Guide to the Papers of Max Kreutzberger (1900-1978)
1848, 1871, 1902-1998

AR 7183

Series I: Original Collection, 1917-1918, 1926-1980.

Arrangement:

Series I has three subseries: Research Material from Archives; Other Research Material; and Card Indexes.

Scope and Content:

Series I is mainly comprised of photocopied documents from many archives. This was the original collection before addendum were added. Much of these documents pertain to research Kreutzberger conducted on the history of German Jews under the Nazi regime.

Documents found here are primarily photocopies of material from German, Israeli and U.S. archives concerning the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany, the organizations of German Jewry, efforts of American and international Jewish organizations to help German Jews, emigration of Jews from Nazi Germany, Nazi deportations of German Jews and the Final Solution. In addition to the photocopies, Series I also holds a series of card indexes he devised.

Subseries 1: Research Material from Archives,  1926-1955, 1968-1970, 1978.

Arrangement:

While being reprocessed, these documents were rearranged so items from the same archive were placed together. Numbers in parentheses are the original "Foerg catalog numbers" found in the paper finding aid. Folders are ordered first by their "catalog number," then alphabetically.

Scope and Content:

Subseries 1 consists mainly of photocopies of documents from archives in Europe. A large number of these are records of the Gestapo, Reichskanzlei, or other German government agencies of the 1930s-1940s.

Several topics are often mentioned in these papers. Among the Foreign Office of London are many documents discussing the anti-German Boycott organized by Jewish organizations outside of Germany, as well as copies of letters and telegrams sent to German officials to protest the treatment of German Jews. There are also many photocopies of Gestapo and other German government office documents pertaining to individual cases of German Jews. The treatment of German Jews, the rising number of refugees from Germany, and the anti-Nazi boycott are the most prominent topics of this subseries and will also be found throughout it.

Photocopies of memoirs will also be found in various parts of Subseries 1. Memoirs that did not seem to have originated from a specific archive are grouped together among the "Other Archives" section, while those which came from specific archives, such as Yad Vashem and the Wiener Library are included with other documents from those repositories.

A) Centre de Documentation, Paris

B) Foreign Office, London

C) German Archives

a) Berlin and Potsdam

i) Hauptarchiv Berlin-Potsdam

ii) Zentrales Staatsarchiv der DDR Potsdam

b) Dortmund - Stadtarchiv

c) Düsseldorf

d) Stadtarchiv Frankfurt

e) Koblenz

f) Politisches Archiv des Auswärtiges Amtes (Bonn)

D) Multiple Archives

E) Other Archives

a) Alexandria Guide to Microfilms

b) American Jewish Archives

c) American Joint Distribution Committee

d) Foreign Relations of the United States

e) Jewish National and University Library, Jerusalem

f) Literary Estate of Leo Wolff

g) Material obtained via Hanns Reissner

h) Memoirs

i) Weizmann Archives

j) Yad Vashem

k) Zionist Central Archives

F) Wiener Library

G) YIVO

Subseries 2: Other Research Material,  1933-1934, 1959-1980.

Arrangement:

The arrangement follows that given in the paper finding aid.

Scope and Content:

Subseries 2 holds various documents, some of which pertain to the experience and history of Jews in Germany. It contains lists of items in the original collection with the numbers assigned to the documents, and brief descriptions of the items. The manuscript "Taetigskeitbericht der Reichsvertretung der Juden in Deutschland" includes marginal notes by Kreutzberger. Also to be found in this subseries is information on books by Nahum Gidal and Felix Gilbert, including documents and lists of galleys to be included in the books.

Some of the items in Subseries 2 are similar to those in other areas of the collection. Series II also contains documents on the contents of the collection. Information on the Reichsvertretung der deutschen Juden will also be found among documents in Subseries 1 of this series and Subseries 5 of Series III.

Subseries 3: Card Indexes,  undated, 1918-1919, 1932-1936.

Arrangement:

Alphabetically.

Scope and Content:

This subseries consists of three boxes of index cards. Two boxes contain an index to authors and subjects of articles in the Jüdische Rundschau, for different time periods. The author index cards to the Jüdische Rundschau are handwritten, and list year, volume, and page numbers, as well as occasionally listing article titles. Subject cards list year, volume, page numbers, and article titles. The indexes list authors and subjects for the period 1918-1919 first, then follows with cards for 1932-1936.

The remaining box contains a subject index to items in the collection. Often the catalog numbers of items are written in pencil on cards or the dividers denoting that subject.

Series II: Addendum: General, 1917-1918, 1934-1944, 1970, 1978.

Arrangement:

Topical.

Scope and Content:

Series II is the smallest in the collection. It is largely made up of documents focusing on the treatment of refugees and relief aid for them. In addition, this series also holds material on the seventieth birthday and death of Max Kreutzberger, material on Germany in the 1930s and 1940s, and a few documents pertaining to the addendum found in this series. Included among the several folders on refugees is information on the work of various refugee aid organizations. Other organizations represented here include the American Jewish Congress Boycott Committee, which assisted in the organization of a boycott against German goods. Information on Nazi Germany includes news bulletins on the country, and minutes of regular meetings that discussed German history from its early years until the coming to power of the Nazis.

Some documents in this series are similar to material located elsewhere in the collection. Documents pertaining to the contents of the collection may also be found in Subseries 2: Other Research Material of Series I. More biographical information on Kreutzberger is located in Subseries 1: Personal of Series III. Documents mentioning the condition of Jewish refugees and Germany will be found throughout Subseries 1 of Series I.

A) Max Kreutzberger Collection 

B) Biographical Info on Max Kreutzberger 

C) Relief Aid and Refugees 

D) Information on Germany 

Series III: Addendum, 1848, 1871, 1902-1998.

Arrangement:

This series has five subseries: Subseries 1: Personal, Subseries 2: Correspondence, Subseries 3: Leo Baeck Institute, Subseries 4: Published Writings, and Subseries 5: Subject Files.

Scope and Content:

Series III is comprised of what appears to be the third addenda added to the collection. It contains material on Kreutzberger as a person and his work, as well as some information on the development of the LBI.

Information on Max Kreutzberger will be found in Subseries 1: Personal, and includes biographical information on him. Other material pertaining to Kreutzberger here are his personal correspondence, which will be found in Subseries 2, and his written works, found in Subseries 4.

Material concerning the Leo Baeck Institute will primarily be found in Subseries 3. General information on many individuals who worked with the LBI are located in Subseries 5.

In addition to files on specific individuals, Subseries 5 holds clippings and articles on some places and subjects. This subseries appears to have been created as a reference resource.

Subseries 1: Personal (#15),  1901-1997, 2001.

Arrangement:

Alphabetical.

Scope and Content:

Subseries 1 holds some information on Max Kreutzberger's personal life. It includes copies of his curriculum vitae, photos, and clippings on his death and seventieth birthday, as well as personal documents pertaining to him, including his naturalization certificate, German identification papers, and a scan of a photo of his mother. A transcript of an interview with Max Kreutzberger in 1976 provides extensive information on his life. Included among the documents in this subseries are the photos, personal documents, and correspondence of Nyanaponika, born Siegmund Feiniger, a friend of Kreutzberger's who later became a Buddhist monk.

Additional documents on the death and seventieth birthday of Max Kreutzberger will be found in Series II.

Subseries 2: Correspondence (#12),  1897-1914, 1950-1978, 1986.

Arrangement:

Alphabetical.

Scope and Content:

One topic often discussed in this subseries is the development of the LBI's library and archive. Other topics found among the correspondence are the publication of various authors' works, donations to the LBI, and the future of the organization. Of interest to researchers may be the correspondence with the psychoanalyst and author Erich Fromm, which includes discussions of philosophy, Buddhism, and health practices, including his practice of Tai Chi to help his emphysema. Correspondence with Kreutzberger's friends, Alex and Erna Moch, who immigrated to Kenya, include descriptions of life in 1950s Kenya and a few photos. Correspondence with Chaim Weizmann consists of a photocopy of a letter to him by F. Rosenblueth.

Subseries 3: Leo Baeck Institute (#16),  1962-1993.

Arrangement:

Alphabetical.

Scope and Content:

The folder "LBI - London" includes a transcript of a documentary on the LBI, while "LBI - New York" holds publications, clippings, copies of articles, and an exhibit program. Included in "LBI - New York" is also a transcript of part of a Congressional District meeting where Senator Theodore Kupferman mentions the LBI and its work. Among the material concerning LBI publications will be found reviews of books from LBI publications and reviews of the LBI Yearbook by historical and Jewish journals.

Subseries 4: Published Writings (#19),  1925-1930, 1954-1960, 1968, 1972.

Arrangement:

Alphabetical.

Scope and Content:

Subseries 4 is comprised of works written by Max Kreutzberger or dedicated to him. Many of Kreutzberger's essays found in this subseries center on the topic of refugees and the aid of refugees. A copy of Kreutzberger's dissertation, Über einige Grundbegriffe der Geschichtsphilosophie, will also be found here.

A) By Max Kreutzberger

B) By Others

Subseries 5: Subject Files,  1966-1998.

Arrangement:

Alphabetical files are arranged alphabetically. Individual files and topics are arranged by the "catalog number" given in the original inventory, then alphabetically within each section.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains information, mainly on individuals, but also on various places and subjects, which Max Kreutzberg or his secretary apparently collected. Much of the information is from clippings published after Kreutzberger's death. The documents found here consist almost entirely of newspaper or magazine clippings, or photocopies of clippings, although some photos are interspersed throughout the subseries. A few folders also contain photocopies of published letters or articles on individuals. Some offprints of written works may also be found here.

There are numerous documents to be found here, which could be of potential use to researchers. Material on Richard Beer-Hoffmann includes a large amount of clippings, reviews, and essays about his writing, especially his "Schlaflied für Mirjam." Material on Georg Hermann focuses on the 100th anniversary of his birth and includes photographs of an exhibit on his life. There is a large amount of material on the case of Georg Kareski. Other material on Georg Kareski from the Zionist Central Archives will be found in Series I. Material on Felix von Mendelssohn-Bartholdy contains photocopies of Nazi documents discussing whether he could be considered an "Aryan" or a "Mischling." Documents focusing on Walter Rathenau contain letters mentioning his death. Material on Alfred Vagts largely centers on his writing.

Material on subjects include documents on organizations and topics. Autographs include copied of handwritten letters by numerous individuals including Leo Baeck and Martin Buber as well as photographs of personalities such as Einstein.

This subseries also features information on organizations and their work. Material from the American Joint Distribution Committee includes a guide to existing Jewish relief agencies in 1936. Several folders have articles dealing with the Jewish question, including the folder titled "Centralverein deutscher Staatsbuerger jüdischen Glaubens" and the two folders labelled "Jewish Question." Among the "Jewish Question" documents are also Nazi propaganda sheets. Information on Jewish art and culture will be found in the folders "Jewish Life" and "Wissenschaft des Judentums." Material on the "Jewish Communities" includes a list of communities protesting the centralization of the Jüdische Gemeinde Berlin and copies of protests.

A) People

a) Alphabetical Files (#17)

b) Individuals

B) Topic