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Oral history interview with Hattie Bratzel Kremen, 1995 April 22

 File — Audiocassette: 1

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

This oral history interview with Hattie Bratzel Kremen was conducted by Susan C. Glen from April 22 to June 10, 1995. In this interview, Bratzel Kremen discusses her family background and early life in Mulino, Gresham, Silverton and Salem, Oregon, including facing anti-German sentiment during World War I, working on the family orchard, and her education. She discusses the limited career opportunities open to women, her decision to pursue work as a secretary in law offices, and working as a court reporter. She then talks about attending Northwestern College of Law (which later became a part of Lewis & Clark College) at age 37, including her professors, her women classmates, and working full time as a court reporter while studying. She also describes serving as a court reporter for Judge James T. Brown at the Nuremberg Trials in 1947, as well as her travels around post-war Europe. She talks about her first race for the office of Marion County district attorney in 1951. She discusses practicing law in Salem, including representing mothers in custody cases. She then discusses her service as Marion County district attorney from 1956 to 1964, including cases she prosecuted and the long hours she kept. She briefly talks about her marriage to Leonard Kremen, as well as his family background and early life. She then discusses her return to private practice in 1964 and focusing largely on probate law. She closes the interview by talking about her travels.

Dates

  • Creation: 1995 April 22

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Extent

From the Collection: .1 Cubic Feet (4 audiocassettes (2 hr., 27 min., 33 sec.) + transcript (88 pages))

Language of Materials

English

Repository Details

Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository

Contact:
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Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240