Collection Summary
Arno A. Penzias Papers 1931-2006
1963-1998
1931-2006
1963-1998
MSS85338
Penzias, Arno A.
9,500 items
27 containers plus 2 oversize and 1
artifact
10.8 linear feet
1,006 digital files (442.70 MB)
English
German
Chinese
French
Swedish
Japanese
Spanish
Portugese
Italian
Russian
Collection material in English, with German, Chinese, French, Swedish, Japanese,
Spanish, Portugese, Italian, and Russian
Manuscript Division, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Scientist, corporate executive, and
author. Correspondence, drafts of books, articles, and speeches, interviews, scientific
articles, photographs, topical files, printed matter, digital files, and miscellaneous
material.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Alpher, Ralph, 1921-2007--Correspondence.
Ash, E. A.--Correspondence.
Block, David L.--Correspondence.
Dicke, Robert H. (Robert Henry)--Correspondence.
Encrenaz, Pierre J.--Correspondence.
Fleury, Paul A.--Correspondence.
Gamow, George, 1904-1968--Correspondence.
Gazalé, Midhat J., 1929- --Correspondence.
Gilder, George F., 1939- --Correspondence.
Herman, Robert, 1914- --Correspondence.
Inose, Hiroshi, 1927- --Correspondence.
Julesz, Bela--Correspondence.
Morrison, Philip--Correspondence.
Nachtigall, Dieter, 1927- --Correspondence.
Peebles, P. J. E. (Phillip James Edwin)--Correspondence.
Penzias, Arno A.
Queisser, Hans J., 1931- --Correspondence.
Radner, Roy, 1927- --Correspondence.
Shoji, Masakazu, 1936- --Correspondence.
Spitzer, Lyman, 1914-1997--Correspondence.
Stibitz, George R. (George Robert), 1904-1995--Correspondence.
Townes, Charles H.--Correspondence.
Uenohara, Michiyuki, 1925-2007--Correspondence.
Weinberg, Steven, 1933- --Correspondence.
Wilson, Robert Woodrow, 1936-
Organizations
Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Lucent Technologies (Firm)
New Enterprise Associates.
Subjects
Astrophysics.
Big bang theory.
Cosmic background radiation.
Cosmology.
Deuterium.
Occupations
Astrophysicists.
Authors.
Executives.
Acquisition Information
The papers of Arno A. Penzias, scientist, corporate executive, author, and venture
capitalist, were given to the Library of Congress by Penzias in 2006.
Processing History
Paper records in Arno A. Penzias collection were processed in 2009 by Joseph K. Brooks
with the assistance of Dan Oleksiw and Chanté R. Wilson-Flowers. Digital files were
organized and described in 2015.
Transfers
Items have been transferred from the Manuscript Division to other custodial divisions of
the Library. Some audiocassettes and videotapes have been transferred to the Motion
Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division. A drawing has been transferred to
the Prints and Photographs Division. All transfers are identified in these divisions as
part of the Arno A. Penzias Papers.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Arno A. Penzias is governed by
the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The papers of Arno A. Penzias are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact
the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and
advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use.
Security Classified Documents
Government regulations control the use of security classified material in this
collection. Manuscript Division staff can furnish information concerning access to and
use of classified materials.
Digital Format
Digital files were received as part of the Arno A. Penzias Papers. Reference copies were
created from the original digital media. Advanced notice is required to access the
digital content; Consult reference staff in the Manuscript Division for more
information.
Online Content
A “Chart record,” Horn Antenna, Holmdel, N.J., 1964, is
available on the Library of Congress Web site at [https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/collmss.ms000123].
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information:
Container number or digital ID number, Arno A. Penzias Papers, Manuscript Division,
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1933, April 26
Born, Munich, Germany
1939
Fled with family from Germany to England
1940
Immigrated to the United States with his family and settled in New York,
N.Y.
1946
Became a naturalized citizen of the United States
1954
B.S., College of the City of New York, New York, N.Y.
Married Anne Pearl Barras. Divorced 1996.
1954
1956
Radar officer, Army Signal Corps
1956
1958
Research assistant, Columbia Radiation Laboratory, Columbia University, New
York, N.Y.
1958
M.A., Columbia University, New York, N.Y.
1961
Started thirty-seven year career at Bell Laboratories and its successor Lucent
Technologies
1962
Ph.D. in physics, Columbia University, New York, N.Y.
1964
Discovered with Robert W. Wilson uniform microwave radiation emanating from
all directions in the universe, documenting the Big Bang theory of the origin of
the universe
1972
1976
Director, Radio Research Laboratories, Bell Laboratories
1978
Awarded with Robert W. Wilson the Nobel Prize for Physics
1981
1995
Vice president for research, Bell Laboratories and Lucent Technologies
1989
Published
Ideas and Information: Managing in a High-Tech World
. New York: Norton
1995
Published
Harmony: Business, Technology & Life after Paperwork
. New York: HarperBusiness
1995
1998
Vice president and chief scientist, AT &T Bell Laboratories and Lucent
Technologies, Bell Laboratories Innovations
1996
Married Sherry Levit
1998
Venture partner, New Enterprise Associates
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Arno Allan Penzias (1933- ) span 1931-2006, with the bulk of the
collection dating from 1963 to 1998. Penzias enjoyed a thirty-seven year career with
Bell Laboratories and its successor Lucent Technologies, serving these organizations as
an astrophysicist and eventually as chief scientist and vice president directing the
corporate laboratory’s research and product development. Penzias with his colleague
Robert Woodrow Wilson discovered a uniform microwave radiation emanating from beyond our
galaxy the charting of which documented the Big Bang theory of the origins of the
universe. For this achievement Penzias and Wilson shared a Nobel Prize for Physics in
1978.
Most of the collection is in English but includes material in German, Chinese, French,
Swedish, Japanese, Spanish, Portugese, Italian, and Russian. The papers are organized
into six series: [ General
Correspondence ](gencorres), [
Speeches and Writings ](speewrit), [ Subject File ](subfile), [ Oversize ](overs), [ Artifact ](artif), and [ Digital Files ](electfile).
The [ General Correspondence
](gencorres) contains letters exchanged with colleagues and friends including David Block,
Paul A. Fleury, George Gamow, Hiroshi Inose, Roy Radner, and Charles H. Townes.
The [ Speeches and Writings
](speewrit) include files on Penzias’s two books about information technology,
Ideas and Information: Managing in a High-Tech World and Harmony: Business,
Technology & Life after Paperwork,
published in 1989 and 1995 respectively. Correspondence relating to the books
is extensive and correspondents include E. A. Ash, Pierre J. Encrenaz, Midhat J. Gazalé,
George F. Gilder, Hiroshi Inose, Bela Julesz, Philip Morrison, Dieter Nachtigall, Hans
J. Queisser, Masakazu Shoji, Lyman Spitzer, George R. Stibitz, and Michiyuki Uenohara.
Penzias took on his duties directing Bell Laboratories in 1981, the year its parent
company, AT & T, was ordered by court order to divest. The [ Subject File ](subfile) documents Penzias’s
leadership during the period when Bell Laboratories became Lucent Technologies. It also
sheds light on his earlier research career, such as his discovery of the cosmic
background radiation for which he won the Nobel Prize, and his work on another indicator
of a Big Bang, the abundance in the universe of deuterium, a stable isotope of hydrogen.
A file relating to Penzias’s work on the origin of the elements includes correspondence
with Big Bang theorists Ralph Alpher, Robert H. Dicke, Robert Herman (1914), P. J. E.
Peebles, and Steven Weinberg (1933). Documentation obtained from Bell Laboratory’s Horn
Antenna, with which Penzias and Wilson made their discovery on Crawford Hill in Holmdel,
New Jersey, is available in photographs and a rolled, scroll-like “chart record” dating
from 1964.
The [ Digital Files ](electfile) document Penzias's career as a venture
capital partner with New Enterprises Associates after his retirement from Lucent
Technologies and also include personal correspondence, family photographs and
biographical material.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged in six series:
-
[ General Correspondence,
1963-2002 ](gencorres)
-
[ Speeches and Writings,
1947-2005 ](speewrit)
-
[ Subject File, 1931-1998
](subfile)
-
[ Oversize, 1978-1983 ](overs)
-
[ Artifact, 1964 ](artif)
-
[ Digital Files, 1997-2006
](electfile)
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/mm2006085338]
Container List
Container
Contents
1
General Correspondence, 1963-2002
1963-2002
Correspondence with friends and colleagues with attached material.
Arranged chronologically.
1
1963-2002
1963-2002
(6 folders)
1-19
Speeches and Writings, 1947-2005
1947-2005
Drafts of books, articles, and speeches; interviews; poems; correspondence;
background information; research files; and promotional and miscellaneous
material..
Arranged alphabetically by format, title, or type of material and therein
chronologically or sequentially
1
Articles [
See also Containers 23-25, Science file ](con23-25sciefile)
1
By Penzias
1
"2020," 1990-1991
1990-1991
1
Miscellaneous
1
Drafts
1
1989-1993
1989-1993
2
Undated
Undated
2
Published versions, 1971-1991,
undated
1971-1991,
undated
(4 folders)
2
Miscellaneous authors
2
1948, 1965-1981
1948,
1965-1981
(4 folders)
3
1982-1993
1982-1993
(7 folders)
4
1994-2005, undated
1994-2005,
undated
(5 folders)
4
Books
4
Harmony: Business, Technology & Life after Paperwork
4
Background information, 1981,
1991-1995
1981,
1991-1995
4
Correspondence, 1993-1995
1993-1995
(2 folders)
5
Drafts
5
No.1, chapters 1-10, 1994
1994
(6 folders)
5
No. 2
5
Introduction, dedication, and table
of contents, 1994
1994
6
Chapters 1-7, 1994
1994
(7 folders)
7
Chapters 8-10
(3 folders)
7
Copyediting, 1994
1994
7
Miscellany, 1994, undated
1994,
undated
(4 folders)
8
Publication and promotion
8
Miscellany, 1993-1995
1993-1995
8
Packets, 1995
1995
8
Reviews, 1995
1995
8
Ideas and Information: Managing in a High-Tech World
8
Background information
8
Miscellany, 1982-1990, undated
1982-1990,
undated
(3 folders)
8
Vail, Theodore N.,
undated
undated
9
Correspondence
9
1978, 1985-1988
1978,
1985-1988
(3 folders)
9
1989
1989
9
Jan.-Oct.
Jan.-Oct.
(6 folders)
10
Nov.-Dec.
Nov.-Dec.
10
1990-1994
1990-1994
10
Drafts
10
No. 1, chapters 1-9, 1987
1987
(3 folders)
10
No. 2, undated
undated
10
Chapters 1-6 (2 folders)
(2
folders)
11
Chapters 7-9
11
No. 3, meeting with editor, chapters
1-4, 1987
1987
(2 folders)
11
No. 4
11
Acknowledgment, preface,
introduction, 1987
1987
(2 folders)
11
Background information,
1986-1987
1986-1987
11
Chapters
11
No. 1, 1987
1987
11
No. 2
11
Background information,
1987-1988
1987-1988
11
Text, 1987
1987
11
No. 3
11
Background information,
1985-1988
1985-1988
11
Text, 1987
1987
12
No. 4, 1987
1987
12
No. 5, 1988
1988
12
Miscellany, 1958,
1984-1986, undated
1958, 1984-1986, undated
(2 folders)
12
Sejnowski, Terrence J.,
1985-1986
1985-1986
12
Text, 1987
1987
12
Nos. 6-7
(2 folders)
12
No. 8
12
Apple Computers
13
Text, 1987
1987
(2 folders)
13
No. 9
(2 folders)
13
No. 5, 1988
1988
13
“Corrected Copy,” undated
undated
13
Fragments, 1987
1987
14
Martin, R. L., reader, 1988
1988
14
“Minds over Machines,” alternate title,
drafts
14
No. 1, 1987-1988
1987-1988
14
No. 2, chapters 1-9,
undated
undated
(2 folders)
14
Miscellany, undated
undated
14
Penzias, David, reader,
undated
undated
14
Miscellany, undated
undated
(1 folder)
15
(1 folder)
15
“The Syntax Matrix,” alternate title,
drafts, 1985-1986
1985-1986
15
No. 1
(4 folders)
15
No. 2
(1 folder)
16
(3 folder)
No. 3
16
Miscellany, 1989-1990, undated
1989-1990,
undated
(2 folders)
16
Publication and promotion
16
Miscellany, 1988-1989
1988-1989
16
Packets, 1989
1989
16
Jan.-Mar.
Jan.-Mar.
17
Apr.-May
Apr.-May
17
Photographs and printed matter,
1989-1990
1989-1990
17
Selma Shapiro Public Relations,
1988
1988
17
Research material, 1947, 1959,
1968-1984, undated
1947, 1959,
1968-1984, undated
(2 folders)
17
Reviews, 1988-1992
1988-1992
17
Translations
17
Chinese, 1995
1995
17
French, 1989-1990, undated
1989-1990,
undated
(2 folders)
18
Poems, undated
undated
18
Speeches and interviews
18
Development and writing,
1989-1995
1989-1995
(2 folders)
19
Events, 1979-2005, undated
[
See also Oversize
](con19eveov)
1979-2005,
undated
(6 folders)
19-27
Subject File, 1931-1998
1931-1998
Awards and honors, photographs, scientific papers, including research and
articles, and other miscellaneous subject files.
Arranged alphabetically by topic or type of material.
19
Awards and honors
19
Miscellaneous, 1976-1987, 1996
1976-1987, 1996
19
New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame,
1991
1991
20
Nobel Prize for Physics [
See also Container 27, Notebook ](con27note)
20
Photographs, 1978
1978
20
“Day of Announcement” album
(2 folders)
20
Sweden
20
Proclamations and miscellaneous material,
1978
1978
20
Scrapbook, 1978
1978
(4 folders)
21
Bell Laboratories and Lucent
Technologies
21
Career file, 1983-1987, 1995
1983-1987, 1995
21
Miscellany, 1981
1981
21
Poster, undated
undated
21
Printed matter, 1979-1989,
1995-1998
1979-1989,
1995-1998
(2 folders)
21
Retirement scrapbook, 1998
1998
(2 folders)
21
Biography, family history, and early
education
21
Brooklyn Technical High School, New York,
N.Y.
21
Blueprint
, yearbook, 1951
1951
21
Miscellaneous, 1947-1951
1947-1951
22
Student papers, 1948-1950
1948-1950
22
College of the City of New York, New York,
N.Y.
22
Miscellany, 1951-1954
1951-1954
22
Student papers, 1950-1951
1950-1951
22
Elementary, junior high, and Hebrew school,
report cards, 1940-1946
1940-1946
22
Germany, 1938-1939, 1979
1938-1939, 1979
22
Miscellany, 1985
1985
22
Calendars, 1992-1998
1992-1998
(2 folders)
22
Commemorative “3K” T-shirt, 1978
[
See also Oversize
](comov)
1978
22
Controller-dispatcher, patent,
1994
1994
22
Levich, V. G. and Yeveny, case notebook,
1972-1974
1972-1974
(3 folders)
23
Photographs
23
Miscellaneous, undated
undated
23
Of Penzias, 1989, undated
1989,
undated
(2 folders)
23
Printed matter, 1975, 1981, 1988,
1994-1995
1975, 1981, 1988,
1994-1995
23
Reagan, Ronald, luncheon, 1985
1985
23
Science file
23
Deuterium in the universe
23
Articles
23
By Penzias
23
American Scientist
, 1962, 1976-1977
1962,
1976-1977
23
Miscellaneous, 1972-1977,
undated
1972-1977, undated
(2 folders)
24
By others, 1969-1978,
undated
1969-1978,
undated
(5 folders)
24
International Astronomical Union,
conference, Grenoble, France, 1976
1976
24
Miscellany, 1976
1976
25
Elements, origins of
25
Articles
25
By Penzias, 1972-1978
1972-1978
25
By others, 1931, 1948-1949,
1957, 1965-1968, 1975-1978
1931,
1948-1949, 1957, 1965-1968, 1975-1978
(4 folders)
25
Correspondence, 1976-1979
1976-1979
25
Lectures, undated
undated
25
Miscellany, undated
undated
25
Encrenaz, Pierre J., 1969-1974
1969-1974
26
Horn Antenna, Holmdel, N.J., “chart record,”
1964
[
See Artifact
](con26art)
1964
26
Isotope review file
26
Articles
26
By Penzias, 1973
1973
26
By others
26
Five College Radio Astronomy
Observatory, Quabbin Reservoir, Mass.
undated
26
Miscellaneous, 1969-1982,
undated
1969-1982, undated
(7 folders)
26
Notes, undated
undated
27
Miscellany, undated
undated
27
National Radio Astronomy Observatory,
1967-1975
1967-1975
27
Notebook, 1978
[
See also Container 20, Nobel Prize](nobel20)
1978
(4 folders)
OV 1-2
Oversize, 1978-1983
1978-1983
Commemorative T-shirt and posters.
Arranged and described according to the series, containers, and folders from
which the items were removed.
OV 1
Speeches and interviews
OV 1
Events
OV 1
Eighteenth Annual Karl G. Jansky Lecture,
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va., poster, 1983
(Container 19)
1983
(Container 19)
OV 2
Miscellany
OV 2
Commemorative “3 K” T-shirt,
1978 (Container 22)
1978 (Container
22)
VA 1
Artifact, 1964
1964
“Chart record,” Horn Antenna, Holmdel, N.J.
Described according to the series, container, and folder from which the item was
removed.
VA 1
“Chart record,” Horn Antenna,
Holmdel, N.J., 1964 (Container 26)
1964 (Container
26)
Digital content available
Digital Files, 1997-2006
1997-2006
Digital files, 1997-2006
1997-2006
mss85338_67_1_SIP