Ursula Korniechouk interview, 28 March 2014

Abstract

Ursula Korniechouk, a native of Germany, describes her life in Germany and the experiences she had in Cleveland. Growing up during World War Two had a tremendous affect on Korniechouk. Her father was outspoken against the Hitler regime, and her mother was concerned that he would be apprehended by the authorities. She came to Cleveland because of her husband, and she quickly became acquainted with the racial divide in Cleveland. She was shocked at how people could be so racist in a country that was supposed to be free. In the late 1960s, she needed to step back from being a political activist and moved into working full time to support her family. She began working for the Cleveland Museum of Art and created outreach programs that tried to connect the museum to the general public. She end by reiterating how surprised and heartbroken she was once she realized how deep and pervasive the racial problem was in this country.