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Guide to the Papers of Samuel Gurvitz, 1934, 1936, 1939
 
*P-352

Reprocessed by Stephanie Call

Processed by Stephanie Call, Schilder Assistant Archivist, made possible by a grant from the Schilder Family Fund. This collection has been digitized, made possible by a grant from the Trustees u/w of Herman Dana.

American Jewish Historical Society

Center for Jewish History

15 West 16th Street

New York, N.Y. 10011

Phone: (212) 294-6160

Fax: (212) 294-6161

Email: reference@ajhs.org

URL: http://www.ajhs.org

© 2013, American Jewish Historical Society, Boston, MA and New York, NY. All Rights Reserved.
Machine-readable finding aid created by Stephanie Call as MS Word document, March 5, 2009. Finding aid was encoded by Marvin Rusinek on August 3, 2009. Description is in English.

Descriptive Summary

Creator: Samuel Gurvitz
Title: Samuel Gurvitz, papers
Dates: 1934, 1936, 1939
Abstract: Samuel H. Gurvitz was the owner of New England Millworks in Dorchester, Massachusetts and a veteran of World War II. In 1936 and 1939, he visited Palestine, and the photographs from this trip are included in the collection. In 1939 Gurvitz visited Paris, Berlin, Warsaw, Vienna and Prague and witnessed firsthand how the political situation in Nazi Germany was impacting European Jews. His notes from these trips are also included in this collection.
Languages: The collection is in English.
Quantity: .25 linear feet (1 half manuscript box)
Identification: P-352
Repository: American Jewish Historical Society
Location: Located at AJHS, Boston, MA.
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Biographical Note1

Samuel H. Gurvitz was born in Boston and graduated from Boston English High School in 1921 and Suffolk Law School in 1926. A resident of Newton, Massachusetts, he owned the New England Millwork Distributors in Dorchester, Massachusetts for 30 years and practiced law privately. He was married to Rima Gans and together they had two daughters, Joy and Linda.

Gurvitz was a World War II veteran. In addition to his businesses he was a volunteer program director at the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Roslindale and the Massachusetts Hospital School in Canton. He also conducted services at Brighton Marine Hospital.

Gurvitz died on February 12, 1987.

1 Biographical information based on the obituary of Samuel H. Gurvitz in the Boston Globe, published February 12, 1987 (page 58.)

Chronology
1921 Graduated from Boston English High School
1926 Graduated from Suffolk Law School
1934, 1936 Trips to Palestine (sponsored by the American Joint Distribution Committee.)
1939 Trips to Paris, Berlin and Warsaw; and Budapest, Vienna, Paris and Prague (sponsored by the American Joint Distribution Committee.)
February 12, 1987 SG dies.
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Scope and Content Note

This collection contains photographs, schedules and notes from Gurvitz's trips to Palestine (1934 and 1936), Paris, Berlin and Warsaw (1939), and Budapest, Vienna, Prague and Paris (1939.) The European trips, sponsored by the American Joint Distribution Committee, centered on visiting camps for illegal refugees and Jewish towns. His notes discuss the political and emotional mood in Europe at this time due to the impact of Nazi Germany. The notes are a firsthand account of what was happening to Jews in Germany, with specific examples.

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Arrangement

The collection is organized into a single series.

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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

American Joint Distribution Committee Collection (AR 7196), Leo Baeck Institute, Center for Jewish History, New York, New York (http://digital.cjh.org/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=121489&local_base=GEN01)

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Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); Samuel Gurvitz, papers; P-352; box number; folder number; American Jewish Historical Society, Boston, MA and New York, NY.

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Acquisition Information

This collection was donated to the American Jewish Historical Society in 1974, 1978 and 1981 by Samuel H. Gurvitz.

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Access Points

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Container List

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

 

Papers of Samuel Gurvitz, 1934, 1936, 1939.
English.
Box 1.
Scope and Content:

See Scope and Content Note.
Box Folder Title Date
1 1 Contact Prints and Snaps from Trip to Palestine 1934, 1936
1 2 Travel Schedule 1939
1 3 Miscellaneous Notes from 1939 Trip/Paris, Berlin and Warsaw January 1939
1 4 Miscellaneous Notes from 1930 Trip/Budapest, Vienna, Prague and Paris February 1939
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