Three Generations Of Service

Robert M. Morgenthau on Sunday tours the exhibit on the lives of himself, his father and grandfather at the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial To The Holocaust in Battery Park City. Photos courtesy of the Museum of Jewish Heritage-A Living Memorial To The Holocaust

Robert M. Morgenthau on Sunday tours the exhibit on the lives of himself, his father and grandfather at the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial To The Holocaust in Battery Park City. Photos courtesy of the Museum of Jewish Heritage-A Living Memorial To The Holocaust

by Adam Dickter

It seems rare, even somewhat awkward for a museum to feature an exhibit such as “The Morgenthaus: A Legacy of Service” that, in large part, tells the story of its founding chairman.

“This is a unique occurrence, “ conceded David Marwell, director of the Museum of Jewish Heritage-A Living Memorial To The Holocaust. “But the family is unique. There is something special in the Morgenthau DNA.”

For Marwell and his staff, a look at three generations of Morgenthau men who gave back to their family’s adopted nation offered an opportunity to weave together several important narratives.

“We had always wanted to do an exhibit on the Armenian genocide and on Roosevelt and the Holocaust,” says Marwell. “This was a chance to do

both at the same time.”

Henry Morgenthau, Sr. was appointed U.S. ambassador to the Ottoman Empire by President Woodrow Wilson and is credited with calling attention to the Armenian persecution. Thirty years later his son, Henry Morgenthau Jr., would play a similar role on behalf of Jews as a close confidante of Franklin Delano Roosevelt who served as his secretary of the Treasury during World War II. Robert Morgenthau is a war hero, former federal prosecutor, 1962 gubernatorial candidate and one of the longest-serving district attorneys in American history.

Marwell says the exhibit was not intended to coincide with Robert Morgenthau’s departure from office, but had been planned before he announced he would not seek a 10th term.

Among the artifacts in the exhibit are telegrams from Henry Sr. about the Armenian plight, Henry Jr.’s report on “The Acquiescence of This Government in the Murder of Jews,” a tea set used by Elinor Fatman Morgenthau to entertain Eleanor Roosevelt, Robert’s navy cap, medals and DA phone logs and a note from Henry Jr. that was passed to FDR during a meeting explaining that he was “a little shicker,” Yiddish for drunk, after lunch at a friend’s home.

The president’s response on the same note calls on him to leave the room “in due time” if he needs to vomit.

That exchange, says Karen S. Franklin, one of the exhibit curators, challenges the perception that the Treasury secretary submerged his Jewish heritage.

“Not only did he freely use that Yiddish expression,” she says, “but the president knew exactly what he was talking about.”

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