Regina Stein Collection
Scope and Content Note
This collection consists mainly of photocopies of official correspondence regarding the emigration efforts and the living expenses of Regina Stein for the years she spent as a refugee in Switzerland from 1943-1947. She lived for some of this time on the welfare of the Swiss government. Many of the letters are from representatives of the Verband Schweizerischer Israelitischer Armenpflegen and HIAS to Regina Stein, her children, or to representatives of other organizations and embassies. Copies of a few letters handwritten by Regina Stein are also included among the correspondence. Folder 5 contains original materials including Regina Stein's certificate of naturalization, a few letters, and a short memoir. Another memoir titled "Reminiscences of Landhausstrasse 29" can be found in folder 6. The author seems to be the grandson of Gertrude Tietz and a relative of Regina Stein.
Dates
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1943-1947
- Creation: 1940-1959
Creator
- Stein, Regina (Person)
Language of Materials
The collection is in German and English.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open to researchers.
Access Information
Readers may access the collection by visiting the Lillian Goldman Reading Room at the Center for Jewish History. We recommend reserving the collection in advance; please visit the LBI Online Catalog and click on the "Request" button.
Biographical Note
Regina Stein née Simonson (alternatively Simonsohn) was born on July 13, 1873 in Birnbaum (now Międzychód), Poland and lived a large portion of her life in Berlin and Görlitz, Germany. In the 1930s, her son Albrecht immigrated to New York and her daughter Margarete (alternatively Margarida) Wachtel née Stein to Sao Paulo, Brazil. Regina Stein managed to flee to Switzerland in 1943. Once there, she corresponded with the Verband Schweizerischer Israelitischer Armenpflegen, the Verband Schweizerischer Jüdischer Flüchtlingshilfen, and HIAS in an effort to emigrate to either the U.S. or to Brazil. She also lived by the support of the Swiss government, particularly the Federal Justice and Police Department (Eidgenössesches Justiz- und Polizeidepartment). She was eventually able to procure passage to New York City and immigrated in September 1947.
Extent
0.25 Linear Feet
Abstract
This collection contains correspondence regarding the emigration efforts and living expenses of Regina Stein, who had fled from Berlin, Germany to Basel, Switzerland in 1943. She lived in Switzerland in deteriorating health and partially by the support of the Swiss government until she was able to immigrate to the United States in 1947. The collection consists mainly of photocopies.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged chronologically.
Digitization Note
This collection was digitized and made accessible in its entirety.
Processing Information
Materials were placed in folders and an archival manuscript box during previous processing. During processing in 2014, a spacer was placed alongside the materials and fasteners were removed.
Subject
- Stein, Regina (Person)
- Verband Schweizerischer Jüdischer Flüchtlingshilfen (Organization)
- Hias-Ica Emigration Association (Organization)
- Jewish Colonization Association (Organization)
Genre / Form
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Guide to the Regina Stein Collection 1940-1959, undated (bulk 1943-1947) AR 25157
- Author
- Processed by Leanora Lange
- Date
- © 2014
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English.
- Sponsor
- Processing made possible by the Leon Levy Foundation and the Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany. Digitization made possible by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany.
Revision Statements
- July 2015: dao links and digitization information added by Leanora Lange.
- October 2015: dao links for folders 5 and 6 added and digitization information updated by Leanora Lange.
Repository Details
Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository
