Jäckel and Wetterhahn family papers
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Overview
- Description
- The Jäckel and Wetterhahn family papers include biographical material, correspondence, education documents, writings, restitution material, and photographs relating to Gertrude Jäckel and Julius Wetterhahn’s families pre-war life in Germany, attempts to emigrate from Germany, and Gertrude and Julius’ post-war life in the United States. The collection includes a diary, kept by Ruth Jäckel from 1931-1984 during her time in Germany, London, and the United States as well as correspondence between Sigmund and Jettchen, Gertrud’s parents, and Gertrude and Julius before her parents were deported.
Biographical material includes originals and copies of birth certificates for Julius, Matilda, and Ruth, a passport (Reisepass) and certificate of naturalization for Ruth and Gertrude, and an account book, marriage invitations, marriage certificate, and a driver’s license for Julius. Emigration and immigration material includes affidavits for Julius and Gertrude from Gertrude’s cousin, Bernard Gilmore, packing lists, and work documentation for Julius. This series also includes copies of the ship manifest for the SS Washington and the 1940 United States Census and declarations of intent and petitions of naturalization for Julius and Gertrude.
Correspondence includes letters between Gerturde and Julius before they were married and from Gertrude and Julius to his parents shortly after they were married. The series also includes letters from Sigmund and Jettchen to Julius and Gretchen they immigrated to the United States until Sigmund and Jettchen were deported as well as correspondence relating to the death of Sigmund and Gertrude’s parents.
Education material includes report cards and college booklets relating to Julius’ college education as well as his thesis Die Alizarinindustrie, ihre Entwicklung und Bedeutung für die deutsche Volkswirtschaft and the program and a photograph from his 65th graduation anniversary. Material for Gertrude includes certificates and booklets relating to her pre-war education in Germany.
Writings include a diary in German and English kept by Ruth Jäckel from 1931-1984 during her time in Germany, England, and the United States. In her diary, Ruth writes about daily activities, family and friends, school, political uproars, not being allowed to go certain places, friends immigrating to America, Julius and Gertrude leaving Germany, issues with the Polish quota, sleeping in clothes to be ready for deportation, their synagogue being burned, life in England, and immigrating to the United States. The diary includes a newspaper clipping in the front cover and the series includes a translation of the German portions of the diary. The series also includes testimony provided by Julius and Ruth’s poems and recipe book.
Restitution files include originals and copies of correspondence, applications, receipts, and notes relating to Gertrude and Julius’ attempt to receive restitution for their wartime suffering.
Photographs include individual photographs and an album of the Jäckel and Wetterhahn families before and during the war in Germany. Images depict Julius and Gertrude with their families, including their parents and siblings. - Date
-
inclusive:
circa 1920-2002
- Credit Line
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Marion Wetterhahn Sanders and Mark Wetterhahn
- Collection Creator
- Jäckel family
Wetterhahn family - Biography
-
Julius Wetterhahn (1901-1991) was born in Hersfeld, Germany to Max (1870-1942) and Matilda (née Neuhof, 1876-1943) Wetterhahn. Julius went to the Universities of Würzburg and Frankfurt and earned a Ph.D. in chemistry. Max owned a clothing manufacturing business in Hersfeld, but in 1936 Max lost his business because of anti-Jewish laws. Later that year, Julius married Gertrude Jäckel (1916-2010). Gertrude was born in Kassel, Germany to Sigmund (1877-1943) and Jettchen (née Katz, 1876-1943) Jäckel and had a brother, Jack and a sister, Ruth (b. 1914). Ruth left for England in 1939 and eventually immigrated to the United States in 1940. In 1937, Julius visited family in the United States in order to obtain affidavits from Gertrud’s family and in 1938, Julius and Gertrude aboard the SS Washington. Both of their parents stayed in Germany. The day before Kristallnacht, Max was arrested, along with Sigmund and Jack, while Max was in Kassel for a visit. Max was taken to Buchenwald and then to Theresienstadt where he died of a heart attack in 1942. Matilda was sent to Theresienstadt and then Auschwitz where she was killed. Gertrud’s parents were killed in Auschwitz. Julius continued his career at a chemist in the United States and they had two children, Mark (b. 1944) and Marion (b. 1942).
Physical Details
- Genre/Form
- Correspondence. Cookbooks. Diaries. Photographs.
- Extent
-
1 box
2 oversize box
2 oversize folder
1 book enclosures
- System of Arrangement
- The Jäckel and Wetterhahn family papers are arranged as six series.
Series 1: Biographical material, circa, 1935-1946
Series 2: Correspondence, 1935-1949
Series 3: Education, 1920-1985
Series 4: Writings, circa 1930s-1989
Series 5: Restitution, 1962-2002
Series 6: Photographs, 1920s-1940s
Rights & Restrictions
- Conditions on Access
- There are no known restrictions on access to this material.
- Conditions on Use
- The donor, source institution, or a third party has asserted copyright over some or all of these material(s). The Museum does not own the copyright for the material and does not have authority to authorize use. For permission, please contact the rights holder(s).
- Copyright Holder
- Wetterhahn, Mr. Mark
Keywords & Subjects
- Topical Term
- Jewish cooking. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Reparations. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Personal narratives.
- Geographic Name
- Kassel (Germany) Bad Hersfeld (Germany) United States--Emigration and immigration--History.
- Personal Name
- Jäckel, Gertrude, 1916-2010. Jäckel, Ruth, 1914-? Jäckel, Sigmund, 1877-1943. Jäckel, Jettchen, 1876-1943. Wetterhahn, Julius, 1901-1991. Wetterhahn, Max, 1870-1942. Wetterhahn, Matilda, 1876-1943.
- Corporate Name
- Washington (Passenger liner)
Administrative Notes
- Holder of Originals
-
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
- Legal Status
- Permanent Collection
- Provenance
- Mark Wetterhahn and Marion Sanders, Julius and Gertrud’s children, donated the Jäckel and Wetterhahn family papers to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2017.
- Funding Note
- The accessibility of this collection was made possible by the generous donors to our crowdfunded Save Their Stories campaign.
- Special Collection
-
Save Their Stories
- Record last modified:
- 2024-04-11 13:19:09
- This page:
- https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn562587
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Also in Gertrude Jackel and Julius Wetterhahn family collection
Collection of documents, correspondence, photographs, diploma, photo album, oral history and other materials relating to the experiences of Gertrude Jackel and Julius Wetterhahn (donors' parents) and their parents, siblings, and extended family during the time period surrounding the Holocaust.
