Jack and Miriam Gerber Family Collection
Scope and Content Note
This collection contains materials about Jack Gerber and Miriam Gerber née Sondheimer. In particular, it includes materials about their emigration to and settlement in the colony of Sosúa in the Dominican Republic.
Materials relating to engineer Jack Gerber include documents about his settlement plot in Sosúa; items reflecting his journey from Vienna to the Dominican Republic; and materials from his life in Vienna, such as official documents and school records.
Materials relating to Jakob Sondheimer and his family, particularly his daughter Miriam Gerber, include documents about their travels to and life in Sosúa, as well as about reunions in Sosúa celebrating the 40th and 50th anniversaries of the founding of the colony. The collection also includes documents relating to other family members.
Dates
- 1801-2002
- Majority of material found within 1932-1960
Creator
- Gerber, Miriam, 1922- (Person)
Language of Materials
This collection is in German and English, with some Spanish and two documents in Yiddish.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open to researchers.
Access Information
Readers may access the collection by visiting the Lillian Goldman Reading Room at the Center for Jewish History. We recommend reserving the collection in advance; please visit the LBI Online Catalog and click on the "Request" button.
Biographical Note
Miriam Gerber was born as Mirjam Sondheimer in 1922. Her parents were Jakob Sondheimer (1886- ) and Gertrud née Kehr (1885- ). Her sister is Leonore Gilbert (1929- ). The family lived in Worms until 1940, when the Jews from the Palatinate and from Baden were deported to Gurs in France. They were able to emigrate to Sosúa via Marseilles and Lisbon in May 1941. After the war, the family moved to New York City, and Miriam married Jack (Jakob) Gerber (1914- ). Gerber was an engineer from Vienna who also became a settler in Sosúa. His first wife was named Martha.
Extent
1.0 Linear Feet (2 manuscript boxes)
Abstract
This collection contains materials about Jack Gerber and Miriam Gerber née Sondheimer. In particular, it includes materials about their emigration to and settlement in the colony of Sosúa in the Dominican Republic.
Arrangement Note
This collection was arranged into two series: Series I, Jack Gerber, and Series II, Sondheimer Family.
Digitization Note
This collection was digitized and made accessible in its entirety.
Processing Information
The collection represents the gathering of four donations by Miriam Gerber. They were previously cataloged as the Miriam Gerber Collection, AR 10110; the Jack Gerber (her husband) Collection, AR 6206; the Jacob Sondheimer (her father) Collection, AR 4981; and the Leopold Gerber (her father-in-law) Collection, AR 4599.
Materials were re-foldered and re-boxed. Photocopied duplicates, where easily identified, were removed. Photographs were placed in a separate sleeve.
- Contracts
- Correspondence
- Dominican Republic
- Dominican Republic Settlement Association, Inc
- Gerber, Jack, 1914-
- Gerber, Miriam, 1922-
- Gurs (Concentration camp)
- Gurs (France)
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
- Jewish refugees
- Restitution
- School records
- Sondheimer family
- Sondheimer, Jakob, 1886-
- Sosúa (Dominican Republic)
- Vienna (Austria)
- Worms (Germany)
- Title
- Guide to the Jack and Miriam Gerber Family Collection undated, 1801-2002 , bulk 1932-1960 AR 25503
- Author
- Processed by Kevin Schlottmann
- Date
- © 2013
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English.
- Sponsor
- Described and encoded as part of the Leon Levy Archival Processing Initiative, made possible by the Leon Levy Foundation. Digitization made possible by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany.
Repository Details
Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository
