Skip to main content

Braun Family Collection, Nuremberg

 Collection
Identifier: AR 6278

Scope and Content Note

The Braun Family Collection, Nuremberg holds papers from branches of the extended Braun family. In addition to the Brauns, it holds papers of members of the Bernhard, Busse, and Orfali families. Much of the material focuses on the family of Arthur and Martha Braun and their children. The collection includes a variety of materials such as diaries, household budget books, account books, lists, travel diaries, poetry, correspondence, family trees, family members' writing and compiled works, sketchbooks and a few official papers. The collection has retained its original order, with additions remaining as series of addenda. Several items in the collection do not include identification of the family members who created them. Stephanie (née Braun) Orfali's family trees, in Series II, are particularly useful in understanding the collection.

Arthur and Martha (née Bernhard) Braun are among the most prominent individuals featured in this collection. In Series I are their travel journals, which detail trips taken with their children. In addition, this series holds several household books which record daily expenditures of a family in Nuremberg and later Jerusalem. Although there is no clear indication to whom the books belonged it seems probable that they may have belonged to Arthur and Martha. This series also holds a diary of Martha's as a student, as well as one by her sister. Series III holds a small amount of correspondence of Martha Braun from a friend. Papers of their daughter, Stephanie Orfali, are also prevalent. In addition to the family trees she prepared in Series II, Series V holds copies of correspondence sent to her by former schoolmates, documenting their lives since leaving Nuremberg as well as papers of her brother Wolfgang. His items include memoirs, correspondence and some poetry.

Papers of the Bernhard family are also located in various areas of the collection. Series III primarily consists of papers of Ada Bernhard. These include her diary, poetry and some correspondence from a close friend. In Series IV are the very detailed diaries of Toni Bernhard, documenting extensively four years of her life. Some correspondence of her sister Gerda are also present in this series. Other materials in this series, such as a sketchbook and a student diary, are by unidentified family members.

Dates

  • 1895-2001
  • Majority of material found within 1905-1939

Creator

Language of Materials

The 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

Arthur (Asher) Braun was born on June 19, 1883 in Niederstetten, Germany, the eleventh child of Haim Wolf and Sarah (née Selling) Braun. On March 5, 1911 Arthur Braun married Martha Bernhard. Martha, the daughter of Arnold and Emilie (née Ottensooser) Bernhard, was born on May 25, 1887 in Nuremberg. She had five siblings: Else, Frieda, Hedwig, Toni and Adelheid.

Arthur and Martha Braun had four children: Stephanie (born 1911), Wolfgang Walter (called "Floh," born 1914), Heinz Rudolf (1917) and Werner Hans (born 1918). Arthur, Martha, Stephanie, Wolfgang and Heinz immigrated to Jerusalem at some point during the 1930s. Werner lived in Denmark at this time, but eventually joined the rest of the family there. Stephanie married Jacob Orfali; together they had four children. The couple lived in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Beirut (Lebanon) before moving to Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 1957 they came to the United States, where they settled in Illinois. Arthur Braun died in 1962 in Jerusalem, his wife Martha in 1981.

Extent

1 Linear Feet

Abstract

This collection contains papers of various members of the Braun family of Nuremberg, as well as the related Bernhard, Busse and Orfali families. Included are a variety of materials: diaries, household budget and account books, lists, travel diaries, poetry, correspondence, family trees, sketchbooks and a few official papers.

Separated Material

Most photographs have been removed to the LBI Photograph Collection.

One folder of photocopies of pages of Toni Braun's diary was removed from Series IV.

Processing Information

The order of the collection has been retained, with addenda forming series. Within each series, folders were placed in alphabetical order for ease of use. Folders were retitled to include family members' names when identifiable.

Title
Guide to the Papers of the Braun Family of Nuremberg 1895-2001 AR 6278
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by LBI Staff and Dianne Ritchey
Date
© 2013
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Description is in English.
Edition statement
This version was derived from BraunFamily_Nuremberg.xml

Revision Statements

  • August 18, 2014 : Links to digital objects added in Container List.

Repository Details

Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository

Contact:
15 West 16th Street
New York NY 10011 United States