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Lekisch Family Collection

 Collection
Identifier: AR 25136

Scope and Content Note

The Lekisch Family Collection (1817 – 2004) is arranged in three series and includes photographs, negatives, printed matter, published articles, journals, books, clippings, brochures, booklets, notes, writings, speeches, letters, certificates, and diplomas by Kurt Lekisch and others.

The collection documents the work of Kurt Lekisch and reflects numerous aspects of his professional life, his personal research and writing in various medical fields, as well as his hobby in philately (collecting stamps). The collection also documents basic information on Kurt Lekisch’s family members (great-grandparents, parents, children) as well as on his wife Dorle Lekisch-Laski.

The wealth of the material includes research work Kurt Lekisch has done in the medical field and contains published and unpublished articles, manuscripts, and other works that inspired him and served as foundation for his research. The material also includes quite a few articles written about him as a medical volunteer and philatelist. The professional correspondence is exclusively related to his activities as a philatelist, researcher, and also regarding his education and career.

Although personal correspondence is scarce, with the exception of letters from Peter Richburg, there are three folders (1/5-7) that have a significant amount of condolence materials after his death in 1994.

The bulk of the materials in the collection pertains to Kurt Lekisch’s research in the filed of medicine A publication list gives an overview of the range of his writings. One of the most pertinent themes is his medical volunteer experience in India and Rhodesia (1/8, 3/9) where a significant amount of articles by Kurt Lekisch and about him had been written. Kurt Lekisch decided to work in these countries after he graduated from Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health majoring in International Medicine.

Dates

  • Creation: 1817–2005
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1920s–1994

Creator

Language of Materials

The collection is in English and German, with some French and Latin.

Access Information

Collection is digitized. Follow the links in the Container List to access the digitized materials.

Biographical Note

Kurt Lekisch was born in Mainz, Germany on October 2, 1912. He received a medical certificate at the University of Mainz in 1931, before moving to Bern, Switzerland where he received his M. D. from the University of Bern in 1937.

He immigrated to the United States in 1937 and settled in Texas. Kurt Lekisch constantly worked on his career, which includes various internships, a Master’s degree in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, volunteer work as a physician in India from 1962 to 1963 and his work as a physician in Rhodesia in 1970, as well as publishing numerous research articles in medical journals.

His accomplishment had been credited with various awards and articles about his life and work. Kurt Lekisch died on March 27, 1994.

Extent

4.5 Linear Feet

Abstract

The Lekisch Family collection documents personal and professional activities of Kurt Lekisch, a medical doctor originally from Mainz, Germany, who was active in his profession as well as academic research until his death in Texas in 1994. The collection also includes a small series on other members of the Lekisch family. The material mainly reflects his work as a doctor in the US but also as a volunteer practitioner in India and as a practitioner in Rhodesia. His active life as a medical researcher and publisher can be seen in his numerous publications; some of which derive from his studies at universities in Germany, Switzerland, and the US. Although the bulk of the documents consist of manuscripts and printed material, the collection also includes correspondence, photos, vital documents, and a range of certificates.

Microfilm

The collection is on seven reels of microfilm (MF 993):

  1. Reel 1: 1/1 - 1/8
  2. Reel 2: 1/9 - 2/10
  3. Reel 3: 2/11 - 3/9
  4. Reel 4: 3/10 - 3/15
  5. Reel 5: 3/16 - 3/18
  6. Reel 6: 4/1 - 4/5
  7. Reel 7: 4/6 - 5/10

Separated Material

Some of the books in this collection have been removed to the LBI Library Collection

Medals from the First World War have been removed to the LBI Art and Objects Collection.

CD-R has been removed to the AV section of the LBI Archive

Title
Guide to the Papers of the Lekisch Family 1817–2005 AR 25136 / MF 993
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by Anya Quilitzsch
Date
© 2009
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Description is in English.
Sponsor
as part of the Leon Levy Archival Processing Initiative, made possible by the Leon Levy Foundation

Revision Statements

  • March 2009.: Series VI added.
  • July 2009.: Separated Material and Processing Information edited. OS box number changed.
  • December 2009.: Microfilm inventory added.
  • October 22, 2013 : Links to digital objects added in Container List.

Repository Details

Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository

Contact:
15 West 16th Street
New York NY 10011 United States