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The Guide to the Papers of the John Stern Family, 1864-2000

AR 25173

Processed by Philippe Renoirte

Leo Baeck Institute

Center for Jewish History

15 West 16th Street

New York, NY 10011


Phone: (212) 744-6400

Fax: (212) 988-1305

Email: lbaeck@lbi.cjh.org


URL: http://www.lbi.org

© 2005 Leo Baeck Institute
Finding aid was encoded by Sebastian Meiners on March 28, 2005. Description is in English.

Descriptive Summary
Creator: Stern, John
Title: John Stern Family Collection
Dates: 1864-2000
Abstract: The John Stern Family Collection contains personal, business and legal documents, correspondence, postcards, poetry and photos of the Stern and Abel families. The bulk of the collection is about James and John (Hans Ulrich) Stern.
Languages: The collection is in German, English, French, and Spanish.
Quantity: 3 linear feet
Identification: AR 25173
Repository: Leo Baeck Institute
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Biographical Note

James Stern was born in Netra (Hesse) on September 21, 1892. His parents were Sigmund Stern (d. 1923) and Guithella Samuel. In World War I he served in the German Army. Later he worked as a merchant in Hamburg, where his father owned a textile store. He was married to Charlotte Abel, who was born in Geseke on Febuary 10, 1902. Charlotte's parents were Rudolf Abel (1886-1938) and Cora Graefenberg (1875-1904). The couple had one son, Hans Ulrich (later John), born in Hamburg on April 28, 1926. In 1933, the family immigrated to Morocco.

John (Hans Ulrich) Stern worked with his father in Tangier from 1945 to 1949, when he immigrated to the United States. He married Alia Azancot in 1957. The couple had one child, James. John Stern became the executive vice president of a toy import-export company. He also served as the president of the American Friends of the Jewish Communities of No. Moracco and Tangier in Rego Park, NY and as trustee of the Rego Park Jewish Center.

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Scope and Contents

Materials (correspondence, photographs, poetry, memorabilia, documents, etc.) documenting the life of John Stern and his parents, James Stern and Lotte Abel, as well as his grandparents, Rudolf Abel and Cora Grafenberg, and Sigmund Stern and Guithella Samuel. Other family members documented in this collection are James Stern's sister Leoni Stern and his brother Ewald Stern, Guithella Samuel's niece Bertha Samuel, and Cora Abel's brother Ernst Graefenberg.

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Arrangement

The collection is divided into three series. Series III is subdivided by individual family members.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Open to researchers.

Use Restrictions

There may be some restrictions on the use of the collection. For more information, contact:
Leo Baeck Institute, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY, 10011

email: lbaeck@lbi.cjh.org

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Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Identification of item, date (if known); John Stern Family Collection; AR 25173; box number; folder number; Leo Baeck Institute.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

 

Series I: James and Charlotte Stern, 1904-1957.

Scope and Content:

This series contains correspondence, documents, personal papers of James and Charlotte Stern.

Subseries 1: Private correspondence,  1911-1932.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains the private correspondence of James Stern with family and friends.

Box Folder Title Date
1 1 Richard Hans 1911-1913
1 2 Fraenze 1914
1 3 Erna Nagel 1914-1915
1 4 Anni Shober 1917-1918
1 5 Charlotte Abel 1924-1932
1 6 Parents 1920-1923

Subseries 2: Business and Legal Documents,  1904-1957.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains business correspondence and documents related to James Stern.

Box Folder Title Date
1 7 Correspondence and documents regarding James Stern's vocational training at the A. Wertheim Co. 1909-1918
1 8 Various business documents, certifications and correspondence 1904-1927
1 9 Business correspondence 1934-1957
1 10 Official documents, passport, id - cards of James and Charlotte Stern 1938-1941

Subseries 3: Personal Papers,  1904-1937.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains personal papers of James Stern.
Box Folder Title Date
1 11 Bar Mizvah 1905
1 12 Birthday poems 1908 - 1920
1 13 Greetings telegrams - James Stern and Charlotte Abel wedding 1924
1 14 New Year greetings cards 1904-1937
1 15 Poems undated
1 16 Travel documents (Switzerland) undated
1 17 Documents regarding World War I 1917
1 18 Miscellaneous personal papers undated
1 19 Clippings 1905-1924

Subseries 4: Charlotte Stern (née Abel),  1920-1956.

Scope and Content:

This series contains correspondence, documents, and personal papers of Charlotte Stern (née Abel).

Box Folder Title Date
1 20 Official documents, ID card, passports 1924-1956
1 21 Personal papers, notebooks and correspondence 1920-1942
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Series II: John Stern, 1926-1968.

Scope and Content:

This series contains correspondence, documents, and personal papers of John (Hans Ulrich) Stern.

Subseries 1: Personal Papers,  1926-1957.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains personal papers of John (Hans Ulrich) Stern.

Box Folder Title Date
2 1 Birth certificate and documents regarding John Sterns birth 1926
2 2 School report cards, certifications and clippings 1937-1945
2 3 Diary 1938
2 4 Travel documents (Morocco-USA) 1949
2 5 Wedding John Stern and Alia Aznacot 1957
2 6 Postcards and greetings cards undated
2 7 Miscellaneous documents and correspondence undated

Subseries 2: Correspondence,  1951-1952.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains correspondence between John Stern and his mother Charlotte.

Box Folder Title Date
2 8 Correspondence 1951 - 1952

Subseries 3: Military Service,  1951-1952.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains documents regarding John Stern's U.S. military service in Germany.

Box Folder Title Date
2 9 Documents, clippings and receipts 1951-1952

Subseries 4: Reparation-Compensation,  1949-1968.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains documents regarding reparation and compensation claims.

Box Folder Title Date
2 10 Documents regarding reparation for real estate in Hamburg 1949-1968
2 11 Documents regarding compensation 1956-1965

Subseries 5: Alia Stern (née Aznacot),  1951-1959.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains documents correspondence of Alia Stern (née Aznacot).

Box Folder Title Date
2 12 Correspondence and official documents 1951-1959
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Series III: Stern - Abel - Graefenberg Families, 1864-2000.

Scope and Content:

This series contains documents, correspondence, post cards, clippings and photos regarding James Stern's parents Siegmund and Guithella Stern (née Samuel), Charlotte Abel's parents Rudolph and Cora Abel (née Graefenberg), Ernest Graefenberg, Bertha Samuel and Karl Mueller, Ewald Stern and Sally Wertheim.

Subseries 1: Siegmund and Guithella Stern (née Samuel),  1864-1924.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains documents, notebooks, correspondence, postcards and greetings cards, and memorabilia of Siegmund and Guithella Stern. There are several items related to their birthdays, anniversaries and other festivities, as well as Guithella's album amicorum from 1871.

Box Folder Title Date
3 1 Personal papers of Siegmund Stern including his diary and death certificate 1864-1924
3 2 Personal papers and correspondence of Guithella Stern 1870-1923
3 3 Birthday cards from Guithella to Siegmund Stern 1872-1923
3 4 Greetings cards to James Sterns birth 1892
3 5 Silver wedding anniversary of Siegmund and Guithella Stern 1906

Subseries 2: Business documents,  1874-1941.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains business documents and correspondence of Siegmund Stern. He owned a textile and clothing store in Hamburg.

Box Folder Title Date
3 6 Business documents and correspondence of the Siegmund Stern Company 1874-1918
3 7 Main ledger and customer book 1912 -1923, 1936-1941
3 8 Account book undated

Subseries 3: Leoni Stern,  1910-1912.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains correspondence of Leoni Stern (sister of James Stern).

Box Folder Title Date
3 9 Correspondence of Leoni Stern 1910-1912

Subseries 4: Rudolph Abel,  1930-1938.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains documents of Rudolph Abel.
Box Folder Title Date
3 10 Documents including Passport and ID-cards 1930-1938

Subseries 5: Cora Abel (née Graefenberg),  1890-1904.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains personal documents of Cora Abel (née Graefenberg).

Box Folder Title Date
3 11 Personal documents 1890-1904

Subseries 6: Bertha Samuel and Karl Mueller,  1905.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains documents of Bertha Samuel (niece of Siegmund and Guithella Stern) and Karl Mueller.

Box Folder Title Date
3 12 Wedding choral 1905

Subseries 7: Ernst Graefenberg,  1951-1959.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains Ernst Graefenberg's last will and testament (brother of Cora Abel née Graefenberg).

Box Folder Title Date
3 13 Last Will 1951-1959

Subseries 8: Ewald Stern,  undated.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains business letter's related to Ewald Stern (brother of James Stern).

Box Folder Title Date
3 14 Business letter undated

Subseries 9: Sally Wertheim,  1895.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains correspondence of Sally Wertheim.
Box Folder Title Date
3 15 Correspondence 1895

Subseries 10: Family History,  1996-2000.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains documents regarding the Stern - Abel - Markus families.

Box Folder Title Date
3 16 Documents regarding family history 1996-2000

Subseries 11: Miscellaneous,  circa 1988.

Scope and Content:

This subseries contains various clippings and documents as well as a book on the Jews of Geseke and a Rudolph Abel's stamp.

Box Folder Title Date
3 17 Miscellaneous undated
3 18 Photocopies of a book by Hans Peter Busch "Juden in Geseke; Beitraege zur Geschichte einer Minderheit. Zusammengestellt aus Anlass des 50. Jahrestages der "Reichskristallnacht" am 9. Nov. 1988" (Geseke, 1988); contains information about the Abel family 1988
3 19 Stamp "Rudolph Abel" undated
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