Robert Dexter
Encyclopedia
Robert Dexter was the founder of the Unitarian Service Committee, which during World War II was the most significant program of any American church in the rescue and assistance of Jewish refugees and the victims of Nazism in Europe.
Nova Scotia of an American mother and a Canadian father, who was a sea captain. Robert grew up in Boston and graduated from Brown University in 1912 with a B.A. and later acquired an M.A. from Brown. Over the next years he served as a social worker for a number of small organizations and with the entry of the United States into World War I he worked for the American Red Cross, supervising camps for soldiers in the South East. In 1915, he married Elisabeth Anthony, and they both studied for doctorates at Clark University
, he in sociology and Elisabeth in history. They both taught at Skidmore College
from 1923 to 1927, and moved to Cambridge Massachusetts in 1927 when Robert Dexter accepted a position as head of the Departments of Social and International Relations for the American Unitarian Association, a job that entailed many visits to liberal religious congregations in Europe.
, which at that time was the largest Unitarian congregation in the world. The Unitarians and the Dexters also had strong ties to the Masaryk
family. During this period, Dexter wrote detailed reports on the plight of refugees in the Sudetenland. He began a letter campaign to find Americans to write affidavits for Jewish refugees who hoped to emigrate, and he published articles praising the skills of European refugees and calling for less restrictive immigration policies. He began to raise funds for a new organization to help endangered refugees in Czechoslovakia and found support among prominent members of First Church of Belmont Massachusetts. The Unitarians recruited a young Unitarian minister Waitstill Sharp
, and his wife, Martha, to go to Czechoslovakia in early 1939 for an extended period of time. The Martha Sharp
and Waitstill remained in the country after the Germans occupied Czechoslovakia, and they were effective in their programs for relief and emigration. The success of the Sharps’ activities increased momentum for the founding of the Unitarian Service Committee, which was officially launched in the Spring of 1940, for the purpose of helping endangered refugees. Robert Dexter became executive director of the organization, which set up an office in neutral Lisbon in the Spring of 1940. In 1941, he worked for six months in the Lisbon office of the committee, along with Elisabeth Anthony Dexter
and continued the collaboration with Varian Fry
and with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
that had begun under the Sharps and their replacement Charles Joy.
In 1942, Robert Dexter was recruited by the Office of Strategic Services
and given the code name “Corn.” He set up links between the OSS and colleagues of Varian Fry in Marseille who were active in the French Resistance. Dexter also recruited the director of the Unitarian Service Committee’s medical program in Vichy France
, Rene Zimmer. These ties facilitated a program in refugee assistance with ties to the French underground. In 1944, Robert Dexter became the representative of the U.S. War Refugee Board
in Portugal. At the end of 1944, Robert Dexter resigned from the Unitarian Service Committee (now the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
and completed his position with the WRB. Robert Dexter retired a few years later from his work at the Church Peace Union, during a serious illness, and died in 1955 of unknown causes following an extended period of depression.
Early life
Robert Cloutman Dexter was born on October 1, 1887 in ShelburneShelburne
-Places:In Canada:* Shelburne, Nova Scotia* Shelburne, Nova Scotia * Shelburne County, Nova Scotia* Shelburne, Ontario* Shelburne * Shelburne In the United States:...
Nova Scotia of an American mother and a Canadian father, who was a sea captain. Robert grew up in Boston and graduated from Brown University in 1912 with a B.A. and later acquired an M.A. from Brown. Over the next years he served as a social worker for a number of small organizations and with the entry of the United States into World War I he worked for the American Red Cross, supervising camps for soldiers in the South East. In 1915, he married Elisabeth Anthony, and they both studied for doctorates at Clark University
Clark University
Clark University is a private research university and liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts.Founded in 1887, it is the oldest educational institution founded as an all-graduate university. Clark now also educates undergraduates...
, he in sociology and Elisabeth in history. They both taught at Skidmore College
Skidmore College
Skidmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,500 students. The college is located in the town of Saratoga Springs, New York State....
from 1923 to 1927, and moved to Cambridge Massachusetts in 1927 when Robert Dexter accepted a position as head of the Departments of Social and International Relations for the American Unitarian Association, a job that entailed many visits to liberal religious congregations in Europe.
World War II
In 1937 and 1938, Dr. Dexter visited Czechoslovakia, and the congregation in Prague led by Norbert CapekNorbert Capek
Norbert Fabián Čapek was the founder of the modern Unitarian Church in the Czech Republic.-Early life:Čapek was born into a Roman Catholic family on 3 June 1870, in Radomyšl, a village in Strakonice District in southern Bohemia. As a boy he wanted to join the priesthood, but soon became...
, which at that time was the largest Unitarian congregation in the world. The Unitarians and the Dexters also had strong ties to the Masaryk
Masaryk
- Family name :* Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk , Austro-Hungarian and Czechoslovak statesman, sociologist, philosopher, and the first President and founder of Czechoslovakia...
family. During this period, Dexter wrote detailed reports on the plight of refugees in the Sudetenland. He began a letter campaign to find Americans to write affidavits for Jewish refugees who hoped to emigrate, and he published articles praising the skills of European refugees and calling for less restrictive immigration policies. He began to raise funds for a new organization to help endangered refugees in Czechoslovakia and found support among prominent members of First Church of Belmont Massachusetts. The Unitarians recruited a young Unitarian minister Waitstill Sharp
Waitstill Sharp
Waitstill Hastings Sharp was a Harvard College graduate and Unitarian minister. He was the son of naturalist author and professor Dallas Lore Sharp and Grace Hastings and a descendant of Thomas Hastings who came from the East Anglia region of England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1634...
, and his wife, Martha, to go to Czechoslovakia in early 1939 for an extended period of time. The Martha Sharp
Martha Sharp
Martha Ingham Dickie Sharp-Cogan was an American philanthropist who, along with her husband Waitstill Sharp, helped hundreds of Jews to escape Nazi persecution by sending them off through Czechoslovakia-Social Work:...
and Waitstill remained in the country after the Germans occupied Czechoslovakia, and they were effective in their programs for relief and emigration. The success of the Sharps’ activities increased momentum for the founding of the Unitarian Service Committee, which was officially launched in the Spring of 1940, for the purpose of helping endangered refugees. Robert Dexter became executive director of the organization, which set up an office in neutral Lisbon in the Spring of 1940. In 1941, he worked for six months in the Lisbon office of the committee, along with Elisabeth Anthony Dexter
Elisabeth Anthony Dexter
Elisabeth Anthony Dexter was a social historian who contributed the longest-lived service in southern Europe on behalf of Jewish refugees of any American churchwoman during World War II.-Early life and career:...
and continued the collaboration with Varian Fry
Varian Fry
Varian Mackey Fry was an American journalist. Fry ran a rescue network in Vichy France that helped approximately 2,000 to 4,000 anti-Nazi and Jewish refugees to escape Nazi Germany and the Holocaust.-Early life:...
and with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee is a worldwide Jewish relief organization headquartered in New York. It was established in 1914 and is active in more than 70 countries....
that had begun under the Sharps and their replacement Charles Joy.
In 1942, Robert Dexter was recruited by the Office of Strategic Services
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
and given the code name “Corn.” He set up links between the OSS and colleagues of Varian Fry in Marseille who were active in the French Resistance. Dexter also recruited the director of the Unitarian Service Committee’s medical program in Vichy France
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
, Rene Zimmer. These ties facilitated a program in refugee assistance with ties to the French underground. In 1944, Robert Dexter became the representative of the U.S. War Refugee Board
War Refugee Board
The War Refugee Board, established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in January 1944, was a U.S. executive agency created to aid civilian victims of the Nazi and Axis powers...
in Portugal. At the end of 1944, Robert Dexter resigned from the Unitarian Service Committee (now the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee is a non-profit, nonsectarian associate member organization of the Unitarian Universalist Association that works to provide disaster relief and promote human rights and social justice around the world....
and completed his position with the WRB. Robert Dexter retired a few years later from his work at the Church Peace Union, during a serious illness, and died in 1955 of unknown causes following an extended period of depression.