In the Age of Steel: Oral Histories from Bethlehem Pennsylvania -- Simon Pavel

Annotation Simon Pavel emigrated from Austria-Hungary in 1912, initially living in St. Louis and Detroit before coming to Bethlehem. He describes himself as Romanian. He was possibly married to Mary Pavel, née Muntian. After working at the coke works starting in 1913 he came to Bethlehem Steel in 1916. In this interview Pavel describes his life in Austria-Hungary, the process of emigrating, working in St. Louis and Detroit, making artillery at Bethlehem Steel during World War I, wages, retirement, and his family. This interview is part of a series of interviews conducted by Lehigh University students and faculty from 1974 through 1977 focusing on retired Bethlehem Steel workers, business people, and the heirs of industrial magnates. The project was co-sponsored by Bethlehem Steel Corporation, who provided contact information for retired steel workers. An oral history interview is an act of memory and hence both highly selective and highly subjective. While it accurately reflects what a narrator remembers (or chooses to tell) of his or her experience and viewpoints, it may not accurately represent what actually transpired or what another person may have experienced. As such users should subject interviews to the same degree of critical scrutiny they would any other historical source.