Ernest R. Stiefel Family Collection
Scope and Content Note
This collection represents a lifetime of genealogical research by Ernst R. Stiefel about his family history. Files about individuals and families contain documents that are almost entirely photocopies from various German archives. Various family trees and photocopies of articles about Jews in Germany are also found here.
Files in the Individuals section include photocopies of various official documents from German archives about Stiefel's family and relatives, including himself, concerning birth, marriage, death, inheritance, immigration, restitution, and Nazi-era foreign exchange matters. Some of Stiefel's correspondence with archives concerning these files is also found here.
Files in the Families section include photocopies of documents from German archives (registers; birth, marriage, and death information; business and military records; contracts and legal documents; articles; and a small amount of personal material (correspondence, photographs)). Individuals with narrative histories, and family names written on the envelope cover, are noted in the scope note.
The Family Trees section includes family narratives and genealogical tables, as well as some photocopies of supporting archival documents, for the following families: Stiefel (Usenborn, Oberhessen); Fleersheim (Floersheim) (Gedern, Oberhessen); Meyer (Gedern, Oberhessen); Strauss (Bad Homburg vor der Hoehe); Phillipsohn (Villmar, Herzogtum Nassau); Hachenburger (Darmstadt); Jonas (Kesselbach, Hessen); Strauss (Darmstadt, Frankfurt am Main, Brooklyn); Schellenberg (Goddelau, Hessen); Homberger (Homberg an der Ohm, Oberhessen; Darmstadt); Hayum (Fauerbach, Oberhessen); Vendig (Sembach, Rheinpfalz, Kaiserslautern Rheinpfalz); Vogel (Sembach, Rheinpfalz); Ehrenbach (Worms, Sembach, Kaiserslautern, Rheinpfalz); Stern (Sembach and Kaiserslautern, Rheinpfalz; Louisville, Kentucky); Wachenheim- Huettenbach (Worms); Weinschenk (Roth, Mittelfranken; Alsenz, Kaiserslautern); Bender (Gerbach, Lohnsfeld, Rheinpfalz); Lonsbach (Lohnsfeld, Rheinpfalz), Pintus (Graetz, Posen; Chmielno, Westpreussen; Aachen); Gottfeld (Berent, Westpreussen); Bernstein (Borgentreich, Westfalen); Ostheim (Brakel, Westfalen); Alsberg (Volkmarsen, Waldeck); Meyer (Brilon, Westfalen); Marcus (Volkmarsen, Waldeck); Dreyer (Rietberg, Neuenkirchen; Kaunitz, Westfalen); Meyerhoff (Leffmann) (Herstelle, Paderborn, Westfalen); Rosenstein (Beverungen, Westfalen); Ostwald (Paderborn, Westfalen), Wolfers (Minden, Westfalen; Diepenau, Hannover); Auerbach (Ahlen, Westfalen); Goldschmidt (Stolzenau, Hannover); Stern (Oestinghausen, Westfalen); Brueggeman (Schwerte and Ostinghausen, Westfalen).
Also found here are some narrative histories of families and individual family members written by Stiefel: the Strauss and Neugass families of Bad Homburg vor der Hohe; the Strauss – Homberger families; Amelie Strauss née Vendig; the Vendig family; Kaufman Stern; the Huettenbach and Wachenheim families; Boerlin Isaac Weinschenk; Hendelena Herz; and "From my parents letters, July 1940 to November 1941."
Other research materials include correspondence with German archives and with the Leo Baeck Institute, and photocopies of articles and other printed materials, primarily about Jews in certain geographic regions of Germany corresponding to Stiefel's genealogical research. These include: Beverungen, Borgentreich, Brakel, Kaiserslautern, Karthaus, Lohnsfeld, Mehlingen, Minden, Ortenberg, Rietberg, Roth, Sangerhausen, Sembach, Stolzenau, Ulmet, Wetzlar, Winnweiler, and Pfalz.
Dates
- Creation: 1668-1999
Creator
- Stiefel, Ernest R., 1921-2010 (Person)
Language of Materials
This collection is in German and English, with some French and Hebrew. Much of the German is in the old script.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open to researchers.
Copyright for the letters of protection in Box 3, Folder 3 held by the Staatsarchiv Muenster (Westphalia): photocopies only with the permission of the Staatsarchiv Muenster.
Access Information
Part of the collection is digitized. Copyright restrictions apply for Box 3, Folder 3. Follow the links in the Container List to access the digitized materials.
Biographical Note
Ernst (Ernest) Raphael Stiefel was born in Frankfurt/Main in 1921. In 1940 he immigrated to the USA via Russia and Japan, eventually settling in Seattle.
Extent
2.5 Linear Feet (5 manuscript boxes)
Abstract
This collection represents a lifetime of genealogical research by Ernst R. Stiefel about his family history. Files about individuals and families contain documents that are almost entirely photocopies from various German archives. Various family trees and photocopies of articles about Jews in Germany are also in this collection.
Arrangement Note
The materials are intellectually one unit, but arranged into four sections based on content for ease of access: Families, Family Trees, Individuals, and Other Research Materials.
Processing Information
Materials in envelopes were removed and placed in folders. Envelopes with writing were photocopied onto acid-free paper and placed in the folder. Duplicates, where easily identified, were removed. Folders were placed in new archival boxes.
Subject
- Stiefel, Ernest R., 1921-2010 (Person)
- Stiefel family (Family)
Genre / Form
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Guide to the Ernst R. Stiefel Family Collection undated, 1668 - circa 1999 AR 3591
- Author
- Processed by Kevin Schlottmann
- Date
- © 2013
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English.
- Sponsor
- as part of the Leon Levy Archival Processing Initiative, made possible by the Leon Levy Foundation
Revision Statements
- May 2016:: dao links added by Emily Andresini.
- August 2016:: dao links added by Emily Andresini.
Repository Details
Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository