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Blake, Peter J. (0929736): Difference between revisions

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|class_number=23
|class_number=23
|class_display=23
|class_display=23
|birth_place=Berlin, Germany. In
|birth_place=Berlin, Germany
|death_date=5 December 2006
|death_date=5 December 2006
|teams=MII 440-G
|teams=MII 440-G
|death_place=Branford, Connecticut
}}
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== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Peter Jost Blake (born Peter Jost Blach; 1920–2006) was born in Berlin, Germany. In 1933 his parents sent him to England after the Nazi regime came to power; they followed later.
Peter Jost Blake (born Peter Jost Blach) was born in 1920 in Berlin, Germany, to a prosperous Jewish family. After the Nazi seizure of power in 1933 he was sent to England, studied mathematics at the University of London, and entered the Regent Street Polytechnic School of Architecture in 1939. He immigrated to the United States in 1940, studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania under Louis Kahn, and later completed architecture degrees at Pennsylvania (1941) and Pratt Institute (1949).


In 1938 he began studying at the University of London, and the following year he entered the Regent Street Polytechnic School of Architecture in London. He immigrated to the United States in 1940 and enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania's architecture program, becoming a protégé of Louis Kahn in Philadelphia. In 1975 he became chairman of the Boston Architectural Center, then in 1979 joined the Department of Architecture and Planning at The Catholic University of America, serving as department chairman from 1979 to 1986 and remaining until his retirement in 1991.
In 1944 Blake became a naturalized citizen, changed his surname from Blach to Blake, and enlisted. He trained as an intelligence officer at Camp Ritchie (Class 23) and served in Europe with MII Team 440-G, among the first U.S. troops into Berlin after Hitler’s death. He remained in the Army until 1947.


He also taught architecture at colleges and universities in the United States and abroad.
Blake headed MoMA’s architecture and design department in 1948, edited ''Architectural Forum'' (1950–1972), practiced as an architect, and wrote widely on modernism, including ''The Master Builders'' and ''God’s Own Junkyard''. He chaired architecture at Catholic University from 1979 until retiring in 1991, then continued writing from Connecticut. He died of complications from a respiratory infection on 5 December 2006 at Connecticut Hospice in Branford.
 
Citizen, changed his surname to Blake, enlisted in the U.S.
 
Army, and trained at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, as an intelligence officer.
 
In 1944 he became a naturalized U.S. He remained in the army until 1947, returned to New York, and in 1948 was named curator of architecture and design at the Museum of Modern Art. He earned a bachelor's degree in architecture from the Pratt Institute in 1949.
 
In 1950 he became an associate editor at ''The Architectural Forum'', later rising to editor-in-chief, and left in 1972 for a similar post at ''Architecture Plus''. He served in Europe and was among the first U.S. Troops to enter Berlin after Hitler's death.
 
Alongside editing he practiced architecture, wrote books on the subject, and became known as both a practitioner and a critic of Modernism. After retiring he moved to Connecticut and continued to write, including regular columns for ''New York'' magazine and ''Interior Design''.
 
He died on 5 December 2006.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
* OSS
* OSS
* Noted architect
* Noted architect
* Fixed malformed live birth_place text. No full birth day is in the packet. No military decoration is asserted.
== Gallery ==
<div class="soldier-gallery">
<gallery mode="packed" heights="140px">
Blake_Peter_J_0929736_Washington_Post_obituary.jpg|Washington Post obituary page for architect and author Peter Blake (RB Archive)
</gallery>
</div>


== Technical record ==
== Technical record ==
Line 64: Line 61:
| row_source || both
| row_source || both
|}
|}
== Timeline ==
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
* 1920 — Born Peter Jost Blach in Berlin, Germany.
* 1933 — Sent to England after the Nazi rise to power.
* 1938–1939 — Studied at the University of London and the Regent Street Polytechnic School of Architecture.
* 1940 — Immigrated to the United States; studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania.
* 1944 — Naturalized, changed surname to Blake, enlisted, and trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 23).
* 1945–1947 — Served in Europe with MII Team 440-G; among early U.S. troops into Berlin; remained in the Army until 1947.
* 1948 — Named curator of architecture and design at the Museum of Modern Art.
* 1950–1972 — Writer and later editor of ''Architectural Forum''.
* 1979–1991 — Chairman / faculty, Department of Architecture and Planning, Catholic University.
* 5 December 2006 — Died in Branford, Connecticut.
</div>
</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* [[:File:Blake_Peter_J_0929736_Washington_Post_obituary.jpg|Washington Post obituary page for architect and author Peter Blake (RB Archive)]]
* [https://libraries.catholic.edu/special-collections/archives/collections/finding-aids/finding-aids.html?file=blake Catholic University archives finding aid — Peter Blake papers]
* [https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2006/12/07/architect-and-author-peter-blake-86/2e33381d-b382-4a00-a0fb-a0f7a96b322a/ ''Washington Post'', 7 December 2006 — Peter Blake obituary (RB Archive copy)]
* 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

Latest revision as of 23:25, 16 September 2026

Record status: unconfirmed. Class-roster match confidence is medium. Correct the infobox if you have a source, and note it on talk.
Peter Jost Blake
Personal details
Born1920
Berlin, Germany
Died5 December 2006
Branford, Connecticut
NativityGermany
ReligionJewish
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
ASN0929736
RankPrivate First Class
Camp RitchieClass 23 (25 September – 23 November 1944)
Section5A
TeamMII 440-G
Teammates
Team — MII 440-G
These are other soldiers listed on the same team roster. People moved between teams; overlapping service dates are not always documented.
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.


Peter Jost Blake (1920–2006) was a Ritchie Boy (from Germany; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 23.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Peter Jost Blake (born Peter Jost Blach) was born in 1920 in Berlin, Germany, to a prosperous Jewish family. After the Nazi seizure of power in 1933 he was sent to England, studied mathematics at the University of London, and entered the Regent Street Polytechnic School of Architecture in 1939. He immigrated to the United States in 1940, studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania under Louis Kahn, and later completed architecture degrees at Pennsylvania (1941) and Pratt Institute (1949).

In 1944 Blake became a naturalized citizen, changed his surname from Blach to Blake, and enlisted. He trained as an intelligence officer at Camp Ritchie (Class 23) and served in Europe with MII Team 440-G, among the first U.S. troops into Berlin after Hitler’s death. He remained in the Army until 1947.

Blake headed MoMA’s architecture and design department in 1948, edited Architectural Forum (1950–1972), practiced as an architect, and wrote widely on modernism, including The Master Builders and God’s Own Junkyard. He chaired architecture at Catholic University from 1979 until retiring in 1991, then continued writing from Connecticut. He died of complications from a respiratory infection on 5 December 2006 at Connecticut Hospice in Branford.

Research notes[edit | edit source]

  • OSS
  • Noted architect
  • Fixed malformed live birth_place text. No full birth day is in the packet. No military decoration is asserted.

Gallery[edit | edit source]

  • Washington Post obituary page for architect and author Peter Blake (RB Archive)
    Washington Post obituary page for architect and author Peter Blake (RB Archive)

Technical record[edit | edit source]

Field Imported value
Approx Age at Death 86
Class_ASN 32996525
Class_Name BLAKE, Peter J.
match_method pass2_unique_name
row_source both

Timeline[edit | edit source]

  • 1920 — Born Peter Jost Blach in Berlin, Germany.
  • 1933 — Sent to England after the Nazi rise to power.
  • 1938–1939 — Studied at the University of London and the Regent Street Polytechnic School of Architecture.
  • 1940 — Immigrated to the United States; studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • 1944 — Naturalized, changed surname to Blake, enlisted, and trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 23).
  • 1945–1947 — Served in Europe with MII Team 440-G; among early U.S. troops into Berlin; remained in the Army until 1947.
  • 1948 — Named curator of architecture and design at the Museum of Modern Art.
  • 1950–1972 — Writer and later editor of Architectural Forum.
  • 1979–1991 — Chairman / faculty, Department of Architecture and Planning, Catholic University.
  • 5 December 2006 — Died in Branford, Connecticut.

Sources[edit | edit source]

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