Interview with Martin Schwartz

Partial Transcript: So, would you remind us of your first name and last name?

Partial Transcript: And um, would you tell us a bit more...

Segment Synopsis: Question: Would you tell us what year you were when the Dow demonstration happened? Answer: Marty was 19 years old, a sophomore at UW Madison.

Partial Transcript: Uh, August 24th, 1970, I was living at the International Co-Op at 140 West Gilman.

Segment Synopsis: On August 24, 1970, Marty was on his way to his 5:30am shift at Kronshage Hall. He didn’t hear the bomb go off that morning but others at the Co-op and in the area did. On his way, he witnessed the police barriers and debris everywhere. Marty didn’t know any of the men who planted the bomb but briefly met David Fine some months before when he was a photographer for The Daily Cardinal. Marty marched against the Vietnam War but never damaged any public property.

Keywords: Sterling Hall bombing; Vietnam War; political activism

Partial Transcript: My own radicalization occurred on October 18th, 1967, when Dow Chemical came to recruit.

Segment Synopsis: Marty’s “radicalization” happened on October 18, 1967 when Dow came to interview students in the Commerce Building. Marty had a 2:25 class in Bascom. He decided to go to class instead of protesting. At 3:00, a fire alarm went off and as they were exiting, tear gas canisters were thrown into Bascom Hall. Marty witnessed police chasing protesters down the hill and grabbing women by their hair and clubbing them. Marty felt forced to confront the issue.

Keywords: Bascom Hall; police violence

Partial Transcript: There's nothing really special about my story...

Segment Synopsis: When Marty saw the photos of the four men who bombed Sterling Hall, he wondered how far people would go to try to end the war. Marty thought the bomb was inevitable but it was a horrible shame that it killed Robert Fassnacht, an innocent person.

Keywords: Sterling Hall bombing; Vietnam War; anti-war protests