Irene White: papers relating to Eli Alkana and the Holocaust in Luckenwalde
Extent and Medium
2 folders
Archival History
Georg Michelsohn (1876-1968) was a Jewish poet and dentist from Dessau. His literary pseudonym was Eli Elkana. He was a socialist who wrote lyric poems and published them in Dessau and later in Tel Aviv. He got married to Margarete Sittenfeld (1888-1981) in 1912 with whom he had two sons and one daughter, Ilse-Edna (later Irene White, born in 1917). In his works he opposed National Socialism even before the Nazis took over power in Germany and was attacked by party members several times in 1932/33. He emigrated to Palestine in 1933 where he lived until his death in 1968. His wife followed him in the same year.
Acquisition
Family docs + additional material 15.5.2008
Donated February 2008
Donor: Irene White
Scope and Content
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This collection consists of material relating to Eli Elkana (Georg Michelsohn), a Jewish poet and dentist from Dessau (now Saxony Anhalt), who was persecuted by the Nazis as early as 1932/33 for his opposing ideas and writings. He, his wife and his daughter managed to emigrate whilst other family members perished in the Holocaust.
Personal papers Including Eli Elkana's manuscripts of 'Die Ritter von der weichen Birne' (1952) (1761/2) and 'Die Militär-Parade' (written as part of a letter to his daughter) (1761/1) as well as draft version of 'Eli Elkana - Dr Georg Michelsohn - Versuch einer Biographie' by Werner Grossert (1761/3). Also included are Irene White's (his daughter) post-war papers and correspondence regarding Stephanie Seckelson, a friend from Luckenwalde, and commemorative events relating to the Holocaust.The collection also contains Detlev Riemer's accompanying reader to an exhibition at St Johanniskirche Luckenwalde 'Jüdische Mitbürger in Luckenwalde' (1988) (1761/7) and typescript of 'Erinnerungen an Luckenwalde' (1991) (1761/8) as well as information leaflets on the resistance movement during the Second World War by Gedenkstätte Deutscher Widerstand.
Conditions Governing Access
Open
People
- White, Irene
- Michelsohn, Georg
Subjects
- National Socialism
- Migration
- Holocaust
- Auschwitz main camp (concentration camp)
- Refugees
- Persecution
- Jews
- Concentration camps
Places
- Saxony-Anhalt
- Dessau
- Tel Aviv
- Oswiecim
- Berlin