Harry James Cargas was born on July 18, 1932, in Hamtramck, Michigan, near Detroit, where he lived until he went overseas to serve in the Korean War in the early 1950s. Upon his return, he earned a BA (1957) and an MA (1958) from the University of Michigan in English and American Literature. In 1968 he completed a Ph.D. at St. Louis University in English, focusing on Daniel Berrigan’s protest poetry. The dissertation served as the basis for Cargas’ 1972 book Daniel Berrigan and Contemporary Protest Poetry. While a Ph.D. candidate, Dr. Cargas taught English at St. Louis University and started its English as a Second Language program. In 1970 he joined the faculty at Webster College (later Webster University) where he taught courses on the Holocaust, literature, writing, and religious studies until his death in 1998.
Dr. Cargas is probably best known for his contributions to the study of Christian views of and reactions to the Holocaust and he published regularly in these areas. His books and contributions include A Christian Response to the Holocaust (1981), Responses to Elie Wiesel (1978), and The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness (1997, with Simon Wiesenthal and others). Much of his work on the Holocaust was inspired by his friendship with Elie Wiesel. Cargas and Wiesel conducted several interviews, which Cargas published in 1976 as Harry James Cargas in Conversation with Elie Wiesel.
Dr. Cargas was selected by President Jimmy Carter to serve on the first U.S. Memorial Holocaust Council, and he was the first Catholic ever appointed to the International Council of Yad Vashem.
Dr. Cargas was honored for his work on the Holocaust, human rights, and teaching excellence (a partial list of honors, awards, and career highlights is available).
Harry James Cargas died on August 18, 1998, at age 66.
Biographical note by Eileen Simon and Kathy Gaynor.
Harry James Cargas Papers
mainly late 1950s to 1998
The initial donation was an estimated 25 linear feet.
Harry James Cargas
A brief biographical sketch is available.
Items in the Harry James Cargas collection were created between the 1950s and the author's death in August 1998. While research and writings on sports, human rights, literature, and social issues make up part of the collection, the bulk of the collection represents Dr. Cargas' research and publication on the Holocaust, Christianity, and key figures in these areas. The collection includes published and unpublished works, as well as taped interviews with scholars, theologians, and prominent figures in the history of the Holocaust. Several of the interviews have been published. Copies of Dr. Cargas' book reviews and columns published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis Jewish Light, and other publications are included as are copies of his research articles published in scholarly journals. Personal correspondence is also part of the collection, including writings between Dr. Cargas and Elie Wiesel, Philip and Daniel Berrigan, Malcolm Boyd, Kurt Vonnegut, and others. Correspondence related to publication and information gathering for several of Cargas' books is available. A small number of photographs are included. The collection represents Dr. Cargas' professional life as a scholar, author, and teacher and for the most part does not include family correspondence, documents, and memorabilia.
Please consult the series outline and processing notes section.
The collection is open for research use by appointment only. Part of the collection is restricted, and access requires the permission of his literary executor.
The Harry James Cargas Papers are the physical property of Webster University. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns.
Copyright restrictions may apply.
Materials almost entirely in English.
Please consult the series outline and processing notes section.
Harry James Cargas donated his collection to the Webster University Library in 1996. The family contributed additional items after his death in 1998.
The information above was provided by Eileen Simon and Kathy Gaynor.
Eileen Simon, a former Webster University librarian and archivist, created a preliminary outline which divided the collection into three main series:
Upon further examination of the collection, Kathy Gaynor (former University Archivist) modified the outline as follows:
Most of the published writings, which make up the bulk of the collection, have been left in their original order: filed by year and then type of publication (e.g., articles, columns, reviews, etc.). One exception was made to further subdivide columns by name of publication (e.g., year—columns—publication name).
A Christian response to the Holocaust. (1981). Denver: Stonehenge Books.
Conversations with Elie Wiesel. (1992). South Bend, IN: Justice Books.
Daniel Berrigan and contemporary protest poetry. (1972). New Haven, CT: College & University Press.
David's decision: Betrayal? Or trust? (1979). St. Louis: Concordia Pub. House.
Encountering myself: Contemporary Christian meditations. (1977). New York: Seabury Press.
English as a second language: a reader. (1981). Edward T. Erazmus and Harry James Cargas. 3rd ed. Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown.
Exploring your inner space: a self-discovery journal. (1991). Cincinnati, OH: St. Anthony Messenger Press.
Harry James Cargas in conversation with Elie Wiesel. (1976). New York: Paulist Press.
The Holocaust: an annotated bibliography. (1977). Haverford, PA: Catholic Library Association.
I lay down my life: Biography of Joyce Kilmer. (1964). Boston: St. Paul Editions.
Keeping a spiritual journal. (1981). Garden City, NY: Doubleday.
KWMU presents the best Harry James Cargas commentaries. (1995). St. Louis: KWMU Radio.
Reflections of a post-Auschwitz Christian. (1989). Detroit: Wayne State University Press.
Shadows of Auschwitz: A Christian response to the Holocaust. (1990). New York: Crossroad.
Simon the crossbearer: A family is affected by their father's chance meeting with the Savoir. (1979). St. Louis: Concordia Pub. House.
Voices from the Holocaust. (1993). Lexington: University Press of Kentucky.
The continuing agony: From the Carmelite convent to the crosses at Auschwitz. (2004). Edited by Alan L. Berger, Harry James Cargas, Susan E. Nowak. Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
The continuous flame; Teilhard in the great traditions. (1969). St. Louis, MO: B. Herder.
Death and hope. (1970). Edited by Harry J. Cargas and Ann White. New York: Corpus Books.
Graham Greene. (1969). St. Louis: Herder.
Holocaust scholars write to the Vatican. (1998). Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Invisible harmony: essays on contemplation and responsibility. (1995). Essays by Raimon Panikkar; edited by Harry James Cargas. Minneapolis: Fortress Press.
Problems unique to the Holocaust. (1999). Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky.
Religious and cultural factors in Latin America. (1970). Edited by Charles J. Fleener, Harry J. Cargas. St. Louis: Office of International Programs, St. Louis University.
Religious experience and process theology: the pastoral implications of a major modern movement. (1976). Edited by Harry James Cargas and Bernard Lee. New York: Paulist Press.
Renewing the face of the earth; Essays in contemporary church-world relationships. (1968). Thomas P. Neill; edited by Harry J. Cargas. Milwaukee: Bruce Pub. Co.
Responses to Elie Wiesel. (1978). New York: Persea Books.
The Sunflower: On the possibilities and limits of forgiveness. (1997). Simon Wiesenthal; with a symposium edited by Harry James Cargas and Bonny V. Fetterman. Rev. and expanded ed., 2nd ed. New York: Schocken Books.
Telling the tale: a tribute to Elie Wiesel on the occasion of his 65th birthday: Essays, reflections, and poems. (1993). St. Louis, MO: Time Being Books.
The unnecessary problem of Edith Stein. (1994). Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
When God and man failed: Non-Jewish views of the Holocaust. (1981). New York: Macmillan.
America is saturated by violence. (1995). In R.E. Hiebert (Ed.), Impact of mass media: Current issues (pp. 223-229). White Plains, NY: Longman.
Andre Stein: the category of dialogue. (1997). In S.C. Feinstein, K. Schierman, & M.S. Littell (Eds.), Confronting the Holocaust : a mandate for the 21st century; Part two (pp. 211-221). Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
Anne Frank: Beyond the diary. (1993). In C. Rittner (Ed.), Beyond the diary: Anne Frank in the world (pp. 15-20). Derry, Northern Ireland: Yes! Publications.
Antisemitism in the Christian world: a Catholic perspective. (1988). In M.Z. Rosensaft & Y. Bauer (Eds.), Antisemitism: Threat to western civilization (pp. 27-30). Jerusalem: Vidal Sassoon International Center for the Study of Antisemitism, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Auden, W.H. (1989). In New Catholic Encyclopedia (p. 18). New York: McGraw-Hill.
The Auschwitz convent controversy: a failure of symbols. (2004).In A.L. Berger, H.J. Cargas, & S.E. Nowak (Eds.),The continuing agony: From the Carmelite convent to the crosses at Auschwitz (pp. 95-101). Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
Blessings on your eightieth! (1998). In S.G. Lightner, & M.S. Littell (Eds.), A modern prophet: Letters to Franklin H. Littell on his 80th birthday, June 20, 1998 (p. 29). Merion Station, PA: Merion Westfield Press International.
Christian preaching after the Holocaust. (1996). In H.C. Kee, & I.J. Borowsky (Eds.), Removing anti-Judaism from the pulpit (pp. 43-49). Philadelphia: American Interfaith Institute.
The confessions of Saint Augustine. (1988). In F.N. Magill, & I.P. McGreal (Eds.), Christian spirituality: the essential guide to the most influential spiritual writings of the Christian tradition (pp. 45-50). San Francisco: Harper & Row.
The dialogue of Saint Catherine of Siena. (1988). In F.N. Magill, & I.P. McGreal (Eds.), Christian spirituality: the essential guide to the most influential spiritual writings of the Christian tradition (pp. 171-175). San Francisco: Harper & Row.
Dialogue towards an autobiography. (1987). In R. Libowitz (Ed.), Faith and freedom: a tribute to Franklin H. Littell (pp. 239-251). New York: Pergamon Press.
The divine milieu. (1988). In F.N. Magill, & I.P. McGreal (Eds.), Christian spirituality: the essential guide to the most influential spiritual writings of the Christian tradition (pp. 586-591). San Francisco: Harper & Row.
Drama reflecting madness: the plays of Elie Wiesel. (1990). In C. Rittner (Ed.), Elie Wiesel: Between Memory and Hope (pp. 153-162). NY: New York University Press.
Elie Wiesel – Jeder mord ist ein selbstmord (Elie Wiesel: Every murder is a suicide). (1993). In M. Neumann, & G. Barudio, Der Friedens-Nobelpreis von 1901 bis heute (The Nobel Award for Peace from 1901 to nowadays) (pp. 1-10). Zug: Ed. Pacis.
Establishment of the National Football League. (1986). In Book of days 1987: an encyclopedia of information sources on historical figures and events, keyed to calendar dates (pp. 299-300). Ann Arbor, MI: Pierian Press.
Foreword. (1981). In T. Merton, Introductions east and west: the foreign prefaces of Thomas Merton (pp. 1-2). Greensboro, NC: Unicorn Press.
Foreword. (1985). In R.S. Frey and N. Thompson-Frey, The imperative of response: the Holocaust in human context (pp. xi-xiii). Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
Foreword. (1991). In T. Merton, Honorable reader: Reflections on my work (pp. 1-2). New York: Crossroad.
Foreword. (1986). In C. Asscher-Pinkhof, Star children (pp. 11-14). Detroit: Wayne State University Press.
Foreword. (1987). In D.R. Morton, Ability to love (pp. I-II). Unpublished manuscript.
Foreword. (1995). In L.W. Wells, Shattered faith: a Holocaust legacy (pp. ix-xi). Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky.
Foreword. (1996). In R.S. Frey, Our future in light of twentieth-century evil: Hope, history, and human culture. San Francisco: International Scholars Publications.
Foreword. (1998). In R.A. Ritvo, & D. M. Plotkin, Sisters in sorrow: Voices of care in the Holocaust (pp. xi-xiii). College Station: Texas A & M University Press.
Forty years after: a deliberate misunderstanding. In M. Littell, R. Libowitz, & E.B. Rosen (Eds.), The Holocaust forty years after (pp. 37-44). Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press.
A Holocaust commemoration for days of remembrance. (1986). In M.S. Littell (Ed.), Liturgies on the Holocaust: an interfaith anthology (pp. 19-26). Philadelphia: Anne Frank Institute of Philadelphia.
The Holocaust in fiction. (1993). In S.S. Friedman (Ed.), Holocaust literature: a handbook of critical, historical, and literary writings (pp. 533-546). Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
The imitation of Christ. (1988). In F.N. Magill, & I.P. McGreal (Eds.), Christian spirituality: the essential guide to the most influential spiritual writings of the Christian tradition (pp. 192-197). San Francisco: Harper & Row.
The impact and influence of religion in St. Louis. (1997). In St. Louis currents: a guide to the region and Its resources (pp. 173-180). St. Louis: Missouri Historical Society Press.
In conversation with Elie Wiesel. (2002). In R. Franciosi (Ed.), Elie Wiesel: Conversations (pp. 58-68). Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.
In the name of the Father… (1997). In C. Rittner & J.K. Roth (Eds.), From the unthinkable to the unavoidable: American Christian and Jewish scholars encounter the Holocaust (pp. 33-39). Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Introduction. (1982). In L. Ridenhour, Seasonings for sermons, volume 2 (pp. xi-xii). Lima, OH: C.S.S. Publishing Co.
Introduction. (1988). In R. Cooper, The camp: A memory book: 1942-1945. Iowa City, IA: Writers House Press.
Introduction. (1998). In E. Deaglio, The banality of goodness: the story of Giorgio Perlasca (pp. xiii-xiv). Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.
Introduction to the devout life and on the love of God. (1988). In F.N. Magill, & I.P. McGreal (Eds.), Christian spirituality: the essential guide to the most influential spiritual writings of the Christian tradition (pp.267-272). San Francisco: Harper & Row.
Janet Guthrie. (1988). In Book of days 1988: an encyclopedia of information sources on historical figures and events, keyed to calendar dates (pp. 139-140). Ann Arbor, MI: Pierian Press.
The love poet. (1979). In L. Bartlett (Ed.), Benchmark & blaze: the emergence of William Everson (pp. 102-107). Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press.
Mauriac, Francois. (1989). In New Catholic Encyclopedia (p. 288-289). New York: McGraw-Hill.
McKay, Claude. (1989). In New Catholic Encyclopedia (p. 269-270). New York: McGraw-Hill.
My papal encyclical. (1988). In Z. Garber (Ed.), Methodology in the academic teaching of the Holocaust (pp. 301-308). Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
Myth, faith and hermeneutics. (1988). In F.N. Magill, & I.P. McGreal (Eds.), Christian spirituality: the essential guide to the most influential spiritual writings of the Christian tradition (pp. 661-667). San Francisco: Harper & Row.
Neill, Thomas Patrick. (1989). In New Catholic Encyclopedia (p. 317). New York: McGraw-Hill.
The poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins. (1988). In F.N. Magill, & I.P. McGreal (Eds.), Christian spirituality: the essential guide to the most influential spiritual writings of the Christian tradition (pp. 484-490). San Francisco: Harper & Row.
Preface. (1986). In L. Shelley (Ed.), Secretaries of death: Accounts by former prisoners who worked in the Gestapo of Auschwitz (pp. XIII-XIV). New York: Shengold Publishers.
Preface. (1994). In Z. Garber, Shoah: the paradigmatic genocide (xiii-xv). Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
Revisionism and theology: Two sides of the same coin? (1993). In S. L. Jacobs (Ed.), Contemporary religious responses to the Shoah (pp. 2-14). Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
The story of a soul. (1988). In F.N. Magill, & I.P. McGreal (Eds.), Christian spirituality: the essential guide to the most influential spiritual writings of the Christian tradition (pp. 446-451). San Francisco: Harper & Row.
Syllabus for LLN 206: Holocaust literature. (1992). In J.N. Porter (Ed.), Sociology of genocide/The Holocaust (pp. 106-107). Washington, D.C.: American Sociological Association.
The term paper: an overview. (1997). In M.J. Salevouris, & C. Furay, Learning American history: Critical skills for the survey course (pp. 166-168). Wheeling, IL: Harlan Davidson.
Ten commandments for fathers. (1975). In R. Heyer (Ed.), Christian family (pp. 40-45). New York: Paulist Press.
Tolkien, J.R.R. (1989). In New Catholic Encyclopedia (p. 456). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Toward reconciliation. (1988). In F.H. LIttell, I.G. Shur, & C.R. Foster, Jr. (Eds.), In answer…: the Holocaust: is the story true?: why did the world community not respond?: what are the lessons? (pp. 379-391). West Chester, PA: Sylvan.
TV violence and sports. (1971). In D.J. Riley, Freedom of dilemma: Critical readings in the mass media (pp. 62-64). Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman.
TV violence and sports. (1972). In A. Scharbach, & R.H. Singleton, The lively rhetoric: Readings, analyses, arguments (pp. 151-155). New York: Holt Rinehart and Winston.
The uniqueness of the Holocaust for Christians. (1991). In At the edge of the 21st century: Second scholars’ conference on the teaching of the Holocaust: October 6-7, 1991 (pp. 13-19). Greensburg, PA: National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education.
We drink from our own wells. (1988). In F.N. Magill, & I.P. McGreal (Eds.), Christian spirituality: the essential guide to the most influential spiritual writings of the Christian tradition (pp. 673-678). San Francisco: Harper & Row.
Will our children accuse us? (1989). In Yehuda Bauer, et al (Ed.), Remembering for the future: Working papers and addenda (pp. 2104-2115). New York: Pergamon Press.
The writings below provide some insight into the thought of Harry James Cargas.
Letters are used with permission of his estate.
Corrigan, Don. (2001). Harry Cargas's achievement. In Times newspapers columns: a collection of favorite newspaper columns by Dwight Bitikofer, Don Corrigan, Cele Cummiskey, Kevin Murphy (p. 50). St. Louis, MO: Webster-Kirkwood Times.
Harry James Cargas (1932–98). (2011). In Paul R. Bartrop & Steven Leonard Jacobs (eds.), Fifty key thinkers on the Holocaust and genocide (pp. 61–67). New York: Routledge.
Jacobs, Steven L. (1985, Spring). Harry James Cargas: Appreciation and response. Journal of Reform Judaism, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 33–43.
McEwen, Peter. (1997, June). Harry James Cargas: Traditionalist challenged status quo. St. Louis Journalism Review, vol. 27, no. 197, p. 18.
McGuire, John M. (1998, August 20). Harry James Cargas, 66; Author and Holocaust scholar. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, sec. B.
Schuster, Joseph. (1986, December 10-16). KWMU's Harry Cargas reviews his 5,000th book. The Riverfront Times, p. 7B.
Major, Paul. (1974, February 25). Cargas takes sabbatical to write. The Broadside, vol. 4, no. 17, p. 4.
Lester, J.B. (1975, January 30). Cargas attends literary conference in Israel. The Broadside, vol. 5, no. 13, p. 4.
Cargas previews local TV series. (1975, February 6). The Broadside, vol. 5, no. 14, p. 1.
Cargas resigns English chair; Larry Blades to head department. (1975, May 8). The Broadside, vol. 5, no. 23, p. 1.
Bauer, Kathy. (1975, December 5). Cargas finds irony at PEN conference. The Broadside, vol. 6, no. 11, p. 4.
McFerren, Karen. (1976, October 1). Harry gives birth again. The Journal, vol. 6, no. 2, p. 2.
Rivers, Karen McFerren. (1977, March 21). Cargas makes off with English Chair. The Journal, vol. 6, no. 11, p. 5.
Zegel, Maureen. (1977, September 9). Cargas attends first book fair in Moscow. The Journal, vol. 7, no. 1, p. 2.
Zegel, Maureen. (1977, September 23). Wary Russians didn't trust Cargas. The Journal, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 3-4.
Nottonson, Nancy. (1978, February 22). Lights, cameras, and Harry Cargas. The Journal, vol. 7, no. 17, p. 3.
Murphy, Kevin. (1978, November 16). Cargas returns from Jerusalem. The Journal, vol. 8, no. 6, p. 5.
Nottonson, Nancy. (1979, April 12). Cargas has two books published. The Journal, vol. 8, p. 3.
Oksner, Jean. (1979, December 6). Cargas talks to President Portillo. The Journal, vol. 9, no. 10, pp. 1, 7.
Evans, Kathey. (1980, September 11). Holocaust remembered. The Journal, vol. 10, no. 2, p. 4.
Rosen, Rose. (1980, December 11). Cargas receives Human Rights Award. The Journal, vol. 10, no. 13, pp. 1, 3.
Renick, Kevin. (1981, October 15). Cargas delves into Holocaust Council. The Journal, vol. 11, no. 7, pp. 1, 6-7.
Scott, Torri. (1982, August 30). Cargas tackles sports conduct. The Journal, vol. 14, no. 1, p. 5.
Haber, Ann L. (1985, April 4). Course explores Middle East strife. The Journal, vol. 16, no. 24, pp. 3, 6.
Gamma, Patty. (1985, September 19). Cargas receives meritorious accolade. The Journal, vol. 17, no. 3, p. 5.
Schneider, Joan. (1986, April 24). Cargas organizes Holocaust books. The Journal, vol. 18, no. 13, p. 4.
Cole, Lonnel. (1987, December 3-9). Blacks absent in sports management. The Journal, vol. 21, no. 12, pp. 9, 11.
Collins, Patrick. (1988, March 3-9). Prof. Harry Cargas appointed interim A.D. The Journal, vol. 22, p. 4.
Brandon, John. (1988, September 22). Athletes upward bound: Cargas plans 88 season. The Journal, vol. 23, no. 4, p. 11.
Elsner, Patrick. (1989, February 23). From backboards to blackboards: Cargas speaks out on sports, cheerleaders, ethics... The Journal, vol. 24, no. 6, pp. 5, 7.
Wisdom, Ronnie. (1992, September 24). Webster U. Professor Harry James Cargas bashes summer Olympics. The Journal, vol. 32, no. 5, pp. 1, 6.
Cadigan, Patricia B. (1993, Spring). Teacher, scholar, lecturer, news commentator and author: Harry James Cargas has made Webster University his home for more than 23 years. Webster World, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 2-5.
Cargas honored at ceremony. (1993, November 11-18). The Journal, vol. 34, no. 11, p. 3. (Cargas received the Elijah P. Lovejoy Award).
Centerino, Paul. (1993, December 9-16). Cargas inducted into group. The Journal, vol. 34, no. 14, p. 4. (Cargas was nominated to the Advisory Committee of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment.)
Morelli, Lisa. (1996, January 25-31). Cargas reflects on radio days. The Journal, vol. 39, no. 2, p. 8.
Webster's wild about Harry. (1996, November-December). Accent, p. 4.
Jacobsen, Natascha. (1998, September 3-9). Harry's spirit remains at Webster. The Journal, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 9, 13.
Gordon, Julia. (1998, November 5). Memorial honors Harry Cargas' life. The Journal, vol. 44, no. 9, p. 3.
Webster University English professor Harry James Cargas will be remembered for his work and his humanity. (1999, Winter). Webster World, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 32-33.
Atherton, Kelley. (2006, October 12-25). Two influences from past still remembered on campus. The Journal, vol. 60, no. 8, p. 9.
Bañes, Lanz Christian. (2006, February 2-8). Nuremberg prosecutor presides over Holocaust remembrance. The Journal, vol. 59, no. 2, p. 9.
