Theodore Frankel collection
Extent and Medium
boxes
oversize box
folder
2
1
1
Creator(s)
- Theodore Frankel
Biographical History
Theodore Frankel (1922-1971) was born in Berlin to Max (Meier) Frankel (Fränkel) and Erna (Kleinman) Frankel and was the brother of Harry Frankel (1926-1994), also born in Berlin. By 1928, his family moved to Danzig, where Frankel attended the Volkschule, where he was the only Jewish student in his class. Theodore Frankel emigrated in 1939 to attend Yeshiva University in New York City, departing via Liverpool on July 15, 1939 and arriving in New York on July 24, 1939. Frankel achieved honor roll graduated from Yeshiva in 1942. He lived in New York City during World War II and corresponded with his family in Poland, Amsterdam, Birmingham, UK, and Haifa. He received an M.A. in economics from Columbia University in 1945, became an associate editor of Commentary, and attained his teaching certificate in New York City in 1949. He married Nancy Frankel (1929-) in 1952. Frankel conducted research for federal government between 1958 and 1971, and pursued a doctorate at George Washington University. He became the editor of Problems of Communism in 1970, and passed away in December 1971 of a brief illness.
Archival History
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Acquisition
Nancy Frankel donated her husband’s papers, the Theodore Frankel papers, to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2004.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of correspondence to Theodore Frankel from friends and family after his emigration from Danzig to New York City in 1939, to attend Yeshiva University. Included is correspondence from his parents, Erna and Max Frankel, who remained in Danzig and perished in the Holocaust as well as correspondence from his brother Harry Frankel and other family members in Israel, the Netherlands, and England. Also included is a Danzig souvenir photograph album containing photographs of the family and of friends and copies of articles written in "Commentary," by Theodore Frankel in the 1950s about his experiences regarding antisemitism and the Holocaust.
System of Arrangement
This collection is arranged as three series: Series 1: Correspondence, 1939-1943 Series 2: Miscellaneous Documents, 1940-195 Series 3: Photographs, undated Correspondence is arranged first by family and then alphabetically. The first 5 folders of Series 1 are family correspondence.
People
- Frankel, Theodore, 1922-1971.
- Frankel, Harry, 1926-1994.
- Frankel, Max, 1896-
- Frankel, Erna (Kleinman), 1893-
Subjects
- Poland--Emigration and immigration.
- Jews--New York (State)--New York.
- New York (N.Y.)
- Jews, Polish.
- Gdańsk (Poland)
Genre
- Correspondence.
- Photograph albums.
- Personal narratives.
- Photographs.
- Document