John (Hans) and Trude Schiff Collection

The John and Trude Schiff Collection contains the papers of the photographer John Schiff and his wife, the physician Trude Schiff. The bulk of the collection focuses on the photography of John Schiff. Other subjects included are the Schiffs' emigration experience, the education of Trude Schiff, and the couple's restitution from Germany. The collection is comprised of numerous photographs and negatives, as well as photo albums. Other materials include correspondence, address books and client lists, published material featuring John Schiff's photography, immigration and some personal papers, and legal and financial correspondence pertaining to restitution.

Series I is comprised of the papers of John Schiff. The vast bulk of these are his photographs, which form Subseries 3. The photographs are further divided into two primary areas: subjects and individuals. Subjects appear to be earlier photographs, and show various locations and scenes in Germany and Europe prior to World War II. People are included among the subjects, and include views of performers of the Jüdische Kulturbund and children at the Israelitisches Kinderheim in Cologne. Photographs of individuals seem to primarily derive from Schiff's work as a professional photographer in the United States. These photos include many shots of artists along with their work, as well as some other individuals. Photographs of friends or family members will also be found in Subseries 3, although most are unidentified. Other personal photographs from a trip will be found in the photo albums of this subseries, and there is also a small amount of prints for furniture advertisements taken by John Schiff.

In addition to photographs, other material in the collection also relates to friends and family members of the Schiffs. Many folders in Subseries 1 of Series I include correspondence from friends or relatives of the Schiffs. Much of this material describes postwar Germany. Among the papers of Trude Schiff in Series II is also a small amount of correspondence relating to family members and a genealogical document that depicts the members of the various branches of the Löwenstein family.

Papers pertaining to the emigration of John and Trude Schiff from Germany will likewise be found in several areas of this collection. The initial subseries of Series I includes two folders pertaining to the Schiffs' immigration to the United States as well as to their short stay in England while awaiting visas. Series II includes correspondence that portrays the difficulty of arranging visas for the immigration of Trude Schiff's relatives as well as a large amount of letters of recommendation and translations of professional certificates used by her in order to enter the medical profession after immigrating. The bulk of documentation on the Schiff's emigration, however, is located in Series III. In the folder of emigration papers are lists of the various possessions of the Schiffs'; another folder includes papers compiled during their stay in London. Papers used in the Schiffs' indemnification claim include many official papers that document their lives prior to leaving Germany.