This collection is comprised of photographs, documents, and correspondence relating to the life and work of Holocaust survivor and author Lore Shelley. The collection includes material concerning Ms. Shelley’s five published books as well as her dissertation, questionnaires completed by survivors, post-war reparation and social security requests, Holocaust organizations, family research, and personal correspondence. Personal papers also include documents relating to Ms. Shelley’s time in D.P. hospitals prior to her immigration to the United States.

Lore Shelley (née Weinberg) was born on February 19, 1924 in Luebbecke, Westphalia, Germany, the only child of a liberal Jewish family. The only Jewish child in her district, she attended public schools until 1938 when she was forced to leave because of anti-Jewish laws. She continued her education at Jewish schools in Ulm and Berlin until May 1941 when she was deported to the Kersdorf labor camp. She remained there for almost two years before her deportation to Auschwitz-Birkenau on April 20, 1943. She worked as a secretary in the Political Department and Civil Registry at Auschwitz until its evacuation in January 1945 when she was sent on a death march to Ravensbrueck and Malchow. After being liberated by the Russian army near Malchow in May 1945, Ms. Shelley was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. She was a patient in a variety of displaced persons (D.P.) hospitals in Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. Ms. Shelley was the only surviving member of her family; her mother had perished on February 9, 1943 after deportation from Cologne and her father had died during her childhood. She continued her education during her recuperation and met Sucher (Isy) Shelley at a rehabilitation center in Grottaferrata, Italy. Sucher Shelley, who was liberated from Ebensee, came from a devout Jewish family in Poland. Like Lore, he was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust.

21.0 Linear feet comprising 20 record cartons and two manuscript boxes

There are no restrictions to use for this collection.

There are no restrictions to access for this collection.