Guide to the Papers of Jacob Picard (1883-1967)
1882-1992
AR 6016

Series I: Manuscripts, 1849-1961.

Arrangement:

Roman numerals in the container list refer to the earlier typewritten inventory. Numbers of items refer to the earlier inventory available at the LBI which lists each manuscript.

Series I is comprised of two subseries: Subseries 1: Biography of Franz Sigel and Subseries 2: Other Manuscripts.

Scope and Content:

This series encompasses 131 manuscripts written by Picard. The manuscripts contain a biography of Franz Sigel, an 1848 revolutionary and Union general during the American Civil War, as well as an autobiography of Picard and literary topics.

Subseries 1: Biography of Franz Sigel,  undated, 1849-1895, 1946-1961.

Scope and Content:

This subseries is comprised of material used in Picard's biography of the Civil War Union General Franz Sigel. Jacob Picard's grandfather fought under Sigel when he was involved in the 1848 revolutions in Germany.

Material concerning Franz Sigel includes several drafts of the manuscript of his biography, as well as outlines of chapter details. Drafts are in both German and English. In addition, research material for the book is also included here. Research material consists of handwritten notes and newspaper clippings.

Information on the publishing of Franz Sigel's biography, as well as on difficulties in finding a translator, will be found among the correspondence in Series VI: Correspondence.

Subseries 2: Other Manuscripts,  undated, 1875-1962.

Scope and Content:

Items included in this subseries include drafts of writings which do not pertain to Picard's biography of Franz Sigel. The first folder of this subseries includes several articles about the American Revolution as well as drafts of Picard's autobiography. Many of the writings found in other folders concern literary topics, including the writing of several authors. Several topics which are also addressed in the numerous manuscripts are the American Revolution, non-Nazi literature in Nazi Germany, and the issues of the return of Jews to Germany after World War II. Other topics addressed here include war and its effects, including an essay on the use of the atom bomb and considerations on its use in the future.

Series II: Clippings and Writings by Others, undated, 1882-1964.

Arrangement:

Roman numerals in the container list refer to the earlier typewritten inventory. Numbers refer to the earlier inventory available at the LBI which lists each clipping.

Series II is comprised of the following five subseries:

• Subseries 1: Clippings by Jacob Picard
• Subseries 2: Clippings Under Pseudonyms
• Subseries 3: Literary Works by Others
• Subseries 4: Clippings about Jacob Picard and his Literary Works
• Subseries 5: Clippings about Gertrud Kolmar

Scope and Content:

Clippings include articles about Picard's written works, articles by and about Gertrud Kolmar, and editorials. Many clippings focus on issues related Jewish life, religion, and literature, or on well-known Jewish personalities, and most of the clippings are from Jewish newspapers and newsletters.

Subseries 1: Clippings by Jacob Picard,  1908-1964.

Scope and Content:

Subseries 1 holds clippings written by Jacob Picard, and published under his name. Most of these clipping focus on literary issues, including poetry.

Subseries 2: Clippings Under Pseudonyms,  1920-1937.

Scope and Content:

This subseries is comprised of newspaper articles written by Jacob Picard under his pseudonyms J.P. Wangen and Jakob Badner. Items found here include poetry, literary articles, and an article on Jews in Wangen.

Subseries 3: Literary Works by Others,  undated, 1938-1950.

Scope and Content:

Subseries 3 does not include clippings, but does hold writings by other authors. Significant among these writings are many poems by Marianne Rein as well as some poetry by Gerturd Kolmar. A play written by Gertrud Kolmar will also be found here.

Subseries 4: Clippings about Jacob Picard and his Literary Works,  1882-1964.

Scope and Content:

Subseries 4 holds clippings concerning Jacob Picard and his literary works. Items mentioned in the clippings in this subseries include the Bodensee-Literatur award he received, biographical articles, and articles concerning his works Der Gezeichnete and Franz Sigel: Bürger und Soldat, Kämpfer für die Freiheit in zwei Welten. Other articles found here include reviews Jacob Picard wrote concerning other authors' works, announcements for his books, and articles on Jewish topics.

Subseries 5: Clippings about Gertrud Kolmar,  1956-1957.

Scope and Content:

This subseries is comprised of newspaper clippings about Gertrud Kolmar and her works. It includes some biographical information on Gertrud Kolmar (also known as Gertrud Chodziesner), reviews of her works, and correspondence concerning the Berliner-Kritiker-Verband Literatur-Preis Gertrud Kolmar received in 1956. Subseries 5 also contains clippings of Gertrud Kolmar's poetry and a foreword written by Jacob Picard for the book Gertrud Kolmar: Das Lyrische Werk.

Series III: Poems, undated, 1905-1961.

Arrangement:

Roman numerals and numbers of items in the container list refer to the earlier typewritten inventory available at the LBI which lists each poem.

Scope and Content:

This series contains poetry collected by Picard as well as a few clippings regarding some of the poems. The poetry found here is mainly Picard's although there is a typed draft of some poetry by Stefan Andres in folder 12. Several of the poems here discuss war and its effects, including a copy of "Erschütterung," a poem by Picard relating to his experiences in World War I and the death of his brothers.

Series IV: Diaries, 1903-1950.

Arrangement:

Roman numerals and numbers of items in the container list refer to the earlier typewritten inventory available at the LBI.

Scope and Content:

Diaries located in Series IV contain Jacob Picard's handwritten notes, poetry, and recollections.

Series V: Personal Documents, 1892-1963.

Arrangement:

Roman numerals and numbers of items in the container list refer to the earlier typewritten inventory available at the LBI which lists each document.

Scope and Content:

Personal documents include Picard's personal papers, including identification papers, citizenship and naturalization documents, as well as vital documents and correspondence of Picard's parents.

Series VI: Correspondence, 1861, 1895-1967.

Arrangement:

Roman numerals and numbers of items in the container list refer to the earlier typewritten inventory available at the LBI which lists each correspondent.

This series is comprised of the following four subseries:

• Subseries 1: Birthday Greetings
• Subseries 2: World War I
• Subseries 3: Family
• Subseries 4: General

Correspondence in Subseries 4 is arranged alphabetically.

Scope and Content:

Correspondence covered in this series includes letters exchanged with family members, including letters from the front in World War I, letters concerning a memorial to Gertrud Kolmar, as well as correspondence with professional associates, friends, and publishers.

Correspondence is with family members, individuals and institutions, among them: Karl Adler, Paul Amann, American Committee for Refugee Scholars, Writers and Artists, American Jewish Congress, Aufbau, Julius Bab, Bertha Badt-Strauss, Bernhard Brilling, Werner Cahnmann, Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany, Ludwig Feuchtwanger, Oskar Maria Graf, Max Grünewald, Ludwig Hardt, Hermann Hesse, Theodor Heuss, Otto Hirsch, Jewish Publication Society, Jüdischer Kulturbund, Kurt Kersten, Hans Kohn, Leo Baeck Institute, Paul Mayer, Caroline Norment, Kurt Pinthus, Joachim Prinz, Reichsvereinigung der Juden in Deutschland, Franz Rosenzweig, Nelly Sachs, Selfhelp for German Refugees, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Nathan Stein, Stuttgarter Zeitung, Selma Stern-Täubler, Karl Vietor, Alfred Wiener, and Stefan Zweig.

Subseries 1: Birthday Greetings,  1953-1964.

Scope and Content:

Subseries 1 consists of cards and letters sent to Jacob Picard on his seventieth, seventy-fifth and eightieth birthdays. Much of this correspondence is congratulatory, although some letters included here simply mention his birthday among other topics. This subseries also holds many newspaper clippings with biographical information on Picard published to mark his birthdays.

Subseries 2: World War I,  1914-1918.

Scope and Content:

Correspondence found in Subseries 2 consists of letters exchanged between Jacob Picard and his family members and close associates during World War I. It includes letters with his mother, siblings, relatives, and friends. Noteworthy among this correspondence are the letters with his brother Wilhelm, who was killed on July 1, 1916 and his brother Erwin who fell on July 31, 1917.

Subseries 3: Family,  1895-1967.

Scope and Content:

Family correspondence includes correspondence between Jacob Picard and his family members as well as with his daughter, born Renate Picard, later known as Renee van Dÿk. Renate lived in England during World War II and eventually moved back to Holland where whe grew up and married Dirk van Dÿk, a Dutchman. There is also correspondence with Jacob Picard and his siblings, including his brother Hermann, who was a U.S. citizen while Jacob Picard was attempting to come to the United States, and supported his emigration.

Subseries 4: General,  1861, 1900-1965.

Arrangement:

Alphabetical.

Scope and Content:

A considerable amount of correspondence contained in the General correspondence concerns Picard's attempts to publish his works, including Der Gezeichnete (The Marked One). There is extensive correspondence with the Jewish Publication Society concerning the publishing of this book. Another work whose publication is discussed among these letters is the autobiography Picard wrote of Franz Sigel, a Civil War general, as well as some correspondence with Elise Barry, who was a descendant of Franz Sigel. There was some controversy surrounding the translation of the work, much of which will be found with the correspondence with Theo Knauth. Other correspondence concerning this matter will be found with letters Picard exchanged with authors' representatives Franz J. Horch and Kurt Hellmer, as well as with the Chicago University Press, who was interested in publishing the work.

Another topic encountered among the correspondence found here concerns Picard's attempts to bring his brother Ernst and his family to the United States. The visa application was rejected by the U.S. State Department in spite of the fact that their brother Hermann had been a U.S. citizen for many years, and Jacob Picard wrote to several relief agencies pleading for their assistance in the matter.

Correspondence included here also contains letters with some of Jacob Picard's close acquaintances and friends. Extensive correspondence of a friendly nature will be found between Picard and Dorothee and Stefan Andres, Anne Gallagher, Elise and Wilhelm Haas, Caroline Normant, Gustav and Lola Wolf, Ernst and Rose Waldinger, and Anna Yarnall.

In addition to correspondence of people who were close friends to Jacob Picard, this series also holds correspondence between Jacob Picard and Mala Laaser, to whom he was once engaged, and between Picard and his former wife, Frieda Picard-Gerson, the mother of his daughter Renate. Included among the correspondence with Frieda is a lock of her hair. Material pertaining to the divorce of the Picards will be found in Series VII: Legal and Financial Papers, and includes numerous depositions by witnesses on the state of their marriage. Although Jacob Picard and Mala Laaser broke off their engagement in 1939, they remained friends, and began corresponding with one another once more several years later. Laaser escaped to England, married an Englishman, Henry Moyes, and had a daughter, Joy. Her brother died fighting for England in Italy and the fate of her mother, who was not able to leave Germany, was never determined. Jacob Picard wrote Mala Laaser's obituary in 1953.

Another subject encountered in Jacob Picard's correspondence is the publication of the work of Gertrud Kolmar, also known as Gertrud Chodziesner. Much of the material on this topic will be found in box 7 folder 5. It should be noted that material pertaining to Gertrud Kolmar is located in various parts of the correspondence. Correspondence with Gertrud Chodziesner will be found here, as well as correspondence with Thea Chodziesner; these letters are located in box 5 folder 5. Postcards will be found in folder 14 of the same box. Material on Gertrud Kolmar, including articles about her and her work as well as corresondence with the Deutsche Akademie für Sprache und Dichtung about publishing her poetry will be found in box 7 folder 5.

In addition to material pertaining to Jacob Picard, box 6 also holds several folders of correspondence from James E. Pinker with Dion Clayton Calthrop concerning the publication of a book by Pinker. Included here are discussions of which books should be published, titles, and the film adaptations of books.

Series VII: Legal and Financial Papers, Artifacts, and Correspondence, 1914-1976, 1991.

Scope and Content:

The papers in this series are comprised mostly of papers dealing with financial and legal issues. The financial papers are composed mostly of correspondence with banks and financial institutions, the legal papers include papers concerning Picard's divorce and his suit against the Schweizerische Volksbank.

Documents pertaining to the Picard vs. Picard divorce case describe the reasons for the divorce of Jacob and Frieda. In addition, the divorce proceedings elaborate the division of property and the custody of their daughter, Renate, who was given to Frieda Picard-Gerson with visitation rights for Jacob Picard. Landgericht documents focus on charges brought by Jacob Picard, who accused his former wife of taking Renate outside of the country and of not allowing him to see his daughter.

Series VIII: Addenda, 1915-1992.

Scope and Content:

Addenda contains materials added to the collection at a later date. It includes a scrapbook created by Jacob Picard, mainly of loose pages interleafed between the pages of the scrapbook. Interleaved pages include typed poetry and handwritten correspondence to Jacob Picard. Folder 27 includes items such as a military driver's license, a paper listing his work "Der Ruf" as being used as part of the curriculum at a Jewish school in Berlin, and a list of addenda items (Nachlass) left by Picard in Konstanz.