from "https://ritchieboys.org/index.php?title=Horn,_Walter_William_(01326328)&oldid=125736"