Stolz and White families papers

The Stolz and White families papers include biographical material, correspondence, school records, writings, restitution material, and photographs relating to the pre-war, wartime, and post-war experiences of Erika Stolz and her parents, Leon and Rosa, originally of Vienna, Austria. At the beginning of the war Erika was sent on a Kinderstransport to Christian boarding school in England. Leon and Rosa were divorced in Austria before the war. During the war, Leon and his future-wife Hermine fled to Italy and then Shanghai, where they remained until the invasion of the Japanese Imperial Army. Rosa and her future-husband Kurt Hauptmann fled to Italy and eventually the United States. After the war Erika immigrated to the United States to join her mother and stepfather, and Leon later moved to Berlin. The collection also includes biographical material, correspondence, and photographs relating to the experiences of Erika’s husband Dorian White (born Isidor Weizenbaum) in Austria, in a labor camp in France, and immigrating to the United States in 1944. Biographical materials relating to Erika include a birth certificate, Austrian passport, German passport (Reisepass), a ration book, Red Cross certificates, and documents relating to her passage to the United States. Biographical material relating to Leon include a birth certificate, identification cards for temporary stay in China and for the International Refugee Organization, correspondence relating to his immigration to China, documents regarding his divorce, a passenger list, and a death certificate. Rosa’s documentation includes a copy of her birth certificate, a Polish passport, the marriage agreement with Leon, divorce documentation, immigration paperwork, a marriage certificate with Kurt Hauptmann, and a copy of the death certificate for Kurt. This series also includes Dorian’s Cuban identification card, affidavits and immigration documents, documentation relating to citizenship in the United States and the changing of his name from Isidor Dory Weizenbaum to Dorian Robert White, a certificate of marriage registration with Erika, and a post-war letter about his mother’s tombstone as well as Hermine’s application to extend her temporary stay in the United States and a letter describing experience. Correspondence includes letters from Leon to Erika while he was in Italy, Shanghai, and Berlin as well as from several letters from Leon to Hermine. Also included are letters from Erika to her mother, Rosa, while Erika was attending boarding school in England. Additional correspondence includes letters to Dorian and mainly post-war correspondence between Hermine and various friends, family members, and organizations. School records include prewar and wartime report cards, school ID cards, exams, certificates, a class photograph, and writings for Erika in Vienna and England as well as a school ID and certificate for Rosa. The poesie album was kept by Erika while living in Vienna and includes poetry and drawings. This series also includes a diary Erika started when she was 13 years old and attending school in England. The first entry is dated January 1, 1940 and the last entry is dated 1943. The diary, written in German, English, and a code made of symbols, includes entries, clippings, drawings, and poetry. After finding and reading her diary in 1957, Erika began writing again. The last entry is dated 1958. Restitution material includes copies and originals of correspondence, documents, forms, financial records, and receipts regarding Leon, Erika, Rose, and Hermine’s efforts to receive restitution for their wartime suffering and loss of property and education. Subject files include financial documents and receipts for Hermine’s involvement with the Jewish Community of Berlin (Jüdische Gemeinde von Berlin) as well as correspondence and membership information for the Women’s International Zionist Organization, the Jewish National Fund, United Israel Appeal, and Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien. Also included is correspondence relating to speaking engagements for Dr. Henry Winsley-Stolz. Photographs include originals and color copies. Stolz family photographs include two albums and loose photographs of Erica’s childhood in Austria, attending school in England, and post-war photographs in the United States, including her wedding day to Dorian, as well as pre-war photographs of Leon with his parents, brothers, sisters, and Rosa. Klapholz family photographs include pre-war images of Rosa as a young girl, Max and Julie Klapholz possibly in Poland and later in Vienna, Benedick as a young boy and later with his family, including daughter Marietta, and Rosa with Erika in Vienna and in New York. This series also includes wartime photographs of Dorian White in France and Cuba and post-war with Erika in the United States as well as wartime photographs of Kurt Hauptman in Rome and Vienna and later with Rosa in the United States.

The collection is arranged in seven series: Series 1: Biographical material, 1900-1979 Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1940-1981 Series 3: School records, 1920-1946 Series 4: Writings, 1935-1958 Series 5: Restitution, circa 1948-2003 Series 6: Subject files, 1955-1978 Series 7: Photographs and albums, circa 1905-1950s