Fred Cahnmann Family Collection
Scope and Content Note
The Fred Cahnmann Family Collection contains the papers of Fred Cahnmann and other family members as well as genealogical research on the Cahnmann and related families. The collection includes many family trees, correspondence, photographs, official documents, articles and newspaper clippings and research notes.
The first series of the collection contains the papers of Fred Cahnmann. His papers include documentation of his educational and professional development, a small amount of correspondence, and personal papers. In addition, one folder pertains to his attempt to aid his parents, aunt and siblings in immigrating to the United States.
Series II and III relate to the Cahnman family. Series II holds papers of various family members, primarily pertaining to his siblings, parents and aunt but also including a few items of other extended family. Included are a number of family photographs and a small amount of correspondence as well as writings of his brother Werner Cahnman and aunt Clementine Krämer. Series III consists of the collection's genealogical research. This series includes many family trees with related notes and correspondence with Fred Cahnmann regarding genealogical research. This series also includes some photocopies of articles or documentation related to the research.
Dates
- 1859-1992
- Majority of material found within 1920-1985
Creator
- Rovner, Helen (Person)
Language of Materials
The collection is in German and English.
Access Restrictions
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 "Reserve" button.
Use Restrictions
There may be some restrictions on the use of the collection. For more information, contact:
Leo Baeck Institute, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011
email: lbaeck@lbi.cjh.org
Biographical Note<extptr actuate="onload" altrender="Portrait of Fred Cahnmann (1912-2001)" href="http://digital.cjh.org/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=1947733" show="embed" title="Portrait of Fred Cahnmann (1912-2001)"/>
Fred Cahnmann was born as Fritz Maximilian Cahnmann in Munich on August 13, 1912, one of the six children of Sigwart and Hedwig Cahnmann – Werner, Chava (Eva), Hans, Augusta (Gusti), Fritz (Fred) and Lieselotte (Lilo). After graduating from the Wittelsbacher Gymnasium in Munich in 1931 he was an apprentice at the banking business of Heinrich and Hugo Marx, of which he became an employee in 1935.
In 1936 he immigrated to the United States, where he joined a branch of the Cahnmann family in Chicago that had moved from Germany to Illinois in the eighteenth century. From 1939-1941 he worked to bring his family members still in Germany to the United States, resulting in the immigration of his brother Werner Cahnman, but remaining unsuccessful in assisting his parents and aunt to leave Germany. From 1937-1942 he took business courses at Northwestern University's School of Commerce and at the University of Chicago. During World War II he enlisted in the U.S. army, spending part of his service deployed in Seoul, Korea. In 1943 he married Harriet Kraut; they had four sons and two daughters.
In his later life Fred Cahnmann was involved in genealogical research of the Cahnmann and related families. He died in 2001 in Chicago.
Extent
0.5 Linear Feet
Abstract
The Fred Cahnmann Family Collection documents portions of the lives of Fred Cahnmann and other Cahnmann family members. In addition it provides genealogical research on the Cahnmann and related families. The collection includes many family trees, correspondence, photographs, official documents, articles and newspaper clippings and research notes.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in three series:
Digitization Note
The collection was digitized and made accessible in its entirety.
Separated Material
A book by Clementine Krämer, Fritzchen im Traumland, was removed to the LBI Library as was an issue of The Reconstructionist.
Processing Information
The collection had no discernible original order, therefore the series were formed via observation of the dominant topics in the collection.
- Auditors
- Cahnman, Werner J. (Werner Jacob), 1902-1980
- Cahnmann family
- Cahnmann, Fred, 1912-2001
- Chicago (Ill.)
- Clippings (information artifacts)
- Correspondence
- Essays
- Genealogical tables
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
- Jews -- Genealogy
- Manuscripts (documents)
- Official documents
- Photographs
- School records
- United States -- Emigration and immigration
- Title
- Guide to the Papers of the Fred Cahnmann Family 1859-1992 AR 25508
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by Michael Himmel, Dianne Ritchey and LBI Staff
- Date
- © 2013
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English.
- Sponsor
- Digitized as part of the CJH Holocaust Resource Initiative, made possible by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany.
- Edition statement
- This version was derived from FredCahnmannFamily.xml
Revision Statements
- April 2015: dao links and digitization information added by Leanora Lange.
Repository Details
Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository
