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

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|surname=Blake
|surname=Blake
|first=Peter
|first=Peter
|middle=J.
|middle=Jost
|class_section=5A
|class_section=5A
|class_rank=Pfc
|class_rank=Private First Class
|birth_year=1920
|birth_year=1920
|death_year=2006
|death_year=2006
Line 12: Line 12:
|religion=Jewish
|religion=Jewish
|overseas=Y
|overseas=Y
|rank_final=Pfc
|rank_final=Private First Class
|certificate=8987
|certificate=8987
|confidence=medium
|confidence=medium
|class_number=23
|class_number=23
|class_display=23
|class_display=23
|birth_place=Berlin 1920, but was sent
|birth_place=Berlin, Germany
|death_date=5 December 2006
|teams=MII 440-G
|death_place=Branford, Connecticut
}}
}}


<div class="soldier-lead">
<div class="soldier-lead">
'''[[Blake, Peter J. (0929736)|Peter J. Blake]]''' (1920–2006) was a Ritchie Boy (from Germany; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 23.
'''[[Blake, Peter J. (0929736)|Peter Jost Blake]]''' (1920–2006) was a Ritchie Boy (from Germany; Jewish) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 23.
</div>
</div>


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Peter Jost Blach was born in Berlin 1920, but was sent to England in 1933 by his parents (who followed later) after the Nazi regime came to power in Germany. In 1944, Blach became a naturalized United States citizen and changed his name to Blake, subsequently enlisting in the U.S. Blake was sent to Europe and was among the first U.S. troops to enter Berlin following the death of Adolf Hitler. In 1950, Blake would become an associate editor with The Architectural Forum, eventually rising to the level of editor-in-chief before leaving in 1972 for a similar position at Architecture Plus. During these years, Blake would also continue to practice in the field, designing houses and other buildings while also authoring a number of books on architecture and became known as both a practitioner and a critic of Modernism in architecture. In addition to his professional career, Blake also taught architecture at several colleges and universities, including courses at schools in Europe, Canada, Latin America, Asia, and Australia. In 1975, Blake accepted the position of chairman of the Boston Architectural Center, holding the position until he was offered a professorship in the Department of Architecture and Planning at The Catholic University of America in 1979. Blake would remain at CUA until his retirement in 1991, serving as chairman of the department from 1979 until 1986. During his term as chair and that of his predecessor, Blake oversaw the development of the Summer Institute for Architecture and the Master of Architecture for students with non-architectural degrees, as well as a pre-professional degree program. Blake would move to Connecticut after his retirement and would continue to write articles and books, in addition to authoring a regular column for both New York magazine and Interior Design, prior to his death in on December 5, 2006. In 1938, Blach began studying at the University of London, and one year later he became a student at the Regent Street Polytechnic School of Architecture in London.
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 ==
== Research notes ==
* OSS
* OSS
* Noted architect
* Noted architect
* 440-g
* 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 47: 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 ==
* Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
* [[: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
* 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)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-12-09 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-12-09 (1 post)

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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