Hannelore Daniels Collection
Scope and Content Note
The bulk of this collection contains Hannelore Daniel’s diaries, notes, memoirs, and creative writing. The papers are mostly written in old German script and date primarily from the period after Hannelore’s return to Germany in 1960 through her old age. The bulk of the diaries dates from the 1960s-1970s, when Hannelore lived in Heidelberg, but there are also a few diaries from Hannelore’s life in the United States. There are occasional English-language entries in all the diaries. Two diaries are written from the point of view of Hannelore’s cat and include sketches of the cat. Besides her diaries, pieces of creative writing by Hannelore are included in this collection. There is a book of poetry containing mostly Hannelore’s own poems and inserted mementos, the novel “Ssascha Bojar”, probably based on her own experiences in concentration camps, and other literary works connected to her life. Beyond the diaries and works of creative writing, there are also notebooks used in university courses. The notebooks, class note folders, and literary works cannot be clearly separated from each other, because the notebooks are often used for several purposes, and some class note folders also include diary entries. Further materials in the collection include restitution materials, clippings, and a few other papers related to her studies. Probably the only document which dates before her emigration to the U.S. is what seems to be a list of addresses of Hannelore’s fellow students in Marburg from the late 1940s, which can be found in folder 1. Hannelore’s correspondence with a lawyer regarding compensation for damage to her career and health due to persecution by Nazi Germany is included in this collection along with attestations by medical doctors and two university certificates (folder 2). There are also a few letters referring to the trial against the SS- medic Heinz Wisner to which Hannelore was summoned as witness and some clippings of articles about the Krefeld synagogue (mostly photocopies, folders 3 and 4). Three little notebooks include notes of medical consultations and lists of vocabulary. Four folders contain class notes (philosophy, medicine, literature, and languages) and excerpts from novels and academic literature handwritten by Hannelore. These folders also include programs and invitations of the Amerika Haus Heidelberg.
Dates
- 1940s-2010
- Majority of material found within 1961-1976
Creator
- Daniels, Hannelore, 1921- (Person)
Language of Materials
The collection is in German and English.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open to researchers.
Access Information
Part of the collection is digitized. Follow the links in the Container List to access the digitized materials.
Biographical Note
Hannelore (name variation Hanna Lore) Daniels was born February 3, 1921 in Krefeld-Linn. From 1941-1945 she was imprisoned in concentration camps (Riga Kaiserwald and Stutthof), from which she escaped in spring 1945. In 1946, she took exams that allowed her to officially complete high school and enter university. She started to study medicine in Marburg the same year. From 1950 -1960 she lived in the U.S. and received a Bachelor’s degree in Oxford, Ohio that qualified her as medical technical assistant. She moved to Heidelberg, Germany in 1960, where she once again took up her studies of medicine, but eventually changed to philosophy and literature.
Extent
2 Linear Feet
Abstract
This collection contains mostly Hannelore Daniel’s diaries which reflect her everyday life, childhood memories, and Holocaust experiences as well as her creative writing on similar topics. Most of the material is written in old German script.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged by document type, and the diaries are arranged chronologically.
Processing Information
All materials were refoldered in acid-free folders. Metal paper clips were removed. Binders, envelopes, and duplicates were discarded. In the case of titles on binders, only the front page of the binder was kept. Clippings from Bild-Zeitung (February 1, 2003) and Mannheimer Morgen (Wochenendbeilage May 16, 1987) were discarded.
- Cats
- Creative writing
- Daniels, Hannelore, 1921-
- Diaries
- Education, Higher
- Germany -- Emigration and immigration
- Heidelberg (Germany)
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Poetry
- Jews -- Persecutions -- Germany
- Krefeld (Germany)
- Memoirs
- Notes (documents)
- Poems
- Restitution
- United States -- Emigration and immigration
- Title
- Guide to the Hannelore Daniels Collection circa 1940s-2010 (bulk 1961-1976) AR 25518
- Author
- Processed by Martha Stellmacher
- Date
- © 2014
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English.
- Sponsor
- Processing made possible by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany and the Rothschild Foundation (Hanadiv) Europe.
Revision Statements
- June 2016:: dao links added by Emily Andresini.
Repository Details
Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository