Lowell Loewenthal Family Collection

This collection contains materials related to Steven Lowell and his ancestors. It includes historical family documents, genealogical research, and photographs, as well as files concerning Lowell’s efforts at gaining restitution from the Austrian government.

The family materials include vital, education, and official documents relating to Steven Lowell, his parents Fritz and Alice Loewenthal, and other relatives. Some of the documents are photocopies from archives. Genealogical materials, including correspondence and tables, relate to the Loewenthal, Weininger, and Weissberger families.

Materials relating to Edwin Weissberger include vital and education documents for both he and his wife Edith, copies of memos he prepared in 1951 for the International Refugee Organization (IRO) in Frankfurt, Germany, and photographs, clippings, and ephemera from his time in Shanghai, China.

Lowell’s restitution materials consist primarily of correspondence with and official documents from various Austrian government bodies. It also contains correspondence with other organizations, such as the Bundesverband der Israelitischen Kultusgemeinden Oesterreichs (Federation of Jewish Communities in Austria), the Commission for Art Recovery, the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims, and the New York State Banking Department. The collection also contains some correspondence with his attorney in Austria. The forms and applications contain detailed information about the harm that the Nazis caused him and his family.