The papers of Kenneth Zerwekh are divided into four series: Pre-War, Wartime, Post-War, and Photographs.
Pre-War (1911-1940) consists largely of the correspondence between Zerwekh and his family during his European vacation. Letters to his mother, Blanche; his uncles, Edwin and Herman; and his brother, Otto describe the sites, sounds, and activities that he experienced while traveling through Europe. Zerwekh's interest in things mechanical is evidenced by his frequent mention of flying apparatuses. This series also contains his family's responses, which generally detail daily life at home. Also included in this series are letters to and from Zerwekh during his academic career at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta. He mentions his interest in the ROTC, concerns about his grades, and his feelings on President Roosevelt and the New Deal. Other materials in this series include a congratulatory postcard to Zerwekh's parents on the occasion of his birth (1911), ephemeral souvenirs from his European vacation (1929-1930), several graded exams that Zerwekh took at Georgia Tech (1935), and the Marriage Service Booklet from Zerwekh's marriage to Evelyn Houston (1939).
World War II (1935-1946) is the largest series in this collection, and it is mostly composed of Zerwekh's letters to his wife, Evelyn, his mother, and his brother during his time in Europe, from January to August 1945; their responses are also included. Zerwekh, very conscious of Army censors, stayed away from writing specifically about troop movements and armed engagements. Instead, he focused on non-military topics like his collection of “spoils of war.” Many letters describe various items that Zerwekh acquired from German soldiers and abandoned bases such as a “Kaiser Wilhelm helmet” (he included a small sketch of it), a piano accordion, a German jet engine part, and a parachute. Zerwekh wrote of his dislike for General George S. Patton of the Third Army, whom he felt was benefiting from the hard work of the First Army (of which Zerwekh's unit was a part). He also described a celebration on the night his unit received the news that the war was over; he reported that nineteen men were shot during the out-of-control festivities. Interestingly, he wrote several letters to his wife on the back of pages from a Varga pin-up girl calendar, claiming that it was the only paper available. Letters to Zerwekh during the war focused mainly on day-to-day happenings at home. Zerwekh's wife, Evelyn, detailed the antics and development of their son John. Other paper documents include certificates that Zerwekh received from Ordnance School, miscellaneous military papers, and several items that Zerwekh picked up in Europe, such as two Nazi-themed postcards.
Post-War (1949-1992) is the smallest series and contains some documentation of Zerwekh's life after the war. Included are some business cards; papers relating to Zerwekh's time in the Army Reserves; correspondence with Karl Baur, a German man who Zerwekh met during his European vacation in 1929; and documentation of Zerwekh's service that was collected by Margaret, his second wife, in the 1980's, including a unit history of the 3546th Ordnance Medium Automotive Maintenance Company and Kenneth's service records.
Photographs (circa 1920, 1944-1945) include many scenic shots of World War II-era European locales, especially war-ravaged buildings. Many wartime photos of Zerwekh, both alone and with men from his company, can also be found in this series. Included in the miscellaneous photos are a photograph taken of a Grand Army of the Republic parade in which Zerwekh's uncle, Herman Smythe, took part and a photograph of a factory-related invention of Zerwekh's other uncle Edwin Smythe.
