Joseph Harold ("Harry") Dockweiler (1920 – August 1948) was an American science-fiction author and literary agent. Dockweiler was best known by his pen name Dirk Wylie. Dockweiler was a member of The

Futurians The Futurians were a group of science fiction fans, many of whom became editors and writers as well. The Futurians were based in New York City and were a major force in the development of science fiction writing and science fiction fandom in the ...

, a 1940s-era science-fiction fan community.

Biography

Dockweiler attended

Brooklyn Technical High School Brooklyn Technical High School, commonly called Brooklyn Tech and administratively designated High School 430, is a public specialized high school in New York City that specializes in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It is on ...

in the 1930s, where he became friends with fellow student

Frederik Pohl Frederik George Pohl Jr. (; November 26, 1919 – September 2, 2013) was an American list of science fiction authors, science-fiction writer, editor, and science fiction fandom, fan, with a career spanning nearly 75 years—from his first ...

. In 1934, a teen Dockweiler had a letter published in periodical ''Wonder Stories'' inquiring about "Science Fiction Week". Both Dockweiler and Pohl dropped out of Brooklyn tech after their junior year. In 1937, Dockweiler published a

fanzine A fanzine (blend word, blend of ''fan (person), fan'' and ''magazine'' or ''zine'') is a non-professional and non-official publication produced by enthusiasts of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) for the pleas ...

titled ''Fantasy Mirror''. As an adult, Dockweiler wrote stories in collaboration with

, Arnold Kummer Jr. and Cyril M. Kornbluth. Dockweiler also used the pen names "Dennis Lavond" and "Elliott Whitney". In 1937, Dockweiler joined the Committee for the Political Advancement of Science Fiction (CPASF), a left-wing group of Futurians who supported the views of fellow member

John B. Michel John B. Michel (1917–1969) was a science fiction author (sometimes publishing using the name Hugh Raymond) and editor associated with the informal literary society the Futurians, of which he was one of twelve initial members. He was electe ...

. When the Futurians group fractured, Dockweiler and Pohl followed Michel and

Donald Wollheim Donald Allen Wollheim (October 1, 1914 – November 2, 1990) was an American science fiction editor, publisher, writer, and fan. As an author, he published under his own name as well as under pseudonyms, including David Grinnell, Martin Pears ...

to form the East New York Science Fiction League. In 1940, Dockweiler married fellow Futurian Rosalind "Roz" Cohen. Dockweiler was drafted and served as a sergeant in a military police company in World War 2. He was stationed in Belgium during the

Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive or Unternehmen Die Wacht am Rhein, Wacht am Rhein, was the last major German Offensive (military), offensive Military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western ...

. Dockweiler suffered a spine injury after jumping from a transport truck; he was evacuated from theater and spent two years in a Veterans Administration hospital. While hospitalized, Dockweiler penned a letter to ''Amazing Stories'' in which he reported two instances of having witnessed an unidentified objects, in some cases rise from the ocean and returning to it. In 1947, Dockweiler and Pohl set up the "Dirk Wylie Literary Agency". In August 1948, Dockweiler died from tuberculosis of the spine. After his death, Pohl and Rosalin continued to run the agency.

Works

* "Stepsons of Mars" (April 1940 Astonishing Stories) (with C M Kornbluth and Richard Wilson) * "Vacant World" (January 1941 Super Science Stories) (with C M Kornbluth) * Stuff (1940) * ''The Mantle of Graag'' (1941) with Robert A. W. Lowndes and Frederik Pohl * ''Something from Beyond'' (1941) with Robert A. W. Lowndes and Frederik Pohl *''Highwayman Of The Void'' *''Asteroid of the Damned'' (1942) *''Sky Test'' (1942) *''Outpost of the Eons'' (1943) *''Star of the Undead''(1948) with Robert A. W. Lowndes and Frederik Pohl *''When Time Went Mad'' (publish posthumously in 1950) with Frederic Arnold Kummer, Jr.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wylie, Dirk 1920 births 1948 deaths American science fiction writers American literary agents Military personnel from New York City Writers from Brooklyn 20th-century American male writers United States Army personnel of World War II