Ernst Toller Collection
Scope and Content Note
This collection contains a handful of letters written by Toller both while in Germany in the 1917-1931 and later during exile in California. In the second folder is a wanted poster (Steckbrief) issued by the Munich Police Department in which Toller is accused of treason for his role in the Bavarian revolution (1919), as well as a few newspaper articles and essays on Toller.
Among the letters are two written to Eugen Roth during Toller's military service. Another letter written prior to exile discusses his transformation from enlisted soldier to avowed pacifist during the First World War; yet another, written to Josef Strasser, mentions the possibility of creating a workers' aid fund for Palestine. The letters written to Swiss politician Fritz Joss while Toller lived in the United States briefly discuss his various projects, including cinematic and theatrical works. Finally, there is a partial letter addressed to Joseph Roth, which seems to discuss a play that Toller saw.
Dates
- 1917-1972
- Majority of material found within 1917-1938
Creator
- Toller, Ernst, 1893-1939 (Person)
Language of Materials
This collection is in German and English.
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
Ernst Toller was born in Samotschin in 1893. He studied law in Grenoble and volunteered for World War I, but was relieved from his duties because of medical reasons in 1917. He continued his studies in Munich and became friends with Kurt Eisner. After Eisner's death in 1919, Toller became the head of the Unabhängigen Sozialdemokratischen Partei Deutschlands (USPD) in Bavaria. In July he was arrested for treason and sentenced to five years in prison. During his imprisonment he wrote several plays and moved to Berlin after his release in 1924. In 1933, he moved to Switzerland and later immigrated to England and the US. He died in 1939.
Extent
2 Folders
Abstract
This collection contains a handful of letters written by Toller both while in Germany in the 1917-1931 and later during exile in California. In the second folder is a wanted poster (Steckbrief) issued by the Munich Police Department in which Toller is accused of treason for his role in the Bavarian revolution (1919), as well as a few newspaper articles and essays on Toller.
Other Finding Aid
The original German-language inventory is available in folder 1.
Separated Material
Police files photocopied from the German captured documents collection, Rehse sub-collection (ID no. MSS22160) at the Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington D.C. have been removed to the Ernst Toller Police Files Collection AR 1641 C .
A portrait photograph of Toller has been removed to the LBI Photograph Collection.
- Title
- Guide to the Ernst Toller Collection, 1917-1972 AR 1641
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by Timothy Ryan Mendenhall
- Date
- © 2012
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Revision Statements
- July 03, 2012 : Links to digital objects added in Container List.
Repository Details
Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository
