Werner Frank Genealogical Research Collection

This collection consists primarily of the research material underlying Werner Frank's genealogical work, "Legacy: the saga of a German-Jewish German family across time and circumstance" (2003, Avotaynu Foundation). It also contains research files for Frank's self-published book, "The Curse of Gurs."

The material is primarily correspondence (mostly with distant relatives and genealogical researchers); copies of archival materials such as family registers; clippings and off-prints of magazines and genealogical newsletters; printed material from various libraries, archives, and Jewish museums; lists of names, graves, towns, and other lists of genealogical interest; narrative family histories; and extensive family trees.

The collection shows the impact of the Internet on genealogical research. The correspondence from the primary period of Frank's research, from 1995 to 2005, shows a marked shift from postal mail to email. Printouts of email newsletters and postings to listserv and online groups clearly show that it became easier to connect with relatives, interested researchers, and archives.

A list of related families is found in box 10, folder 12, and a set of family trees is found in box 10, folder 13.

Family names that appear prominently in this collection include: Frank, Regensburger, Heinsheimer, Oppenheimer, Furth, Wimpfheimer, Eppinger, Ottenheimer, Wolf (paternal families); Weingartner, Gutmann, Herz, Blum, Geismar, Auerbach, Auerbacher, Uffenheimer, Günzberger, Weil (maternal families). Other family names found in the collection, including alternate spellings, include Bloch, Levy, Loria (Lourie), Rapoport, Schwab, Weyl, Weijel, Weijl, Whyl, and Weill.

Frank's ancestors were primarily from Baden, with some from the Alsace; other areas are also included. Town names that appear prominently in this collection include: Affaltrach, Altdorf, Bebra, Berwangen, Birsheim, Breisach, Bretten, Bruchsal, Diersburg, Eichstetten, Emmendingen, Eppingen, Ernsbach, Ettenheim, Flehingen, Freiburg, Friesenheim, Fürth, Geilingen, Geismar, Louisiana, Gemmingen, Grötzingen, Grussenheim, Günzburg, Haigerloch, Hamburg, Hechingen, Heidelberg, Heidelsheim, Heilbronn, Heinsheim, Hoffenheim, Hohenems, Ichenhausen, Ihringen, Ittlingen, Jebenhausen, Karlsruhe, Kippenheim, Kirchheim, Kochendorf, Kraichgau, Switzerland, Lahr, Lissa, Mannheim, Michelstadt, Mühringen, Müllheim, Neckarsulm, Nördlingen, Nordstetten, Offenburg, Östrigen, Pforzheim, Randegg, Richen, Rust, Schmieheim, Schriesheim, Shirrhoffen, Sinsheim, Stebach, Steinfurt, Stühlingen, Wangen, Weil der Stadt, Weingarten, Weinheim, Worblingen, Worms