VHEC ARCHIVES FINDING AID

Generated: 10/02/2021 at 5:00:52

FONDS/COLLECTION TITLE Rosengarten family fonds

IDENTIFIER RA005

EXTENT & MEDIUM 7.5 cm of textual records circa 150 photographs: black and white, colour 1 floppy disk 12 objects 4 pieces of currency 1 book

DATE [192-]–2008

CREATOR Rosengarten family

ADMINISTRATIVE/BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY The Rosengartens were a Jewish family who lived in Themar, Thüringen, Germany, until their escape to Shanghai, , in 1939. The documents in this fonds pertain mostly to Manfred Rosengarten (b. July 15, 1921, in Themar, Thüringen, Germany) and his son, Andrew Manfred Rosengarten (b. April 8, 1950, in Martinez, , ).

Manfred Rosengarten was born to Paul Rosengarten (b. 1883 in Witten-Herbede, Germany; d. 1953 in Contra Costa, California, United States) and Berta Schwab (b. June 15, 1893, in Themar, Thüringen, Germany; d. February 24, 1948, in Hartford, Connecticut, United States). He had a brother, Erich Rosengarten (b. November 27, 1922, in Themar, Thüringen, Germany; d. August 23, 2002, in Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States).

Before the war, Paul, Manfred and Erich were interned at Buchenwald concentration camp. According to family accounts, they were allowed to return home because Paul, a cavalry officer in the First World War, was reacquainted with a fellow soldier who helped them escape. In 1939, shortly after returning to Themar, Paul, Manfred and Erich, as well as Berta and her brother, Oskar Schwab (b. February 16, 1890 in Themar, Thüringen, Germany; d. December 17, 1972, in Hartford, Connecticut, United States), traveled to , . On May 30, 1939, they boarded the SS Conte Biancamano and went to Shanghai, China, where many Jewish refugees escaped to during the war. While in Shanghai, Paul and Erich worked for the United States Air Force shipping supplies to Chiang Kai-shek. In 1945 Manfred earned his goldsmith journeyman certificate.

On July 15, 1947, the Rosengartens and Oskar Schwab left Shanghai aboard the USNS Adder. They arrived in , California, on July 27. Manfred stayed in California, settling in Martinez and finding work as a jeweler. The rest of the family moved to Hartford, Connecticut.

Permalink: https://collections.vhec.org/Detail/collections/365

Manfred married Eveline Rosa Berger (b. May 12, 1928, in Berlin, Germany; d. February 17, 1996, in Walnut Creek, California, United States), a dressmaker, in 1949 and they had two children: Andrew Manfred Rosengarten and Linda Charlotte Rosengarten (b. July 4, 1951, in Contra Costa, California, United States). Eveline had also escaped to Shanghai during the war with her family, shortly after Kristallnacht. She and Manfred met on the SS Marine Adler.

In around 1951 Manfred had to close his jewelry store. He found work in plant operations at Shell Chemicals Company in Pittsburg, California. When the refinery was shut down in 1967, Manfred resumed work as a jeweler.

In 1983 Manfred, compelled by homesickness, decided to compile a scrapbook about Themar so that he could pass his memories on to his children and grandchildren. The sister of his friend in California agreed to travel from her residence in Dresden, Germany, to Themar to take photographs for the scrapbook. Soon after Manfred began his scrapbook, he reconnected with his childhood friends who sent more photographs and postcards.

Manfred died November 1, 1987, in Martinez, California. Andrew currently lives in Surrey, British Columbia.

SCOPE & CONTENT Fonds consists of scrapbook and supplemental materials, correspondence, photographs and family history documents relating to the lives of the Rosengarten family. Fonds has been arranged into the following series: Themar, Thüringen scrapbook series ([192-]–1983), Manfred and Eveline Rosengarten documents series (1945–2008), Andrew Rosengarten family history documents series (2000–2002), Rosengarten family photographs series (1986–[200-]), Rosengarten family artefacts series (circa twentieth century) and Rosengarten family collected books series (1942).

IMMEDIATE SOURCE OF ACQUISITION OR TRANSFER Scrapbook, correspondence and photographs maintained by Manfred Rosengarten until his death in 1987. Materials were in the possession of Andrew Rosengarten prior to their donation to the VHEC in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2018.

ACCRUALS Further accruals are not expected.

LANGUAGE English, German, Yiddish

SYSTEM OF ARRANGEMENT The original order of the fonds has been maintained where it was discerned. Fonds has been arranged into five series, which reflect the major activities of the Rosengarten family, as well as thematic divisions as it came to the VHEC.

RIGHTS Donor relinquished rights to materials in fonds upon their donation to the VHEC but the fonds contains third-party materials for which copyright was not transferred. Researchers are responsible for determining the appropriate use or reuse of materials.

RULES OR CONVENTIONS ISAD(G) informed by RAD

DATE OF DESCRIPTION

Permalink: https://collections.vhec.org/Detail/collections/365 Prepared by Sarika Kelm in November 2016. Updated July 17, 2017 and August, 2019 with description of accrual..

Collection Contents

Themar, Thüringen scrapbook series (RA005-01)

Series consists of scrapbook, Themar – Thüringen: my home town, by Manfred Rosengarten, map, floppy disk, published materials and scrapbook caption transcriptions.

Themar - Thüringen: my home town by Manfred Rosengarten (RA005-01-00-01)

File contains scrapbook compiled by Manfred Rosengarten, including photographs, postcards and maps. Scrapbook is 78 pages.

Scrapbook inserts (RA005-01-00-02)

File contains map of German province Thüringen with Themar highlighted in yellow, floppy disk labeled “Rosengarten/Berger,” copy of December 1982 issue of Nachrichtenblatt, and Issues volume 1, number 2.

Themar - Thüringen: my home town caption transcriptions (RA005-01-00-03)

File contains caption transcriptions for Themar – Thüringen: my home town scrapbook.

Manfred and Eveline Rosengarten documents series (RA005-02)

Series consists of diplomas awarded to Manfred Rosengarten and Eveline Berger and correspondence between Manfred Rosengarten and various contacts. Correspondence includes copies of outgoing letters, greeting cards, lists of addresses and a photograph. The majority of these letters are from when Manfred, missing his hometown of Themar, contacted his childhood friends.

Correspondence with Erhard Stapf (RA005-02-00-01)

File contains correspondence in German between Manfred Rosengarten and Erhard Stapf, Themar, Thüringen, Germany.

Correspondence with or letters from Walter Rosenbaum, Monte S. Cohon, Gerda Laufer née Brück, Marion Syktick née Sauder, Dr. Samuel P. Oliner (RA005-02-00-02)

File contains correspondence in English and German between Manfred Rosengarten and the following contacts: Walter Rosenbaum, Fresh Meadows, New York; Monte S. Cohon, Portage, Michigan; Gerda Laufer, Vienna, Austria; Marion Syktick, Chula Vista, California; and Dr. Samuel P. Oliner, Arcata, California. Correspondence includes Manfred’s contribution to The Altruistic Project: The Study of Rescuers in Nazi-Occupied . Documents also include one photograph in an enclosure, photocopied pages from the Themar scrapbook, lists of addresses and two pages from the February 1985 issue of New Woman.

Correspondence with Irmgard Gehler (RA005-02-00-03)

File contains correspondence in German between Manfred Rosengarten and Irmgard Gehler, Themar, Thüringen, Germany.

Correspondence with Walter Gütlein (RA005-02-00-04)

File contains correspondence in German between Manfred Rosengarten and Walter Gütlein, Braunschweig, West Germany.

Correspondence with Gerta Wenkel (RA005-02-00-05)

File contains correspondence in German between Manfred Rosengarten and Gerta Wenkel, Eisenhüttenstadt, Germany.

Correspondence with Margarete Mittag (née Blau) (RA005-02-00-06)

Permalink: https://collections.vhec.org/Detail/collections/365 File contains correspondence in German between Manfred Rosengarten and Margarete Mittag, Themar, Thüringen, Germany. Documents also include greeting card and addressed envelope.

Correspondence with Arnolds in Dresden, Lo’s sister and brother-in-law, letter to Karl (RA005-02-00-07)

File contains correspondence in German between Manfred Rosengarten and the Arnold family in Dresden, Germany; Lo’s sister and brother-in-law; and Karl, Themar, Thüringen, Germany. Documents also include printed page containing information about Wolfgang Arnold.

[Correspondence with Ruth Shany] (RA005-02-00-08)

File contains correspondence between Manfred and Erich Rosengarten and Ruth Shany, a friend from when the Rosengartens lived in Shanghai.

Correspondence with Willi Förster (RA005-02-00-09)

File contains correspondence in German between Manfred Rosengarten and Willi Förster, Themar, Thüringen, Germany, as well as a short autobiography in German by Manfred.

[Diplomas of the Guild of Craftsmen] (RA005-02-00-10)

File is comprised of 1 diploma issued to Manfred Rosengarten, goldsmith and 1 diploma issued to Eveline Berger, dressmaker.

Andrew Rosengarten family history documents series (RA005-03)

Series consists of documents collected and produced by Andrew Rosengarten during his family research.

History of the Rosengarten family documents (RA005-03-00-01)

File contains a history of the Rosengarten family written by Andrew Rosengarten, genealogical information, Rosengarten family biographies, and German to English transcriptions of vital records and government letters.

New Synagogue Berlin Judaism Centre (RA005-03-00-02)

File contains response to Andrew Rosengarten’s research request to New Synagogue Berlin Judaism Centre to find information about Oskar and Charlotte Berger, request for payment from the Centre, a list of Rosengartens living in Berlin, handwritten notes regarding the Rosengartens’ emigration to Shanghai, and a piece of paper containing a quotation about success.

Ship research documents (RA005-03-00-03)

File consists of printed pages containing historical information about various ships, including the USNS Marine Adder, Yasukuni Maru, and SS Conte Biancamano; contact information for various naval museums; and handwritten notes.

Rosengarten family photographs series (RA005-04)

Series consists of three photographs in enclosures presumably depicting locations significant to the Rosengarten family.

Rosengarten family artefacts series (RA005-05)

Series consists of religious and secular objects used or kept by the Rosengarten family and currency from Theresienstadt.

Rosengarten family collected books series (RA005-06)

Series consists of book: Reading from the Holy Scriptures for Jewish Soldiers and Sailors.

Permalink: https://collections.vhec.org/Detail/collections/365