Emil Carl Grossmann Collection
Scope and Content Note
The bulk of the Emil Carl Grossmann Collection is comprised of albums of photographs taken by Grossmann during his travels in Europe, mostly throughout his native Austria, and the United States from the early 1920s through early 1940s. A significant portion of one album documents trips to various Austrian spa towns, such as Bad Gastein, Millstatt, and Bad Ischl, as well as tours through the states of Burgenland and Carinthia during summers and holidays. Also included are photographs of Salzburg during the Salzburg Festival, including festival venues and scenes from the 1927 production of Everyman (Jedermann) by Hugo von Hofmannsthal starring Alexander Moissi, and venues and performers from the 1935 festival including Paula Wessely and Attila Hörbiger. Among the few photographs of Grossmann’s hometown of Vienna is a page showing the aftermath of the Austrian Civil War (February 1934), including damage to buildings and the Republic Monument covered by flags of the Fatherland Front.
Another noteworthy portion of the album deals with Grossmann’s extended visits to the United States, particularly New York City, in 1929 and 1937. During these trips, he photographed New York’s landmarks, neighborhoods, parks, and major streets. He additionally took photographs of the ships on which he sailed from Europe to the United States and back. A limited number of photographs date from after Grossmann’s immigration to the United States, including images of Grossmann with his wife Rose on their honeymoon and during the first two years of their marriage.
A second photograph album is dedicated exclusively to photographs Emil Carl Grossmann took at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. It contains scenes from the Amusement Zone, Court of Peace, and of the pavilions of various countries (such as France, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Italy, and Jewish Palestine) and corporations (such as General Motors, Ford, Eastman Kodak, General Electric, and Consolidated Edison). Photographs of the fair’s 1938 preview parade can be found in Grossmann’s other photograph album.
In addition to Grossmann’s albums of photography, a third album holds a collection of theater programs for plays, musicals, and operas he attended from 1922 to 1938, mostly at various theaters in Vienna. Many programs are autographed by prominent actors and singers of the 1920s and 1930s, including Josephine Baker, Fritz Imhoff, Hans Jaray, Hansi Niese, Conrad Veidt, Paula Wessely, and Paul Whiteman. There is also a small quantity of programs from various New York theaters dating from Grossmann’s time in the city during 1929. An index at the end of the album lists the title, author or composer, genre, theater, and date of every play he saw from 1922 through 1993.
Besides the three albums, the collection contains an account book listing income and household expenses, several personal letters addressed to Emil Carl Grossmann from various family members, his Austrian identity cards and American passport, and a small quantity of loose photographs of Grossmann, his wife Rose, and their parents.
Dates
- 1908-1993
- Majority of material found within 1922-1943
Creator
- Grossman, Emil Carl, 1907-1993 (Person)
Language of Materials
The collection is in German and English.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open to researchers.
Access Information
Collection is digitized. Follow the links in the Container List to access the digitized materials.
Biographical Note
Emil Carl Grossmann (later Grossman) was born in Vienna, Austria, on February 16, 1907, to Therese Grossmann née Feigl and Gustav Grossmann. He immigrated to the United States via Antwerp, arriving on March 15, 1938. Grossmann had previously made two extensive visits to the United States, from March to October 1929 and August to December 1937. He served in the United States Army from January 23, 1941, until he was honorably discharged on October 8, 1941.
Rose Grossmann née Lehrberger was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, on May 2, 1916, to Lina Lehrberger née Michel and Emil Lehrberger. Lina Lehrberger was born in Seibersbach, Germany, on November 25, 1882. Emil Lehrberger was born in Borken, Germany, on June 25, 1880. Rose Grossmann left Germany in December 1938 and immigrated to the United States via France, arriving in New York on January 6, 1939. Shortly after her arrival, she began trying to organize visas for her parents to join her in the United States, but she was ultimately unsuccessful. Emil and Lina Lehrberger were deported to Theresienstadt on September 16, 1942, where Emil Lehrberger died on February 9, 1943. Lina Lehrberger was deported to Auschwitz on May 16, 1944, where she died.
Emil Carl Grossmann married Rose Lehrberger on June 27, 1942. Their daughter Barbara was born in New York, New York, on November 10, 1943. Emil Carl Grossmann died in Glens Falls, New York, on December 17, 1993. Rose Grossmann died in Torrington, Connecticut, on April 16, 2006.
Extent
0.5 Linear Feet
Abstract
The bulk of the Emil Carl Grossmann Collection is comprised of albums of photographs taken by Grossmann during his travels in Europe, mostly throughout his native Austria, and the United States from the early 1920s through early 1940s. A significant portion of one album documents trips to various Austrian spa towns, as well as tours through the states of Burgenland and Carinthia during summers and holidays. Another noteworthy portion of the album deals with Grossmann’s extended visits to the United States, particularly New York City, in 1929 and 1937. During these trips, he photographed New York’s landmarks, neighborhoods, parks, and major streets. A second photograph album is dedicated exclusively to photographs Emil Carl Grossmann took at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. In addition to Grossmann’s albums of photography, a third album holds a collection of theater programs for plays, musicals, and operas he attended from 1922 to 1938, mostly at various theaters in Vienna.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged chronologically.
Separated Material
Emil Carl Grossmann's dog tag from his 1941 service in the United States Army has been removed to the LBI Art and Objects Collection.
Processing Information
Materials from this collection were placed in archival folders and envelopes.
- Account books
- Austria -- Description and travel
- Correspondence
- Grossman, Emil Carl, 1907-1993
- Grossman, Rose, 1916-2006
- New York (N.Y.)
- New York World's Fair (Location of meeting: New York, N.Y.). Date of meeting or treaty signing: (1939-1940 :.)
- Photograph albums
- Photographs
- Playbills
- Theater
- Vienna (Austria)
- Title
- Guide to the Emil Carl Grossmann Collection undated, 1908-1993 (bulk 1922-1943) AR 25611
- Author
- Processed by Sarah Glover
- Date
- © 2015
- 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
- January 2016:: dao links added by Emily Andresini.
Repository Details
Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository