Albert G. Hess Family Collection
Scope and Contents
Series I relates to the private life of Albert Hess and includes his passports, vaccination certificate, work passes and his address book as well as documents relating to his family, such as a family tree and letters, invitations, and postcards. Additionally, the collection includes educational certificates from the various universities he studied at in Germany, England, and the United States.
Series II contains photographs that relate to the life of the Hess family. There are images of Albert G. Hess and of his various family members in their hometown Pirna in Germany before World War II. Furthermore, the images display a trip back to his hometown Pirna and the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. Lastly, the photographs document boating trips around New York and New Jersey.
Dates
- 1918-1989
- Majority of material found within 1939-1975
Creator
Language of Materials
The collection is in German and English.
Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers.
Conditions Governing Use
There may be some restrictions on the use of the collection.
Biographical Note
Albert Gunther Hess was born on March 1st, 1909, in Pirna, Germany. He fled Nazi Germany via the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and moved to the USA in 1941. He was drafted and first worked for the military ambulance of the United States army in Germany and then in the military intelligence during and after World War II when he interviewed German war criminals, such as Hermann Goering. After the war, he married Gisela Elizabeth Oppens in 1946. He worked as a jurist, music teacher and a secretary at the United Nations Organization. He taught music at various universities, such as the University of Minnesota-Duluth and the State University of New York. After the war, Albert G. Hess lived in New York, Duluth, and Florida. He died on September 19th, 1993, in Winter Park, Florida.
Extent
0.75 Linear Feet
1 Folders (1 oversized folder in a shared oversize box)
Abstract
The collection contains materials relating to the life of Albert G. Hess and his family. These include official documents, correspondence, transcript of records of university, newspaper clippings, a publication, and photographs. The collection documents his life in Germany prior to World War II and in the United States after his immigration.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in two series.
- Albert G. Hess – Private, 1928-1989
- Photographs, 1918-1986
Separated Materials
A portrait of Albert Hess’ father, Gustav Hess, painted by the artist August Wilckens, has been moved to the Leo Baeck Art and Objects Collection, 2017.24.
A book by Albert G. Hess, Chasing the dragon: a report on drug addiction in Hong Kong, 1965, has been removed to the library of the Leo Baeck Institute.
Processing Information
Materials were rehoused into acid-free boxes and folders during the processing of the archival collection. The collection was divided into two series.
- Boats and boating
- Clippings (information artifacts)
- College teachers
- Correspondence
- Emigration and immigration
- Genealogical tables
- Hess, Gisela, 1912-1996
- Jewish families
- Jewish soldiers
- Official documents
- Photographs
- Pirna (Germany)
- Publications (documents)
- United Nations
- United States. Army
- World War, 1939-1945
- Title
- Guide to the Albert G. Hess Family Collection
- Author
- Processed by Marlene Wulf
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository
