Hellmann-Kirchberger Family Collection
Scope and Content Note
The collection contains information on five generations of the Kirchberger family and three generations of the Hellmann family. These two families were linked in 1907 through the marriage of Hedwig Kirchberger and Emil Hellmann. The collection holds memoirs, reports, letters and papers pertaining to five generations of the family. It also includes diaries and reports of the Kirchberger family in Niederlahnstein and Weilburg, Germany, from the 18th century on. Additionally it contains correspondence of both Hellmann and Kirchberger family members from the 20th century.
A report of Theodor Kirchberger, born on July 17, 1849, is included in the first series of the collection. His son Paul, born June 23, 1878 in Niederlahnstein composed memoirs about both of his parents, Theodor and Charlotte Kirchberger, née Kirchberger on June 24, 1857 after their death. The memoirs draw a picture of the family's life.
An additional prominent figure of the correspondence, which is included in the 2nd series, is Linda (Linde, Sieglinde) Hellmann, born in 1916 and the daughter of Hedwig Hellmann, née Kirchberger, born May 5, 1893 in Aachen, Germany and Emil Hellmann. She held a detailed and deep correspondence with members of the Hellmann and Kirchberger families and friends. Among her correspondence partners between 1937 and 2000 was her mother Hedwig Hellmann as well as Linda's three brothers. The correspondence reflects important events such as emigration and the impacts of World War II on the family members. It contains topics such as life abroad, vacations, family life and friendship.
Dates
- 1710-2014
- Majority of material found in 1863-1915, 1937-1950
Creator
- Hellmann, Margaret Ann (Person)
Language of Materials
The collection is in German, English and some French.
Access Restrictions
Open to researchers.
Access Information
Collection is digitized. Follow the links in the Container List to access the digitized materials.
Use Restrictions
There may be some restrictions on the use of the collection. For more information, contact:
Leo Baeck Institute, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011
email: lbaeck@lbi.cjh.org
Biographical Note
The Meyer-Herz, Kirchberger and Hellmann families were linked in 1907 through the marriage of Hedwig Kirchberger and Emil Hellmann. Both families maintained houses in Niederlahnstein and Weilburg in Rhineland, Germany for generations and were established in the region. The roots of the Kirchberger family in the Lahn area date back to the 17th century. Although the main part of the area's inhabitants was Catholic, several old-established Jewish families lived in Niederlahnstein, Weilburg and the surroundings.
Prominent figures of the collection are, among others, Theodor Kirchberger, born on July 17, 1849, the son of Jacob Kirchberger, born in 1812, and Sophie Kirchberger, née Meyer Herz. Several of their children and (great-) grandchildren are additional prominent figures of the collection.
Extent
1 Linear Feet
Abstract
The collection holds diaries, memoirs, reports, letters and papers pertaining to five generations of the Hellmann-Kirchberger family. A prominent topic is the life of the family in the Lahn area in Rhineland in the 18th and 19th century. Additional topics are the emigration from Nazi Germany and immigration to the United States. Letters and diaries that are included in the collection draw an intense picture of the distinct impacts of historical and social events from the 18th until the beginning of the 21st century.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in two series:
Separated Material
Two video cassettes have been removed to the LBI A/V collection.
Processing Information
The collection was arranged by dividing the material into two series pertaining to the diaries and memoirs of the Kirchberger family and the correspondence of the Hellmann-Kirchberger correspondence. Part of the material was previously arranged in this manner.
- Aachen (Germany)
- Berlin (Germany)
- Brochures
- Clippings (information artifacts)
- Correspondence
- Germany -- Emigration and immigration
- Hellmann family
- Hellmann, Emil
- Hellmann, Hedwig
- Hellmann, Klaus, 1912-
- Hellmann, Margaret Ann
- Hellmann, Reinhard, 1909-1995
- Hellmann, Sieglinde, 1916-2015
- Hellmann, Ulric, 1910-1999
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
- Jewish families
- Jews -- Germany -- Genealogy
- Jews -- Persecutions -- Germany
- Kirchberger family
- Kirchberger, Charlotte, 1857?-1942
- Kirchberger, Matilde, 1872-1945
- Kirchberger, Paul, 1878-1945
- Kirchberger, Reinhard, 1909-1995
- Kirchberger, Sophie
- Kirchberger, Theodor, 1849-1926
- Memoirs
- New York (N.Y.)
- Niederlahnstein (Lahnstein, Germany)
- Transcripts
- United States -- Emigration and immigration
- Title
- Guide to the Hellmann-Kirchberger Family Correspondence 1710-2005 AR 25655
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by Sophia Stolf
- Date
- © 2016
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English.
- Edition statement
- This version was derived from Hellmann-Kirchberger_Family.xml
Revision Statements
- February 2017:: dao links added by Emily Andresini.
Repository Details
Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository
