Harris A. Houghton
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during and shortly after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. His fame, or rather infamy is due to the anonymous translation
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
and publication
Publication
To publish is to make content available to the public. While specific use of the term may vary among countries, it is usually applied to text, images, or other audio-visual content on any medium, including paper or electronic publishing forms such as websites, e-books, Compact Discs and MP3s...
from the Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
into the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1920. The lead title he's responsible for producing is "Praemonitus Praemunitus."
On or about February 1, 1918, his personal assistant, Miss Natalie de Bogory
Natalie de Bogory
Natalie de Bogory, , is primarily known for her notorious work in translating from the Russian language into the English language, and subsequently distributing and participating in having published the first or second American edition in the United States of the infamous Plagiarism known as the...
, brought him an exceedingly rare book, a 1917 edition of Serge Nilus
Sergei Nilus
Sergei Aleksandrovich Nilus was a Russian religious writer and self-described mystic....
's book on the anti-Christ which incorporated into itself as an ending chapter the notorious plagiarism
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
, literary forgery
Literary forgery
Literary forgery refers to writing, such as a manuscript or a literary work either deliberately misattributed to a historical or invented author, or a purported memoir presented as genuine.- History :The common, or popularly known, instance of literary forgery may involve for example the work of a...
, and hoax
Hoax
A hoax is a deliberately fabricated falsehood made to masquerade as truth. It is distinguishable from errors in observation or judgment, or rumors, urban legends, pseudosciences or April Fools' Day events that are passed along in good faith by believers or as jokes.-Definition:The British...
subsequently known briefly as the infamous Protocols of Zion. This rare edition had allegedly been brought to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by an unidentified Russian army officer who obtained it in Petrograd, Russia.
At the time of obtaining the text from Miss de Bogorty, Dr. Houghton was a military intelligence officer of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Department of War
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
attached to the Eastern Department offices located on Governor's Island in the City of New York.
He was the son of a Methodist minister. In 1901 he graduated from the Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
School of Medicine. He thereafter pursued advanced study in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. In 1911 he received his commission as first lieutenant in the Medical Reserve Corps
Medical Reserve Corps
The Medical Reserve Corps is a network in the U.S. of community-based units initiated and established by local organizations to meet the public health needs of their communities. It is sponsored by the Office of the Surgeon General of the United States...
, achieving the position of Post Surgeon at Fort Totten
Fort Totten
Fort Totten may refer to:* Fort Totten, North Dakota* Fort Totten State Historic Site, a Dakota frontier-era fort and Native American boarding school* Fort Totten , a neighborhood, park and Civil War-era fort...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and a few month later was appointed Post Intelligence Office at this installation. And in December 1917 he was transferred and assigned to his position on Governor's Island.
Noted bibliographer
Bibliographer
"A bibliographer is a person who describes and lists books and other publications, with particular attention to such characteristics as authorship, publication date, edition, typography, etc. The result of this endeavor is a bibliography...
of Judaica, Robert Singerman
Robert Singerman
Robert Singerman is a professor, a recognized Judaica bibliographer. He is often cited by Judaica rare book dealers. He holds the position of University Librarian, George A...
, describes Houghton as a "zealous counter-subversive, obsessed by the [alleged] Jewish threat to America's war effort ...". Singerman further informs us that this obsessiveness led Houghton to engage Miss de Bogory
Natalie de Bogory
Natalie de Bogory, , is primarily known for her notorious work in translating from the Russian language into the English language, and subsequently distributing and participating in having published the first or second American edition in the United States of the infamous Plagiarism known as the...
, as his personal assistant, for 9 months, and he paid for her time and work out of his own personal funds. Essentially, he retained her, and another former Russian military officer, former General G. J. Sosnowsky, to translate the Protocols of Zion into English.
See also
- Boris BrasolBoris BrasolBoris Leo Brasol , lawyer and literary critic, was a White Russian immigrant to the United States.-Biography:...
- Natalie de BogoryNatalie de BogoryNatalie de Bogory, , is primarily known for her notorious work in translating from the Russian language into the English language, and subsequently distributing and participating in having published the first or second American edition in the United States of the infamous Plagiarism known as the...
- Protocols of Zion
- Singerman listSingerman listThe Singerman list is a numeric cataloging system for antisemitica items, as defined by the 1982 bibliographic listing, Antisemitic Propaganda: an annotated bibliography and research guide by Robert Singerman. The list consists of a chronological listing, by year at least, of books, pamphlets, and...