Irvin Eppstein Collection
Scope and Content Note
The collection consists of materials pertaining to Irvin Eppstein.
It contains manuscripts by Eppstein on literature (e.g. about Beer-Hoffmann, Kurt Tucholsky, Hermann Hesse, Stefan Zweig, Rolf Hochhut, Leonid Pasternak), on Zionism (e.g. about David Wolfsohn, the "Uganda-proposal", the Zionist movement, Zionist parties, the Yishuv), and writings on several other topics (e.g. "Der Einzelne in der Gemeinschaft" (17 pp.), "Zellen oeffentlicher Meinungsbildung" (2 pp.), "Gelebte Religion" (5 pp.), "Zum 70. Geburtstag von Martin Buber" (7 pp.)).
Some of the manuscripts are drafts of articles for the "Mitteilungsblatt" and other newspapers and periodicals.
The collection also includes correspondence (a small amount of letters and drafts of letters) in particular between Irvin Eppstein and his brother Paul from 1938.
Furthermore, there are various materials (manuscripts, correspondence, clippings) pertaining to Max Brod and events at the house of Ernst and Nadja Taussig (mostly pertaining to lectures and speeches by I. Eppstein on M. Brod). It includes correspondence of Irvin Eppstein with M. Brod, N. Taussig and others, (with attachments such as a poem by Brod titled "Sehr frueh am Morgen", and a short article by Brod titled "Prinzipielles zur Politik" (6 pp., handwritten). There are also several manuscripts including a speech in memory of Ernst Taussig (typescript, 2 pp.), a text on Brod's "Galilei in Gefangenschaft" (typescript, 20 pp.), and a speech on the occasion of Brod's 75th birthday ("Von der Botschaft Max Brods" (typescript, 10 pp.)).
The collection holds materials pertaining to Sammy Gronemann including an obituary by I. Eppstein on Gronemann, correspondence between I. Eppstein, his wife, and Sammy Gronemann and his family, and materials pertaining to the Herzl-Bund: manuscripts, letters, circulars, clippings (including a manuscript by I. Eppstein titled "50 Jahre Herzl-Bund" (11 pp.)).
There are materials pertaining to Eppstein's activities in the Zionist (youth) movement including the "Jugendbund Gabriel Riesser", "Verband juedischer Jugendvereine Deutschlands", "Turnverein Bar Kochba" and "Juedischer Jugendbund Homburg Saar" before his immigration to Palestine. It includes drafts of speeches on various topics, such as Zionism, assimilation, musical performances, a manuscript titled "Der Ewige Jude" (12 pp.), and a photograph by Martin Buber.
The collection contains a large number of materials pertaining to the Bialik Lodge including drafts of memorial speeches and of speeches on the occasion of anniversaries (e.g. "Zum zwanzigjaehrigen Bestehen der Bialik-Loge" (typescript, 4 pp.), "Herzl-Gedenkrede" (typescript, 5 pp.)), and other manuscripts such as "Sprachenproblem" (handwritten, 11 pp.), poems and plays e.g. on the occasion of Purim 1944, reports and minutes of the Bialik Lodge, correspondence of Irvin Eppstein especially with Philip M. Klutznick, chairman of the international council of B'nai B'rith, and correspondence pertaining to Eppstein's election to the international council of B'nai B'rith in 1959, furthermore, circulars, invitations, and other publications by the Bialik Lodge and B'nai B'rith.
The collection also contains clippings of articles by Irvin Eppstein and others (e.g. from the "Israelitisches Gemeindeblatt", "Jugendbund", "Nachrichtenblatt der Synagogengemeinden des Saargebiets", "Ichud Schiwat Zion Gemeindeblatt") especially pertaining to Jewish (Zionist) youth movements in Germany.
Dates
- undated, 1920-2013
- Majority of material found within 1920-1963
Language of Materials
This collection is in German, English, Hebrew, French.
Access Restrictions
Open to researchers.
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
Irvin Eppstein was born in Philadelphia in 1898 and grew up in Mannheim and Saarbruecken. He was member of the "Juedischer Jugendverein Gabriel Riesser Saarbruecken", chairman of the "Landesverband Pfalz-Saar der Juedischen Jugendvereine Deutschlands",and member of Bar Kochba. He immigrated to Palestine in the early 1930s. In Palestine and Israel he was active for the Herzl-Bund and the Bialik Lodge (as whose president he served for several years) and worked for the "Kupat Eser" of the Irgun Olei Merkaz Europa (IOME).
In Palestine / Israel he wrote regularly for the "Mitteilungsblatt", the publication of the IOME.
Eppstein died in Israel in 1963.
Extent
14 Folders
Abstract
The collection consists of materials pertaining to Irvin Eppstein.
Acquisition Note
The materials were given to the Leo Baeck Institute Jerusalem by Uri Eppstein, Irvin Eppstein's son, in 2010, 2013 and 2015.
Note
This collection is located at LBI Jerusalem. For information on accessing the collection please visit their website: http://www.leobaeck.org/
- Brod, Max, 1884-1968
- Correspondence
- German literature
- Gronemann, Samuel, 1875-1952
- Herzl, Theodor, 1860-1904
- Hesse, Hermann, 1877-1962
- Hochhuth, Rolf
- Independent Order of B'nai B'rith
- Independent Order of B'nai B'rith. Lishkat Byaliḳ XIV 1218
- Klutznick, Philip M., 1907-1999
- Manuscripts (documents)
- Pasternak, Leonid Osipovich, 1862-1945
- Photographs
- Saarbrücken (Germany)
- Youth movements
- Zionism -- Germany
- Zweig, Stefan, 1881-1942
- Title
- Guide to the Irvin Eppstein Collection1920-2013, undated LBIJER 864
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by LBI Staff
- Date
- © 2014
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository