Eva Dukes Collection Addenda
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of two series. Series I contains correspondence, official documents, restitution papers, photographs, handwritten notes, articles, and other materials pertaining to Eva Dukes and her family’s personal lives. Also included in this series is an array of material detailing the life of Simon Wiesenthal who Eva interviewed for the New Jersey Jewish News in 2002.
Series II contains the written works of Eva Dukes. These writings consist of poetry, autobiographical stories, and narrative accounts of her family history. A large portion of these writings are centered around Eva’s early childhood and her family’s experience with Nazi persecution.
Dates
- 1924-2011
- Majority of material found within 1951-2003
Creator
- Dukes, Eva (Person)
Language of Materials
The collection is primarily in English and German with some French.
Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers.
Conditions Governing Use
There may be some restrictions on the use of the collection.
Biographical Note
Eva Dukes née Altmann was born on December 18, 1923, in Vienna, Austria to a middle-class Jewish family. Her father, Heinrich Altmann, had his own wholesale business of dental supplies. Heinrich died at the age of forty, in 1928, only days after the birth of Eva’s younger brother, Heinrich (Harry) Altmann.
Despite the loss of their father, Eva and Harry had a fairly happy childhood with the support of their mother, Theresa Altmann née Braun and extended family. All this changed on March 11th, 1938, when Hitler marched into Austria. The next morning all the boarders were closed. It took Eva and her family fourteen months to escape the country while living in constant fear for their lives.
Via Hungary, Switzerland, and England, Eva¬, along with her mother and brother, finally reached the United States on August 22nd, 1940. After settling down in New York, Eva graduated from Hunter College (B.A. in chemistry, minor in physics and math) in 1945, and after a brief stint as a perfumer at Henri Robert, she moved to New Jersey and began her long career as a technical writer, editor, and translator.
Eva was married and divorced twice. First to Otmar Parolla and second to Paul Dukes. On November 7, 2012, Eva Dukes died in Monroe Township, New Jersey.
Extent
0.25 Linear Feet
Abstract
This collection holds the personal documents and written works of Eva Dukes, an Austrian Jew who escaped Nazi persecution and immigrated to the United States. In her later years, Eva wrote extensively about her early life in Austria, her family, and her experiences facing the rise of Naziism in Europe. Along with her writings, this collection includes photographs, official documents, correspondence, restitution papers, and other materials pertaining to the life of Eva Dukes.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in two series:
- Series I: Eva Dukes Personal Papers and Photographs, 1924-2011
- Series II: Eva Dukes Written Works, 1951-2003
Processing Information
Materials were reorganized into new folders during the processing of this archival collection. Papers containing similar contents were kept together.
- Altmann, Heinrich (Harry), 1928-1958
- Altmann, Heinrich, 1888-1928
- Altmann, Theresa, 1895-1992
- Antisemitism
- Articles
- Autobiographies (literary works)
- Correspondence
- Editors
- Hunter College
- Jewish families
- Jews -- Persecutions -- Austria
- Nationalfonds der Republik Österreich für Opfer des Nationalsozialismus
- New York (N.Y.)
- Notes (documents)
- Official documents
- Perfumes industry
- Photographs
- Restitution
- Translators
- Vienna (Austria)
- Wiesenthal, Simon
- Author
- Processed by Oliver Fallon
- Date
- 2022
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository
