Sonja Schulmann Schwartz papers

The Sonja Schulmann Schwartz papers consist of an autograph book, diary, biographical materials, Dachau letter, photographic materials, and subject files documenting the Schulmann, Golnick, and Klarmann families. The collection focuses on Sonja’s father, his birth in a small town in Belarus, his capture as a German prisoner during World War I and subsequent release, the establishment of his family in Germany, his imprisonment in Dachau, and his immigration to the United States with Sonja.
The autograph book belonged to Sonja Schulmann and contains signatures, poems, and dedications from her friends and family dating from 1937‐1945. Sonja Schulmann’s diary contains a single entry dated 1939 that documents her arrival in the United States.
Biographical materials include Hirsch Schulmann’s identification papers, birth and marriage certificates, identification and military papers, and prisoner of war and employment records documenting his World War I service for Russia, time as a prisoner of war in Germany, and work as a merchant. This series also includes a Yad Vashem entry for Frieda Schulmann, a family history for Hirsch Schulmann’s father, a vaccination certificate for Sonja Schulmann, and a certificate indicating that Irma Golnick was a concentration camp survivor.
The collection includes a letter Hirsch Schulmann wrote his daughter while imprisoned in Dachau in which he encourages her to leave Germany on the first children’s transport available.
Photographic materials depict members of the Schulmann, Golnick, and Klarmann families and the Schulmann home in Marburg. This series also includes a 1972 Time magazine article featuring an image of Hirsch Schulmann with a group of Russian prisoners in Germany during World War I.
Subject files document Hirsch and Sonja Schulmann’s immigration to the United States and the erection of a Holocaust memorial in Neustadt. Emigration and immigration materials include an affidavit created for an unsuccessful plan to escape to South Africa, the affidavit that allowed the Schulmanns to come to America, and the packing list of belonging they brought with them. Neustadt materials include correspondence with the city of Neustadt, clippings about the unveiling of the Neustadt memorial, and a photograph of the memorial.

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Briefcase

Object

Gebetbuch

Object

Prayerbook for Yom Kippur.

Mahzor

Object

Prayerbook containing prayers for Sukkot, Passover, and Shavuot.