Otto D. Tolischus

Otto David Tolischus (November 20, 1890 – February 24, 1967) was a Prussian-Lithuanian-born journalist for the New York Times and winner of the 1940 Pulitzer Prize for Correspondence for his writing in Berlin during World War II.[2]

Otto D. Tolischus
Otto D. Tolischus of the Berlin Bureau of the New York Times in New York, N.Y.
BornNovember 20, 1890
Ruß, East Prussia, Germany (Rusnė, Lithuania)
DiedFebruary 24, 1967
New York City
NationalityGerman, US
EducationColumbia University
Occupation(s)journalist, author
SpouseNaya Grecia (1949–1967, his death)[1]

Biography

Tolischus was born in Russ, East Prussia, German Empire (after 1919 Memel Territory, now - part of Lithuania). Tolischus’ parents, David and Maria (née Kubillus) were local farmers and belonged to an ethnic minority of Prussian Lithuanians, also known as Memelanders. His father was a village elder in Russ.[3] Tolischus came from a big family of five brothers and one sister. Tolischus studied at the local state school in Russ and worked as a secretary in the lawyer’s office.

In 1907 Tolischus emigrated to the United States.[4] Tolischus renounced his German citizenship and became a U. S. citizen when his father David Tolischus was naturalised in 1907.[5] Three of his brothers, John (Johann), William and Edward C., moved to the USA around the same time.[6]

After the arrival Tolischus worked in a printing house in Syracuse (N.Y.) and later in a factory plant in Trenton (N.J.).[7] In 1912 Tolischus enrolled into a newly established School of Journalism in Columbia University for a 4 year course of journalism.[8] He was one of the 79 students who joined the first class of the school. In 1917 Tolischus was awarded the first travelling scholarship from the Columbia School of Journalism along with other students, Geddes Smith and David S. Levy.[9] The award was postponed because of the First World War and never collected by the recipients.

In 1916 Tolischus joined Cleveland Press as a cub correspondent. Tolischus started this work on the same day as John M. Gleissner (later - managing editor of The Washington Daily News).[10] In 1918 Tolischus was called to serve in the US military service. He joined the Training Corps of Camp Gordon, near Atlanta, Georgia. There Tolischus was promoted to a sergeant in September 1918.[11] However, the Armistice came before Tolischus’ transfer into active service in France. In 1918 Tolischus returned to Cleveland Press. He was later promoted to managing editor of the newspaper.

In 1923 Tolischus returned to Europe, working for Universal Service in Berlin until 1931 and for International News Service in London from 1931 to 1932 as chief correspondent.[4]

Correspondent in Berlin (1933-1940)

After some time back in the US, he joined the Berlin bureau of the New York Times in 1933, where he chronicled the rise of Nazi Germany.[4] Within two days of the secret signing of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact he had managed to get news of it for a page-one story called "Nazi Talks Secret" whose subtitle included "Soviet and Reich Agree on East."[12] On 26 August 1939, he filed a story that noted Nazi troops on the move near Gleiwitz (now Gliwice), which led to the Gleiwitz incident, a false flag operation, on 31 August 1939.[13] (On 28 August 1939, the Times was still reporting on fears of a Gleiwitz raid.)[14] In 1940, he was expelled from Germany.[4]

Correspondent in Tokyo (1941-1942)

On the 25th of January 1941 Edwin L. James, managing editor of the New York Times, announced that Tolischus will sail for Japan to join the Tokyo bureau as a correspondent for the New York Times and The Times.[15] After his expulsion from Berlin by the Nazi government, Tolischus admitted to being delighted to take this opportunity. While he was well-aware that war clouds appeared to be gathering over the Pacific, he was eager to take a look at the other end of the Berlin-Tokyo axis. In particular, Tolischus noted, he was keen to learn 'how much truth there was in the story that the Nazis had taken over some of their mystic ideas from the Japanese'.[16]

Otto Tolischus (in the middle) attends Berlin Correspondents' night by the Overseas Press Club of America, September 26, 1958, New York. From the left side: Pierre Huss, Quentin Reynolds, Otto D. Tolischus, Frederick Kuh and Gen. William H. Tunner; Q. Reynolds is giving a talk about Sigrid Schultz' work and life in the pre-war Nazi Germany.[17]

Tolischus left San Francisco on the SS President Coolidge and sailed into Tokyo on February 7th. Tolischus arrived to replace Hugh Byas, a long-serving the New York Times correspondent in Tokyo. On arrival Tolischus was met by a group of local Japanese newspaper reporters. Later Tolischus learned that he was not entirely unknown in Japan. According to Tolischus, the Japan Times Advertiser and other Japanese newspapers used many of his articles sent to the New York Times from Germany.[18]

During his first week in Tokyo, Tolischus visited the American Embassy and paid his respects to ambassador Joseph C. Grew. He also paid visits at the offices of Japan's two biggest newspapers: Asahi and Nichi Nichi (Tolischus presented a letter of introduction from Roy Howard to Shingoro Takaishi, the chief of Nichi Nichi).[19]

Tolischus was surprised to discover that from the beginning of his stay Japan looked like a country already under a state of war. Tolischus drew comparisons with Germany at war and indicated the same symptoms: Tokyo had a city wide dim-out, there were shortages and queues for food shops and low number of taxis. It was clear that the Japanese people were already feeling the effects of the conflict in China. [20]

Arrest and imprisonment after the attack on Pearl Harbor

A few hours after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on the 8th of December, Tolischus was arrested and imprisoned for five months, where he was regularly beaten and tortured. During this period of imprisonment, the Japanese manager of the Times Tokyo Bureau, Junnosuke Ofusa, took food and clothes to Tolischus. The ongoing contact continued until Tolischus was sent to the United States as part of a prisoner exchange in 1942.[21]

Tolischus was a member of the Times editorial board until his retirement in 1964.[1] Tolischus died of cancer in 1967.[2]

Works
Otto D. Tolischus, Tokyo Record, 1943 (title page)

Based on his experience as a journalist, Tolischus wrote three books on World War II:

  • 1940 -- They Wanted War. New York: Reynal and Hitchcock.
  • 1943 -- Tokyo Record. New York: Reynald and Hitchcock.
  • 1945 -- Through Japanese Eyes. New York: Reynald and Hitchcock.

References
  1. "Tolischus, Pulitzer Prize Reporter, Dies". The Indianapolis Star. 25 February 1967. p. 23. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  2. "Otto D. Tolischus of Times, 76, Dies: Correspondent Tortured in Japan - Won '40 Pulitzer". The New York Times. 25 February 1967. p. 22. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  3. https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/jonas-tolisius
  4. Brennan, Elizabeth A.; Clarage, Elizabeth C. (1999). Who's who of Pulitzer Prize Winners. Oryx Press. p. 76. ISBN 1-57356-111-8.
  5. https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,764310-1,00.html
  6. https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/jonas-tolisius; The New York Times, September 30, 1949, page 23 (obituary of Edward C. Tolischus); The New York Times, December 14, 1965, page 43 (obituary of William Tolischus)
  7. Reporting World War II. Part One. American Journalism 1938-1944, advisory board: Samuel Hynes, Anne Matthews, Nancy Caldwell Sorel, Roger J. Spiller, The Library of America, 77, New York: page 861.
  8. "Columbia Spectator 18 December 1941 — Columbia Spectator". spectatorarchive.library.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
  9. BOYLAN, J. 2003. Pulitzer's School: Columbia University's School of Journalism, 1903-2003: 52-3.
  10. BRENNAN, E. A. and CLARAGE, E. C. 1999. Who's who of Pulitzer Prize Winners: 76; The Editor and Publisher, 1916-09-16: Vol 49 Issue 14, page 25 (Favors Journalism Graduates)
  11. The Constitution News from Gordon and the Other Camps, September 5, 1918, page: 1 (Many Men Promoted in Second Regiment).
  12. Tolischus, Otto D. (25 August 1939). "Nazi Talks Secret: Hitler Lays Plans with His Close Aides for the Partition of Poland". New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  13. Tolischus, Otto D. (26 August 1939). "Berlin Talks Held: Nazi Quarters Now Feel General European war Has Been Averted". New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  14. "Polish Made Easy for Reich Troops: Booklet on Sale Has Phonetic Aid—'Good Day, Mr. Mayor' Is the Opening Phrase: GLEIWITZ FEARS RAIDS". New York Times. 28 August 1939. p. 2. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  15. Editor and Publisher, 1941-01-2,: Vol 74, Issue 4: 29; Tolischus, D. Otto, Tokyo Record, Hamish Hamilton, London: 9.
  16. Tolischus, D. Otto, Tokyo Record, Hamish Hamilton, London: 9.
  17. The Overseas Press Bulletin, Vol. 13, No. 40, October 4, 1958, p. 1.
  18. Tolischus, D. Otto, Tokyo Record, Hamish Hamilton, London: 12.
  19. Tolischus, D. Otto, Tokyo Record, Hamish Hamilton, London: 21.
  20. Tolischus, D. Otto, Tokyo Record, Hamish Hamilton, London: 14.
  21. Sanger, David. "Junnosuke Ofusa, Long the Manager For Times in Tokyo", New York Times, March 30, 1994.

External sources
  • Brown, John Mason. "Book Review: They Wanted War by Otto D. Tolischus," The American Political Science Review, Vol. 35, No. 3 (Jun., 1941), pp. 573–574.
  • Clyde, Paul H., "Book Review: Through Japanese Eyes by Otto D. Tolischus," The American Political Science Review, Vol. 39, No. 4 (Aug., 1945), pp. 808–809.
  • MacNair, Harley Farnsworth, "Book Review: Through Japanese Eyes by Otto D. Tolischus," The Pacific Historical Review, Vol. 15, No. 4 (Dec., 1946), pp. 465–466.
  • Soward, F.H. "Book Review: Tokyo Record by Otto D. Tolischus," The Far Eastern Quarterly, Vol. 2, No. 4 (Aug., 1943), pp. 388–389.
  • Otto David Tolischus papers at the University of Oregon
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