Zeidler, Agnes, 1992 March 12, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Alternate Format: Recorded interview and transcript available online.

Biography/History: Agnes (Hutchins) Zeidler was born April 29, 1919, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her parents were born in Caveneau, Lithuania, which at that time was controlled by the Russians. Mrs. Zeidler was one of five children, two older and two younger. A lifelong member of the Lutheran church, she attended a Lutheran grade school and later was graduated from the Girls Trades and Technical High School in Milwaukee. She became active in the Socialist Party activities, where she met Frank Zeidler, whom she married in 1939. In 1940, the Zeidlers' first child was born, on the same day that Mrs. Zeidler's mother was killed in an accident. The Zeidlers had six children, born in: 1940, 1941, 1942, 1944, 1945, and 1947. While Mrs. Zeidler was quite busy with small children during the war years, she occasionally went with her mother-in-law to roll bandages for the Red Cross. The Zeidlers have lived in Milwaukee since the beginning of their marriage, with the exception of a six-month period in which Mrs. Zeidler and the children lived in Watertown, Wisconsin, when they were unable to find adequate housing in Milwaukee. During the war period, her husband served as secretary for the Socialist Party in Milwaukee. He was ineligible for the draft due to a heart condition and was employed by the Milwaukee Railroad in the engineering section. Frank Zeidler would later serve as Milwaukee's mayor from 1948 to 1960. Mrs. Zeidler has remained active in the Socialist party and the Peace and Justice Committee with her Lutheran church.
Scope and Content Note: Mrs. Zeidler began the interview by discussing the events in her household when the attack on Pearl Harbor was announced. Mrs. Zeidler had a young daughter with a stomach problem at this time, which consumed much of her energy. Her husband, Frank, was not called into the military, and she discusses their problems in finding housing. She explains how they came to rent the house in Watertown early in the war period and how they were able to eventually return to Milwaukee. Mrs. Zeidler discusses how rationing affected her family and the challenges of clothes-shopping for a husband and small children. She also talks about her child-care options during this time and the diverse ethnic backgrounds in their neighborhoods in Milwaukee. She discusses her volunteer activities with the Red Cross, as well as the activities sponsored by the Lutheran church. She then mentions her involvement with the Socialist Party youth organizations, including the Socialist band and the Socialist chorus. Mrs. Zeidler explains her father's attitude toward the Socialist Party and how that changed some after meeting Frank Zeidler and discusses her father's emigration to the United States. She also mentions anti-German attitudes in Milwaukee. She talks about her correspondence with her brothers while they were overseas in military service and tells a touching story about the hardships faced by a sister-in-law while her husband was overseas. Mrs. Zeidler concludes with her personal thoughts and reflections about the war itself and the bombing of Hiroshima.