Colonel Sholom (Seymour) Pomrenze (1916 – 2011) is best known for his work as one of the Monuments Men, the international group established in 1943 to help protect cultural property during and after World War II. Colonel Pomrenze was the first director of the Offenbach Archival Depot (previously the IG Farben building), which was one of seven collecting points for Nazi looted books and cultural material during and after World War II. During his time there, he was responsible for overseeing the return of over 400,000 looted books.
Once Colonel Pomrenze returned to the States, he continued working in archives and records management. He spent several years working for the National Archives and the U.S. Army, from which he retired in 1977. After his retirement, he struck out on his own and devoted the rest of his career to consulting with Jewish non-profits to create record management programs. In this role, Pomrenze would review an organization’s records and work with leadership to develop a cataloging system, as well as guidelines for long-term management of files. This work allowed organizations to gain a better understanding of the records and how to maintain their files without it becoming overwhelming. He developed records management programs for many prominent Jewish philanthropic organizations, such as the American Jewish Committee, the Jewish Welfare Board, UJA-Federation of New York, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), and the Anti-Defamation League.
Pomrenze also provided guidance to several Jewish archives, including here at AJHS. He assisted archives in assessing existing collections and guiding the acquiring of new collections. He was also a member of AJHS’s Academic Council for many years. Many of the organizations Col. Pomrenze initially consulted with are now held here at AJHS and available to review by anyone interested in 20th century Jewish philanthropy work.
The crucial work done by Colonel Pomrenze during his life ensured that history, and especially Jewish history, would not be lost. His tireless dedication to saving history continues to benefit people today, as much of his work is available via several archives, including AJHS. His unwavering commitment to history will continue to benefit historians, researchers, and journalists for decades to come.
