Kurt Roberg Collection

The Kurt Roberg Collection consists of papers related to his life as well as the immigration and genealogy of his family. Much of the collection centers on his immigration and military service during World War II. The collection contains a large amount of correspondence, official and other documents, photographs and genealogical research.

Documents on Kurt Roberg's immigration experiences, including his time staying with his uncle Wilhelm Marx in Rotterdam prior to his immigration to the United States via Lisbon, will be found among the correspondence and papers of Series I. This series also holds papers relating to family members' wartime experiences, including his uncle's survival in Rotterdam and the deportation of his aunt Babette Marx. The series includes family correspondence from them and other family in Europe to Kurt Roberg and his mother in New York City. Other papers in this series focus on Kurt Roberg's education, including his schooling in Celle, Germany and practical training in Rotterdam, as well as his early professional life in the United States after World War II. Some of Kurt Roberg's official papers relating to his immigration were originally located among the genealogical research of Series III and have been retained there.

The military service of Kurt Roberg is documented in Series II, which comprises more than half the collection and consists primarily of his extensive and very frequent letters home to his mother Frieda Roberg. This series also contains correspondence of his brother Harry Roberg while he was serving in the military as well. Together their correspondence paints a detailed picture of the daily life and training of soldiers in the U.S. Army during World War II, their deployment to the Pacific and European theaters of operation, and their lives once overseas. The letters provide details of Kurt Roberg's training and duties as a radio and telegraph operator and later as a surveyor as well as Harry Roberg's training and work as an engineer. Included are many descriptions of their living accommodations and entertainment in addition to field, physical and combat training. Harry Roberg's latest letters include information on his regiment's role during the invasion of Normandy prior to their work in American-occupied France, Belgium and Germany. Kurt Roberg's letters from the Philippines mention his work and interaction with others while overseas. In addition this series contains a number of his photographs, among them many showing his work and life in the Philippines.

Information on the history of the Roberg and Marx families will be found in Series III. Among the papers of Series III will be found information on the property owned by Marta Roberg in Lemförde, including restitution correspondence and the restitution decision for the house. This series also includes further information on the Marx family home in Baiertal and its history, such as copies of documentation on its ownership within the family. Other items in this series include articles on several Roberg family members and on the history of Jews in Lemförde. Genealogy of the Robergs including copies of historical documents and family trees are also part of Series III.