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Descriptive Summary
Creator:	Ellen Brett Aibel Bierman Family
Title:	Ellen Brett Aibel Bierman Family Collection
Dates:	undated, circa 1865-2002 (bulk 1900-1943)
Abstract:	This collection consists primarily of the family photographs the Bierman, Bressler, Bretzfelder, Brett, Lieberman and Loeb families. It also includes a significant quantity of the papers of David M. Bressler and the Bretzfelder / Brett family, including correspondence and newspaper clippings. The collection offers a view of the domestic life of a prominent American Jewish family in the first half of the 20th Century.
Languages:	The collection is in English.
Quantity:	1.5 linear feet (2 Manuscript boxes, 1 Photograph box, and 1 Oversized folder)
Identification:	P-940
Repository:	American Jewish Historical Society
Location:	Located in AJHS New York, NY

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Biographical Note

Right to left: Lorna Loeb Bressler, Irma Loeb Bressler, Amelia (Millie) Lieberman Loeb, Ellen Brett (later Ellen Brett Aibel Bierman)

This collection spans three generations of the Bierman, Bressler, Bretzfelder, Brett, Lieberman and Loeb families, offering a personal view of the domestic life of a prominent American Jewish family in the first half of the 20th Century.

A substantial portion of this collection relates to David M. Bressler. David M. Bressler was born in Germany in 1879, immigrating with his parents to the United States as a small child. Bressler was highly active in philanthropic, charity, and social services circles throughout his life, serving as general manager of the Industrial Removal Office from 1901-1917. Bressler also worked integrally with the Jewish Immigration Information Bureau’s Galveston, Texas Immigration Plan. He served as president of the National Association of Jewish Social Workers, was a member of the executive committees of the National Campaign for Jewish War Relief and the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, served on the boards of the Joint Distribution Committee, the New York State Planning Board, and the Appeal Board of Unemployment Insurance. He died suddenly of a heart attack in 1942.

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Scope and Content Note

This collection consists primarily of the family photographs the Bierman, Bressler, Bretzfelder, Brett, Lieberman and Loeb families. It also includes a significant quantity of the papers of David M. Bressler and the Bretzfelder / Brett family, including correspondence and newspaper clippings. The collection offers a view of the domestic life of a prominent American Jewish family in the first half of the 20th Century.

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Arrangement

The collection is arranged into four series as follows:

• Series I: Bressler Family, undated, 1903-2002
• Series II: Bretzfelder / Brett Family, undated, 1931-1977
• Series III: Photographs, undated, circa 1865-1983
• Series IV: Oversized Materials, 1900-1931

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The collection is open to all researchers by permission of the Director of Library and Archives of the American Jewish Historical Society, except items that are restricted due to their fragility.

Use Restrictions

Information concerning the literary rights may be obtained from the Director of Library and Archives of the American Jewish Historical Society. Users must apply in writing for permission to quote, reproduce or otherwise publish manuscript materials found in this collection. For more information contact:
American Jewish Historical Society, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY, 10011
email: reference@ajhs.org

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Related Material

Records of the Industrial Removal Office (1-91)

Records of the Jewish Immigrant Information Bureau Galveston Immigration Plan (1-90)

Records of the National Association of Jewish Social Workers (I-88)

Records of the American Jewish Relief Committee for Sufferers from the War (I-83)

American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee Collection (I-345)

National Jewish Welfare Board Records (I-298)

Papers of Louis Marshall (P-24)

Benjamin Nathan Cardozo Collection (P-128)

Records of the Baron de Hirsch Fund (I-80)

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Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); Ellen Brett Aibel Bierman Family Collection; P-940; box number; folder number; American Jewish Historical Society, Boston, MA and New York, NY.

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Acquisition Information

Donated by Ellen Brett Aibel Bierman in 2005.

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Access Points

This collection is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.

• Subject Names:

  • Bressler, David M.
  • Cardozo, Benjamin N. (Benjamin Nathan), 1870-1938
  • Marshall, Louis, 1856-1929

• Subject Topics:

  • Jewish families.

• Subject Places:

  • Adirondack Mountains (N.Y.)
  • New York (N.Y.)
  • New York (State)

• Document Types:

  • Black-and-white photographs
  • CD-ROMs
  • Cabinet photographs
  • Cartes-de-visite (card photographs)
  • Clippings (information artifacts)
  • Color photographs
  • Documents
  • Invitations
  • Marriage records
  • Newspaper clippings
  • Notes
  • Personal correspondence
  • Speeches
  • Tintype photographs
  • tintypes (prints)

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Container List

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series I: Bressler Family, undated, 1903-2002.
English.
Box 1, Folders 1-6.
Arrangement: Arranged by material type.
Scope and Content: Composed of business and personal correspondence, reports, speeches, notes, invitations, newspaper clippings, condolence proclamations, biographical outlines relating to David M. Bressler, and other members of the Bressler family including Irma Loeb Bressler, Lorna Bressler, Alan Bressler, Ellen Bierman, and Alfred Bressler.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	1	David M. Bressler – Correspondence, Writings, Testimonial, Biographical Outline.	undated, 1916, 1922, 1929-1932, 1934
1	2	David M. Bressler – Clippings	undated, 1922, 1923, 1926, 1929, 1931, 1943
1	3	David M. Bressler – Miscellaneous Documents	undated, 1903, 1922, 1924, 1929, 1936
1	4	David M. Bressler – Clippings on Bressler’s Death and Funeral	1942-1943
1	5	David M. Bressler – Death, Condolence Proclamations	1942-1943
1	6	Bressler Family – Correspondence and Clippings regarding David Bressler, Irma Bressler, Lorna Bressler, Ellen Bierman, and Alfred Bressler	1918, 1824, 1926, 1927, 1936, 1944, 1976, 1986, 2002

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Series II: Bretzfelder / Brett Family, undated, 1931-1977.
English
Box 1, Folders 7-8.
Arrangement: Arranged by material type.
Scope and Content: Composed of genealogical documents, estate documents, wills, and correspondence relating to the Bretzfelder / Brett name change. Individuals include Simon Brett née Bretzfelder, Benoit Bretzfelder, and Elizabeth Bretzfelder.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	7	Genealogical Documents	undated, 1977
1	8	Estates, Wills, Bretzfelder to Brett Name Change	1931-1932, 1936, 1964, 1970

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Series III: Photographs, undated, circa 1865-1983.
English.
Box 1, Folders 9-14 and Box 3.
Arrangement: Arranged by subject and material type.
Scope and Content: Composed of family photographs in various formats including tintypes, cabinet cards, carte de visite, sepia prints, black-and-white gelatin silver prints, framed photographs, photograph albums, and color photographs. Individuals include: David M. Bressler, Irma Loeb Bressler, Sadie Loeb, Eric Loeb, Amelia (Millie) Lieberman Loeb, Anselm Loeb, Julius Bressler, Sarah Bressler, Alfred Bressler, Israel Bretzfelder, Alan Bressler, Elizabeth Margolis Bretzfelder, Ellen Bierman, Simon Brett née Bretzfelder, and Lorna Bressler Brett.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	9	Lieberman, Loeb Families	undated, circa 1880-1910, circa 1930
		Portrait of Amelia Lieberman Loeb and Anselm Loeb, circa 1930
1	10	Amelia Lieberman Loeb	undated, circa 1880-1910, circa 1930
		Portrait of Amelia Lieberman Loeb, circa 1880-1910 Portrait of Amelia Lieberman Loeb, circa 1880-1910
1	11	Anselm Loeb, father of Irma Loeb Bressler	undated, circa 1890-1900
		Portrait of Anselm Loeb, circa 1890-1900 Portrait of Anselm Loeb, circa 1890-1900 Portrait of Anselm Loeb, circa 1890-1900
1	12	Lieberman, Loeb House – Adirondacks	undated, circa 1890-1905
		Group portrait outside the Lieberman-Loeb summer home in the Adirondacks, circa 1915 Group portrait outside the Lieberman-Loeb summer home in the Adirondacks, circa 1915 Group portrait outside the Lieberman-Loeb summer home in the Adirondacks, circa 1915
1	13	Julius and Sarah Bressler, parents of David M. Bressler	undated, circa 1910
1	14	Bressler family members	undated, circa 1875, 1899, circa 1915, 1964
Box	Folder	Title	Date
2	1	David M. Bressler	undated, circa 1885, 1922, 1931
		Portrait of David M. Bressler with moustache, circa 1900 Portrait of David M. Bressler, circa 1900-1905 David M. Bressler swinging a baseball bat, circa 1910 David M. Bressler in his office with an unidentified man, circa 1920 Portrait of David M. Bressler, circa 1920 Group portrait (left to right) Judge Otto A. Rosalsky, James N. Rosenberg, General Albert Ottinger, Paul Baerivald, and David M. Bressler, wearing tuxedoes, March 22, 1931
2	2	Irma Loeb Bressler, wife of David M. Bressler – alone and with other family members	undated, circa 1875-1885
		Irma Loeb Bressler (far right) works on behalf of Jewish War Relief, circa 1918 Portrait of Irma Loeb Bressler, undated Portait of (front to back) Irma Loeb Bressler, Lorna Loeb Bressler, Amelia (Millie) Lieberman Loeb, Ellen Brett, undated Portait of (right to left) Lorna Loeb Bressler, Ellen Brett, Irma Loeb Bressler, and Amelia (Millie) Lieberman Loeb, undated Portait of (right to left) Lorna Loeb Bressler, Irma Loeb Bressler, Amelia (Millie) Lieberman Loeb, Ellen Brett, undated Portait of (right to left) Lorna Loeb Bressler, Irma Loeb Bressler, and Ellen Brett, undated
2	3	Alan Bressler, son of David M. and Irma Bressler	undated, circa 1910-1910, circa 1930, circa 1950
		Portait of Alan Bressler, circa 1930
2	4	Elizabeth Margolis Bretzfelder, mother of Simon Brett (née Bretzfelder)	undated
		Portait of Elizabeth Margolis Bretzfelder in a bathing suit, undated
2	5	Simon Brett (née Bretzfelder)	undated, 1929, 1931, circa 1945
2	6	Lorna Bressler Brett	undated, 1930, 1931
2	7	Simon and Lorna Brett (née Bretzfelder), wedding album and photographs	1931
		Wedding portrait of Lorna Brett (née Bretzfelder), undated
2	8	Simon and Lorna Brett (née Bretzfelder)	undated, circa 1931, circa 1961, circa 1983
		Portrait of Simon and Lorna Brett (née Bretzfelder), October 1931 Portrait of Simon and Lorna Brett (née Bretzfelder), October 1983 Portrait of Simon and Lorna Brett (née Bretzfelder) sitting on a patio, 1961
Box	Folder	Title	Date
3		Three portraits of unidentified family members, tintype photographs	circa 1865
		Portrait of unidentified couple, circa 1865 Portrait of two women and two men, all unidentified, circa 1865 Portrait of an unidentified family in bathing suits, circa 1865
3		Elizabeth Margolis Bretzfelder, framed hand colored photograph	circa 1900
3		Elizabeth Margolis Bretzfelder, round framed photograph	circa 1900
3		Lorna Bressler Confirmation Book from Temple Beth El	1925

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Series IV: Oversized Materials, 1900-1931.
English
1 Oversized folder (in Shared OS1 box)
Arrangement: Arranged by material type.
Scope and Content: Composed of a photograph, a poster, the ketubah of David M. and Irma Loeb Bressler, and David M. Bressler’s law license.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
Shared OS1 Box		Photograph portrait of Benjamin N. Cardozo inscribed to David Bressler	1931
Shared OS1 Box		Poster about laying cornerstone of Beth Abraham Home for Incurables	1924
Shared OS1 Box		Ketubah, Congregation Temple Emanu-el – David Maurice Bressler and Irma Loeb	December 31, 1907
Shared OS1 Box		Law license, David M. Bressler	July 1900

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