AUDIO
Interview with Walter Hirsh
- Date
- 22 September 1999 - 22 Sep 1999
- By
- Hirsh, Walter, 1936-
- Reference
- OHInt-0751-02
- Description
New Zealand Race Relations Conciliator from 1986 to 1989. Born in Munchen-Gladbach, Germany, in 1936. Mentions family's arrival in New Zealand and their settlement in Milton - discusses family members left behind in Germany. Mentions fathers involvment in Dunedin's Jewish community - describes the barriers his family experienced in practicing their religion - compares Jewish experience of assimilation in New Zealand and Australia.
Recalls attending Macandrew Intermediate and Otago Boys School in Dunedin, before travelling overseas in 1955 - gives reasons for visiting Israel. Discusses attending Wellington Teachers' College and graduating in 1959 before teaching in Wellington - mentions marriage to wife Adele in 1959. Talks about receiving the 1975 Fulbright Fellowship - describes the areas of research undertaken and visiting various bilingual programmes with the Navaho and Mohawk Indians in the United States and Canada. Discusses how he put the ideas developed through the Fellowship into practice during time as principal of Karori West Normal School and Mount Cook School.
Describes how he was appointed Race Relations Conciliator in 1985 - mentions Geoffrey Palmer, Hiwi Tauroa and Hone Turei. Discusses the Race Relations Act 1972. Mentions the need for sensitivity in the Conciliator's role, previous Conciliators and the public expectations regarding the ethnicity of the Conciliator. Defines the role of the Conciliator - describes the climate of Maori-Pakeha relations in New Zealand in the mid 1980s. Discusses various Waitangi Tribunal claims. Talks about the different groups of staff who worked in the Office of the Race Relations Conciliator - mentions the establishment of the Christchurch and Wellington offices. Describes the implementation of the Secondary School Students Cultural Exchange programme, youth forums, Marae Experience programmes and the inclusion of taha Maori into the New Zealand school curriculum. Talks about the establishment of the Educator of Racism at Auckland Hospital, a high-profile case at the Auckland University Marae, and the role the Office played in these cases. Recalls the Office's involvement in the planning of the 1990 Sesquicentennial - discusses his feelings about the commemorations.
Access Contact - See Oral History Librarian
Interviewer(s) - Megan Hutching
Accompanying material - Copies of published articles from books, magazines, and newspapers
Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-012708, OHC-012709, OHC-012710
Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 2.22 Hours and minutes Duration.
Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-5442
Abstract Available - transcript(s) available.
Photocopied articles include copies of photographs of Walter Hirsh
Search dates: 1936 - 1999
- Additional description
Original recordings not available for playback. Surrogate copies will be provided.
- Use/Reproduction
- Public use requires the written permission of the copyright holder Copyright: Copyright held by the Human Rights Commission
- Access restrictions
- Partly restricted material
- Part of
- Race Relations Conciliators Oral History Project
- Format
- 3 C60 cassette(s), 1 printed abstract(s), 2.22 Hours and minutes Duration, Oral histories, Illustration: Photocopied articles include copies of photographs of Walter Hirsh
Click to request to view this item, access digital version (if available), and see more information.
Interview with Walter Hirsh, printed abstract
Date: 22 September 1999
From: Race Relations Conciliators Oral History Project
Reference: OHA-5442
Description: Quantity: 1 printed abstract(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available.
Interview with Walter Hirsh, tape one
Date: 22 September 1999 - 22 Sep 1999
From: Race Relations Conciliators Oral History Project
Reference: OHC-012708
Description: Arrangement: Tape sequence - 1 0f 3 Quantity: 1 C60 cassette(s).
Interview with Walter Hirsh, tape two
Date: 22 September 1999 - 22 Sep 1999
From: Race Relations Conciliators Oral History Project
Reference: OHC-012709
Description: Arrangement: Tape sequence - 2 of 3 Quantity: 1 C60 cassette(s).
Interview with Walter Hirsh, tape three
Date: 22 September 1999 - 22 Sep 1999
From: Race Relations Conciliators Oral History Project
Reference: OHC-012710
Description: Arrangement: Tape sequence - 3 of 3 Quantity: 1 C60 cassette(s).