Wald Family Collection
Scope and Content Note
The Wald family collection includes two series. The first series contains official documents. Many of them were needed by the family to immigrate to the US. These documents provide a timeline of the family's experience in emigrating from Germany.
The second series is a compilation of letters of the Wald family. Most of them focus on the possibility of Hermann and Frieda Jacob's immigration to the United States and were written by Hermann Jacob. The existing correspondence is stored in three folders sorted by the year they were written. The letters make clear the increasing pressure and need to leave German. Until the end of the correspondence the authors had a great deal of hope in Rena Lehman, the sister of Frieda Wald living in New York.
Dates
- Creation: 1923-1952
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1941
Creator
- Wald, Irmgard Edith, 1909- (Person)
Language of Materials
The collection is in German except two letters in French and one postcard in Hebrew.
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
Irmgard Edith Wald, née Jacob was born February 6, 1909 in Heddenheim, a district of Frankfurt am Main, Germany. In January 1934 she married Chiel Chaim Wald (born June 29, 1901 in Rozwadowin, Galicia, today Rozwadów in Stalowa Wola, Poland). In the same year their first child Max was born. In 1938 their second child Rosalind Wald followed. Rosalind was often called Mutschi by her grandparents. After Rosalind was born Chiel Chaim Wald immigrated to the US, when he changed his name to Charles Wald. Irmgard Edith Wald and the children followed him in 1939; the family settled in Philadelphia. Irmgard Edith Walds parents Frieda and Hermann Jacob stayed in Frankfurt and were unable to leave Germany. In 1942 Hermann and Frieda were deported to Theresienstadt. In 1944 both were deported to Auschwitz. Hermann Jacob died in Auschwitz on October 22, 1944. Frieda Jacob survived the concentration camp and obtained American citizenship in 1952.
Extent
0.5 Linear Feet
Abstract
The bulk of the collection consists of documents of the Wald family. Most of them were used to get American visas or citizenship. A body of correspondence is also part of the collection. The focus of these letters concerns emigration / immigration, and the possibility of fleeing Germany.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in two series.
Subject
- Wald, Irmgard Edith, 1909- (Person)
- Jacob, Hermann, 1879-1944 (Person)
- Jacob, Frieda, 1885- (Person)
- Wald, Charles, 1901- (Person)
- Lehmann, Rena (Person)
Genre / Form
Geographic
- Frankfurt am Main (Germany)
- New York (N.Y.)
- Philadelphia (Pa.)
- Rozwadów (Stalowa Wola, Poland)
- Tarnów (Województwo Małopolskie, Poland)
Topical
- Title
- Guide to the Papers of the Wald Family undated, 1923-1952 AR 25698
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by Stephan Daiber
- Date
- © 2017
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English.
- Edition statement
- This version was derived from Wald_Family.xml
Repository Details
Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository
