Eric Otto Sonneman collection

Eric Otto Sonneman (born Erich Otto Sonnemann) was born on December 1, 1910, in Neustadt an der Haardt (now called Neustadt an der Weinstrasse), Germany, to Kurt and Berta (née Herrmann) Sonnemann. He was raised in Mannheim and worked as a pharmacists’ apprentice until he was fired in 1933 for being Jewish. He found another job, but was fired again in 1935 when the business was Aryanized. In early 1939, he emigrated to the United States and settled in Chicago, obtaining American citizenship on July 13, 1943. His brother, Max Sonneman, joined him in Chicago later that year. He helped his parents escape Nazi Germany, writing letters to many governments, including Canada, Great Britain, Sweden, Mexico, Denmark and Switzerland, requesting temporary visas for his parents until they could obtain U.S. visas. Although all his requests were refused, his parents did finally receive U.S. visas in the summer of 1940. Because passage by ship from Western European ports was no longer possible, they traveled by train through Russia, China and Japan, and then by ship to San Francisco. In Chicago they were reunited with their sons.