Oscar Meyer Family Collection
Scope and Content Note
The collection contains documents related to Oscar, Cypora née Bendik, Marya, and Gerd Meyer (later Gad Meiry). Included are family photographs, residency records from Essen, business records, Gestapo files, the passport of Gerd Meyer, and records of the seizure of the Meyer estate used by Asher Meiry to file restitution claims on behalf of his grandfather Oscar. All documents are photocopies. Alongside documents on the abovementioned Meyer family members, the records of the seizure of the Meyer estate include documents regarding the following individuals: Jenny Bendik née Mendelson, Jenny Eichberg, Berta Goldschmidt, Rosa Goldschmidt, Ilse Gompertz, and Max Gompertz.
Dates
- Creation: 1920-2001
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1933-1943
Creator
- Meiry, Asher Benjamin, 1961- (Person)
Language of Materials
The collection is in German and English.
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
Oscar Meyer was born in Aachen, Germany on October 23, 1885 to Moses Meyer and his wife Henriette. Oscar worked as a self-employed businessman at the men’s clothing factory Heumann and Meyer. On April 9, 1923, he married Cypora (sometimes spelled Carola or Karola) Bendik (sometimes spelled Bendick), who was born February 12, 1902.
Their son Gerd Meyer was born in Essen on July 25, 1924, and their daughter Marya (sometimes spelled Marga) was born August 8, 1925. The family lived at 8 Ruthstrasse in Essen.
From 1933 until the family’s deportation, Oscar Meyer was arrested several times by the Gestapo. According to his Gestapo file, Meyer attempted to leave Germany for business in 1937 but was denied a visa.
Oscar was able to secure passage for his son Gerd to England in 1939, where Gerd completed his schooling and joined the British army to fight against Germany.
Oscar, Cypora, and Marya Meyer were deported to Poland on October 27, 1941 and were reportedly shot outside Łódź.
Gerd Meyer moved to Israel after the war and changed his name to Gad Meiry. He later immigrated to the United States. He eventually married and had a son, Asher Benjamin (sometimes spelled Benyamin, born July 1, 1961). Asher brought restitution claims on behalf of his grandfather Oscar Meyer in the early 2000s.
Extent
0.25 Linear Feet
Abstract
This collection documents the experience of the Meyer family with a focus on the years from 1933 to 1943. Oscar Meyer was a successful businessman in Essen, Germany. Unable to escape National Socialist persecution himself, he was able to send his son Gerd to England in 1939. Oscar, his wife Cypora née Bendik (alternatively Carola or Karola Bendick), and their daughter Marya (alternatively Marga) were taken to Poland on October 26, 1941 and perished outside Łódź. Gerd joined the British army to fight Germany in 1944. After the war, he moved to Israel, changed his name to Gad Meiry, and later immigrated to the United States. The collection contains photocopies of family photographs, residency records from Essen, business records, Gestapo files, the passport of Gerd Meyer, and records of the seizure of the Meyer estate used for restitution claims.
Arrangement
The collection was organized by document type and arranged chronologically.
Digitization Note
This collection was digitized and made accessible in its entirety.
Processing Information
The materials were donated as photocopies.
Subject
- Meyer, Oscar, 1885- (Person)
- Meiry, Gad, 1924- (Person)
- Meiry, Asher Benjamin, 1961- (Person)
- Meyer, Cypora (Person)
- Meyer family (Family)
- Bendik family (Family)
- Wäschefabrik Heumann und Meyer (Organization)
Genre / Form
Geographic
Occupation
Topical
- Title
- Guide to the Oscar Meyer Family Collection (1920-2001) (bulk 1933-1943) AR 25056
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by Leanora Lange
- Date
- © 2012
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English.
- Sponsor
- Described, encoded, and digitized as part of the CJH Holocaust Resource Initiative, made possible by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany.
Repository Details
Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository
