Dates

• Majority of material found within 1900 - 2010

Extent

1 box Linear Feet (Fernand Fisel (July 21, 1924-November 3, 2010) was a French-born Jewish citizen, Holocaust Survivor, and Professor Emeritus of French at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. His father was killed at Auschwitz during the Jewish Holocaust, and Fernand Fisel came to the United States following World War Two. A life-long learner, Fisel earned his undergraduate degree in Religion from Atlantic Union College in 1949, and his MA from Andrews University in 1950. He became an American citizen in 1956. He taught French at the Episcopal Academy in Philadelphia before coming to teach French at Indiana State College (IUP) in 1964. He was a professor of French at IUP from 1964 until his retirement in 1991. While at IUP and for years after his retirement, Fisel sang in the IUP Chorale, and he became an avid runner. One of his former students said “Fernand Fisel was one of my French professors when I was a student at IUP. He was very passionate about his teaching. Fernand was my friend, as well, and we had many good discussions.” Fisel was a sought-after translator of printed material, who continued to do work for the translation center at IUP after retiring. As he continued to diligently contribute to his community, he was awarded Professor Emeritus status. He was a long-time member of and cantor for the Beth Israel Synagogue. Even after his retirement from IUP in 1991, Fisel was extremely active in teaching classic Hebrew, training many children for their bar and bat mitzvahs, and teaching biblical Hebrew to adult students. Fisel passed away in Indiana, Pennsylvania on November 3, 2010. The Fernand Fisel Collection consists of the recording and transcription of an oral history conducted with Fernand Fisel in 2008, and archival materials including artifacts collected by Fernand Fisel from the Jewish Holocaust during World War Two including the Star of David worn by his brother Eli Fisel. Box 1 (5 folders): 1. Archival material (photocopies) donated by Fernand Fisel about the Jewish Holocaust; 2. Oral History Interview of Fernand Fisel conducted by Harrison Wick on June 5, 2008, includes complete transcription and e-mail correspondence from Fernand Fisel about the interview; 3. Oral History Interview (2) see Record Group 93); 4. Research Languages: Semantics, Arabic, Hewbrew, Aramaic, Egyptian, and Babylonian (1960s-1970s); and 5. Obituary and Funeral Card, Indiana, Pennsylvania, 2010-2011.)

Language of Materials

English