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Fein Family Collection

 Collection
Identifier: AR 25171

Scope and Content Note

The materials in this collection in both Series I: Original and Series II: Addenda refer to the return of Anselm Feuerbach's painting Maedchenkopf, family trees, and correspondence. The majority of the collection is from 1930-1990. Most of the material is correspondence, and is of both personal and professional nature. The collection is made up of pictures, legal documents, certificates, newspaper clippings and report cards. In lesser quantity are date books, a diary, maps, family trees, poems and personal notes (ex: shopping lists). The two series exist because Series II: Addenda was given separately from the original donation and at a later time. Since Series II: Addenda was donated later on, there is some overlapping correspondence referring to the same topics. The majority of the personal correspondence is about the Fein family's immigration to the U.S., Sigmund Fein's last will and testament, and the return of Anselm Feuerbach's painting Maedchenkopf.

Dates

  • Creation: 1872-1990
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1930-1990

Creator

Language of Materials

The collection is mostly in German and English, with some French and Spanish.

Access Restrictions

Open to researchers.

Access Information

Collection is digitized, with the exception of some photographs. Follow the links in the Container List to access the digitized materials.

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.

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

Sigmund Fein was born on July 9th, 1880 in Leipzig, Germany. His wife Erna Fein née Creutzberger was born Mar 17th, 1888, the daughter of Anna Creutzberger née Stein and Georg Creutzberger. Erna Fein's granddaughter is Frances Fredrick. Sigmund Fein was the head of Fein & Co. Erna and Sigmund were married in 1920, and they had one child who lived to adulthood named Marianne Fein. Marianne Fein later married Edgar Daniel and became Marianne Daniel née Fein.

By 1941 Erna Fein had immigrated to the U.S. and applied for citizenship. She never remarried after the death of Sigmund Fein in May 1942. Upon his death Fein & Co. was run by Stanley H. Fein.

Sigmund Fein owned a painting by Anselm Feuerbach, which was confiscated by the Gestapo and auctioned off in the early 1940s. In 2004, the painting was returned to Frances Fredrick, a granddaughter of the Feins, who donated it to the Leo Baeck Institute.

Extent

0.75 Linear Feet

Abstract

This collection consists mostly of correspondence between the Fein family and Fein & Co. relating to the Fein family's immigration to the U.S. There are also letters and documents about the death of Sigmund Fein and the return of Anselm Feuerbach's painting Maedchenkopf

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in two series in the following order:

Microfilm

The collection is on two reels of microfilm (MF 990):

  1. Reel 1: 1/1 - 2/1
  2. Reel 2: 2/1 - 2/11

Related Material

The LBI Art and Objects Collection includes the painting "Portrait of a Young Italian Woman (Maedchenkopf)" by Anselm Feuerbach (Oil sketch, 1853).

Separated Material

Photographs have been removed to the LBI Photograph Collection. Not all photographs have been digitized, but the follwing albums are digitized:

ALB DG 9

ALB DG 10

Processing Information

The addenda series was donated at a later date.

Title
Guide to the Papers of the Fein Family 1872-1990 AR 25171 / MF 990
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by Lisa Brix
Date
© 2009
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Description is in English.
Edition statement
This version was derived from FrancesFredrickFamily.xml

Revision Statements

  • November 2009.: Microfilm inventory added.
  • January 2012.: Collection name changed from Frances Frederick Family to Fein Family.
  • February 2, 2012 : Links to digital objects added in Container List.

Repository Details

Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository

Contact:
15 West 16th Street
New York NY 10011 United States