Gisela A. Weil Collection

The Gisela Weil Family Collection holds material by and about members of her family, especially the family of her mother, the Warburgs, and the various branches of their family. The collection includes correspondence, many articles both published and unpublished, clippings, official papers and educational certificates, lengthy narratives by family members, and a few photographs. During processing of the archival collection, order was imposed by dividing the papers into series based on the branches of the family.

Series I comprises papers of the Meyer/ Mitchell family. The bulk of these consist of the correspondence of Felix Meyer (later Mitchell). These letters were written from Felix in England to his family members, most often his parents and younger sister Gisela. His letters, often written with a jovial tone, describe his life as a student, a member of the British Army, and finally as a business director with increasing responsibility as the years progressed. Following his marriage letters from his wife are also included, along with descriptions of her work with Jewish charitable institutions.

The second series contains the papers of the lawyer Erwin Weil, Gisela Meyer's eventual husband. All of his papers derive from the years prior to their marriage. The bulk of Series II also consists of correspondence, although there are additionally official and family papers many of which are either educational certificates or documentation required for immigration or for continuing his legal studies in the United States. Erwin Weil's correspondence was originally ordered both alphabetically and by subject, and this order has been retained. The alphabetical correspondence files include personal letters with family members and friends as well as general and professional correspondence. His subject files largely relate to his experiences prior to his emigration from Germany and his subsequent departure.

The largest series of the collection is Series III, which focuses on the members of the Warburg family. This series contains numerous articles and clippings on the family members, the family corporation and bank, and on the activities and achievements of the family. Subseries 1, which holds material on the family in general as well as smaller amounts on specific individuals, includes several narratives written by family members. Notable is the memoir of Elsa Warburg Melchior, which assists in tying together the various branches of the Warburg family. Related are also a few family trees in this same subseries. Documentation that pertains to Eric Warburg and Carl Melchior feature prominently in this series as well, and each of these individuals has his own subseries. Articles found among the Warburg family members' papers that were unable to be further subdivided comprise the final subseries of Series III.

Series IV consists of papers of more distant family members, including members of the Derenberg, Schiff and Robinow families. Such papers include biographical clippings, a Robinow family history and official papers of Schiff family members. Two typescripts of unclear authorship are included here as well. One of them, written in French, may be copies of notes of Alexandre de Gunzburg, who is mentioned in the memoir of Else Warburg Melchior in Series III as having been connected to the family. A second, lengthier and untitled narrative is also part of this series and was perhaps written by Anita Warburg.

The final series of this collection contains articles included in the collection without clear indication to which family branch or member they belonged. Most of these are general published articles, assigned topics during the processing of the collection. One item in this series is a personal narrative of life in postwar Germany.