Guide to the Papers of the Ernst Lissauer (1882-1937), 1722-1967

AR 25209 / MF 700

Series I: Diaries, 1905-1937.

Arrangement:

Chronological

Scope and Content:

This series consists of Ernst Lissauer's diaries from 1905, when he was 22 years old, until 1937, the year of his death. Five diaries are lost: three diaries (24-26) from the end of August 1918 to the beginning of March 1919 and two diaries (43-44) in 1933.

The diaries contain daily entries. Lissauer recorded who he met and what he did during the day. Included are also some essays, poems, photos, programs and illustrations.

Series II: Manuscripts, 1911-1937.

Arrangement:

This series is divided into seven subseries.

Scope and Content:

Ernst Lissauer was a prolific writer, who made use of different genres, such as poetry, drama, fiction and non-fiction. He wrote on a diverse range of topics, such as religion, patriotism, literature, music, and theater. One focus of his essays are individuals such as Martin Luther, Otto von Bismarck or Johann W. Goethe.

Subseries 1: Cycles,  1911-1937.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains poetry cycles written by Lissauer. Some poems, which belong to the cycles, can also be found in Subseries 2, Section A.

In each cycle, Lissauer focuses on a particular them and structures his poems around that theme. For example, he wrote about historic figures such as J.S. Bach and Martin Luther, about aspects of German history such as the Freiheitskriege against Napoleon, and also about religious issues.

The poems within the cycle are arranged alphabetically.

Subseries 2: Poems,  1911-1937.

Scope and Content:

Lissauer's poems touch a variety of subjects such as religion, patriotism, love, individuals, and nostalgia to name but a few.

A) Identified-Alphabetical

B) Unidentified-Chronological

Subseries 3: Prayers and Psalms,  1917-1925.

Scope and Content:

Ernst Lissauer referred to these items as prayers and psalms.

Subseries 4: Dramatic Works,  1916-1936.

Scope and Content:

Lissauer's dramatic works, both for the stage as well as for the radio, are included in this subseries.

A) Audio Plays

B) Plays

Subseries 5: Prose,  1919-1937.

Scope and Content:

This subseries consists of manuscripts of Ernst Lissauer's fictional and non-fictional works. One focus of Lissauers non-fictional work is biographical sketches. He wrote about contemporaries, mostly writers as well as other historic persons like for example Bismark and Luther. He also wrote books about German literature, patriotic and religious issues as well as about Austria. His essays deal with cultural issues like music, history, moral and every-day life. There are also a few fictional stories, which are often based on legends or religious themes.

A) Non-Fiction: Books

B) Non-Fiction: Biographical Sketches

C) Non-Fiction: Essays

D) Fiction: Stories

Subseries 6: Reviews,  undated.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains drafts of reviews written by Ernst Lissauer.

Subseries 7: Miscellaneous,  undated.

Scope and Content:

This subseries consists of notes and fragments, which could not be indentified.

Series III: Publications, 1905-1957.

Arrangement:

This series is divided into six subseries.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains published versions of Ernst Lissauer's writings. They were published mainly in magazines and newspapers.

Subseries 1: Poems and Psalms,  1905-1953.

Scope and Content:

Published versions of Ernst Lissauer's poems and psalms can be found in this subseries.

Subseries 2: Non-Fiction: Biographical Sketches,  1906-1937.

Scope and Content:

Published versions of Ernst Lissauer's biographical sketches are included in this subseries.

Subseries 3: Non-Fiction: Essays,  1907-1937.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains published versions of Ernst Lissauer's essays.

Subseries 4: Fiction: Stories,  1910-1948.

Scope and Content:

Published versions of Ernst Lissauer's stories can be found in this subseries.

Subseries 5: Plays,  1920-1931.

Scope and Content:

This subseries consists of published versions of Ernst Lissauer's plays.

Subseries 6: Reviews,  1906-1957.

Scope and Content:

Published versions of reviews, both by Lissauer and about his works, are included in this subseries. A separate section contains reviews written by Lissauer's friend Heinrich Meyer-Benfrey.

A) By Lissauer

B) About Lissauer

C) Meyer-Benfrey about Lissauer

Series IV: Correspondence, 1908-1960.

Arrangement:

The series is divided into three subseries.

Scope and Content:

Correspondence from and related to Ernst Lissauer can be found in this series. Subseries 1 consists of letters exchanged between Ernst Lissauer and and his friend Heinrich Meyer-Benfey. General correspondence can be found in Subseries 2. Letters written to Margarete Lissauer, for the most part after her husband's death, are located in Subseries 3.

Subseries 1: Heinrich Meyer-Benfey,  1908-1937.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains correspondence between Ernst Lissauer and Heinrich Meyer-Benfey, a lifelong friend of Lissauer's, dealing with issues such as Lissauer's work and comments by Heinrich , Lissauer's daily life, his future plans, thoughts about the times he lives in, political and economical thoughts as well as thoughts about being Jewish.

Subseries 2: General,  1911-1957.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains general correspondence. The business correspondence pertains mainly to publications. The private correspondence includes letters from Julius Bab, Boerries von Muenchausen, Martin Lang, Friedrich Schreyvogl, and Kurt Schuschnigg. In addition, there are four letters and a bound volume with thirty-four handwritten poems to an unknown woman, with whom Lissauer presumably had an affair.

Subseries 3: Margarete Lissauer,  1936-1953.

Scope and Content:

This subseries consists of correspondence between Margarete Lissauer and various publishers and theaters. Most of them are denials of her requests to publish/stage Ernst Lissauer's works. The private correspondence includes letters from Julius Bab, Theodor Heuss, and Alfred Rosenzweig.

Series V: Personal, 1722-1967.

Arrangement:

This series is divided into six subseries.

Scope and Content:

This series contains personal materials related to Ernst Lissauer's life. Subseries 1 consist of autobiographical notes. Heinrich Meyer-Benfey's notes about Lissauer's life can be found in subseries 2; writings by others are located in subseries 3. Subseries 4 contains documents related to Lissauer's life; obituaries are located in subseries 5. Subseries 6 consists of photographs.

Subseries 1: Autobiographical Notes,  1918-1962.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains autobiographical notes by Ernst Lissauer.

Subseries 2: Heinrich Meyer-Benfey,  1907-1932.

Scope and Content:

This subseries consists of biographical writings, both published and unpublished, by Heinrich Meyer-Benfey about his friend Ernst Lissauer.

Subseries 3: Others,  1911-1967.

Scope and Content:

This subseries consists of writings by others about Ernst Lissauer. Included are articles by Julius Bab, Stefan Zweig and others.

Subseries 4: Documents,  1898-1937.

Scope and Content:

Documents related to Ernst Lissauer's life, such as birth and death certificates, school transcripts, and military records, can be found in this subseries.

Subseries 5: Obituaries and Various,  1722-1952.

Scope and Content:

This subseries consists of obituaries and articles written on the occasion of Ernst Lissauer's anniversaries. One article is written by Julius Bab. There is also a family tree compiled by Fritz Lissauer, dating back to 1722.

Subseries 6: Photographs,  undated.

Scope and Content:

This series consists of postcards and photographs showing Ernst Lissauer, his wife Grete, their friends and some of the individuals Lissauer wrote about. The originals of most of the photographs have been removed to the Photograph Collection, with copies placed in this subseries.

Series VI: Programs and Announcements, 1913-1937.

Arrangement:

Topical

Scope and Content:

Programs and announcements for Lissauer's works, mostly for his plays but also for some of his publications, can be found in this series. There are also a few programs for events not related to Lissauer.

Series VII: Clippings and Notes, 1905-1937.

Arrangement:

Topical

Scope and Content:

This series contains various clippings and other items, which are not directly related to Ernst Lissauer.