Hugo Fantl Collection
Scope and Content Note
The Hugo Fantl Collection documents portions of the businessman Hugo Fantl's life as well as the restitution efforts undertaken by his family. It includes official documents, military papers, correspondence largely focusing on restiution claims and legal and financial documents.
Noteworthy moments in Hugo Fantl's life are recorded in the papers of Series I. Here are military papers that show his participation prior to and during the First World War, professional papers that reflect his professional positions and acheivements and financial papers. A number of folders contain official documents such as identification papers, most of which are in Czech. Additionally present are two manuscripts and correspondence of others.
Hugo Fantl's life is also briefly addressed in the restitution correspondence of himself and his family in Series II, in whose papers will be found claims for the family's losses. Much of this correspondence is between family members and lawyers, agencies and German government offices.
Dates
- Creation: 1915-1975
Language of Materials
The collection is in German, Czech, and English.
Access Restrictions
Open to researchers.
Access Information
Collection is digitized. Follow the links in the Container List to access the digitized materials.
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 "Reserve" button.
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
Biographical Note
Hugo Fantl (1873-1949) was born in Volyně, Czech Republic (then: Wolin, Bohemia), the son of Marcus Fantl and Marie née Fischl. Hugo's older brothers, Alfred and Samuel, immigrated to America around the turn of the 19th to the 20th century. Hugo and his younger brother, Ottokar, worked in their father’s textile company Galanterie-, Kurz- und Wirkwaren en gros in Reichenberg, Bohemia (today Liberec, Czech Republic), which they eventually took over.
Hugo's first wife, Olga née Meisel died at age 38, and he then got married to Olga née Kraus. Hugo's son from his first marriage, Paul Fantl, immigrated to the United States in 1934. When Germany occupied Czechoslovakia in 1939, Hugo and Ottokar Fantl were forced to sell their company under duress; Hugo and his wife Olga went to the United States. Their daughter Gertrude (Trude) immigrated to Chile the same year. Ottokar eventually was sent to the Theresienstadt Concentration Camp and then to Treblinka, where he perished.
Extent
0.25 Linear Feet
Abstract
The Hugo Fantl Collection provides a brief glimpse into the life of businessman Hugo Fantl as well as a more detailed view of his family's restitution claims. Included are papers of Hugo Fantil such as official, military, professional and financial documents, restitution correspondence and legal papers.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in two series:
Separated Material
A commemorative coin on a chain in remembrance of the 1939 occupation of Czechoslovakia was removed to the Arts and Objects Collection.
Subject
- Fantl, Hugo, 1873-1949 (Person)
- Fantl family (Family)
- United Restitution Organization (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to the Papers of Hugo Fantl (1873-1949) 1915-1975 AR 25337
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by Dianne Ritchey
- Date
- © 2012
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English.
- Edition statement
- This version was derived from HugoFantl.xml
Revision Statements
- November 27, 2012 : Links to digital objects added in Container List.
- December 13, 2017: : Edits made to Biographical Note and Separated Material.
Repository Details
Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository
