Isidor Kiefer Collection
Scope and Content Note
The Isidor Kiefer Collection consists of papers of this leader of the Jewish community in Worms. The bulk of the material is on the Jewish community in Worms, one of the oldest Jewish communities in Germany. Included is information on the history of the Jewish community from as early as the 11th century to the 1930s; much of this information is found in Kiefer's own research and writings, which he often collected in scrapbooks. Original documents from the 20th century are included, as are reproductions of numerous archival documents from the 18th and 19th centuries. Series I includes scrapbooks, documents on the general history of the Jewish community and the administration of the Jewish community in Worms, and documents on the Jewish Museum in Worms. Of particular interest is a copy of the "Judenregister" from 1739-1814. Series II consists of material related to the synagogue and Jewish cemetery in Worms, including a scrapbook, photographs, sketches and articles. Series I and II also include information on the reconstruction of Jewish history and on the reopening of the synagogue and cemetery in Worms after the Holocaust. Series III consists of various documents, including various writings and correspondence of the Kiefer family in New York City and a large collection of newspaper clippings, mostly on Jewish life in Worms. Also included is the old item-level inventory by Ilse Turnheim.
Dates
- Creation: 1902-1972
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1922-1962
Creator
- Kiefer, Isidor, 1871-1962 (Person)
Language of Materials
The collection is in German, with some English and Hebrew.
Access Restrictions
Open to researchers.
Access Information
Collection is digitized. Follow the links in the Container List to access the digitized materials.
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
Isidor Kiefer was born on May 26, 1871, in Worms, Germany. He was a tin manufacturer and chairman of the Jewish community in Worms until 1934. He married Else Kiefer in 1903 and had two children, Anne and Herta. Kiefer immigrated to the United States via Belgium in 1934. He conducted extensive research on the history of the Jewish community in Worms and was involved in efforts to restore the synagogue, cemetery and Jewish museum in Worms after the Holocaust. He died in New York City on January 27, 1962.
Extent
1 Linear Feet
Abstract
The Isidor Kiefer Collection consists of documents compiled by Isidor Kiefer on the history of the Jewish community in Worms, including Kiefer's own research, original documents and copies. A significant part of the collection is dedicated to the history and reconstruction of the synagogue, cemetery and Jewish museum in Worms.
Arrangement
The collection is divided into the following three series:
Other Finding Aid
A thirteen-page inventory that lists each item in the collection is available and has been retained in series III, folder seven. Items in this inventory include numbers that refer to each item of the collection.
Separated Material
During processing a 1934 edition of the periodical Zeitschrift für die Geschichte der Juden in Deutschland and a copy of Der alte israelitische Friedhof zu Worms a. Rh. by Max Levy were removed to the library from folder 8. Photocopies of the title pages are included. Photographs were removed to the LBI Archives.
Processing Information
This collection's arrangement is based on the collection's former item-level inventory written by Ilse Turnheim in 1962; the ordering of contents in individual folders follows as closely as possible the original ordering of Turnheim. The former series II, III, VI and VII are now series I. The former series IV and V are now series II. The former series I, IX, X and the remainders of VIII and XI are now series III. The contents of the series have been further subdivided into multiple folders by prominent topic.
Subject
- Kiefer, Isidor, 1871-1962 (Person)
- Oppenheim, David ben Abraham, 1664-1736 (Person)
- B’nai B’rith. Dalberg Loge (Worms, Germany) (Organization)
- Judenfriedhof Worms (Organization)
- Jüdisches Museum im Raschi-Haus Worms (Organization)
- Vorstand der Israelitischen Religionsgemeinde Worms (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to the Papers of Isidor Kiefer (1871-1962) 1902-1972 AR 1894
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by Matthew Johnson and Ilse Turnheim
- Date
- © 2013
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English.
- Edition statement
- This version was derived from IsidorKiefer.xml
Revision Statements
- May 2016:: dao links added by Emily Andresini.
Repository Details
Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository
