Marta Feuchtwanger papers, 1536-1987, bulk 1940-1987

Summary

Creators:

Franklin, Carl M. (Carl Mason), Waldo, Hilde, and Feuchtwanger, Marta

Abstract:

This archive contains the correspondence of Marta Feuchtwanger, wife of German-Jewish writer Lion Feuchtwanger, who survived her husband by almost thirty years. Marta Feuchtwanger remained an important figure in the exile community and devoted the remainder of her life to promoting the work of her husband. The collection contains Marta Feuchtwanger's personal correspondence, texts and manuscripts by her and others, royalty statements received for the works of her husband, correspondence with publishers, and newspaper clippings mentioning Lion and Marta Feuchtwanger and other exiles. The collection also includes correspondence regarding the establishment and administration of the Feuchtwanger Memorial Library and Villa Aurora.

Extent:

108.58 Linear Feet 183 boxes

Language:

English , German , Latin , Greek, Modern (1453-) , Persian .

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Marta Feuchtwanger papers, Collection no. 0206, Feuchtwanger Memorial Library, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Background

Scope and content:

This archive contains the correspondence of Marta Feuchtwanger, wife of German-Jewish writer Lion Feuchtwanger, who survived her husband by almost thirty years. Marta Feuchtwanger remained an important figure in the exile community and devoted the remainder of her life after his death to promoting the work of her husband. The collection contains Marta Feuchtwanger's personal correspondence, texts and manuscripts by her and others, royalty statements received for the works of her husband, correspondence with publishers, and newspaper clippings mentioning Lion and Marta Feuchtwanger and other exiles. The collection also includes correspondence regarding the establishment and administration of the Feuchtwanger Memorial Library and Villa Aurora. In addition, the collection includes a series called "Carl Franklin Papers". Dr. Carl M. Franklin was Vice President Emeritus and Professor of Law at USC. From 1970, he served as Vice President of Legal Affairs. He and his wife were also very involved in fundraising, raising over $150 million for USC during their lifetime. The Carl Franklin Papers contain correspondence related to the transfer of the Feuchtwanger Estate to USC. Another series, "Hilde Waldo", contains personal correspondence, financial papers, medical bills, and other personal paperwork of Hilde Waldo. Ms. Waldo first served as a secretary to Lion Feuchtwanger. After his death, she continued to work for Marta Feuchtwanger.

Biographical / historical:

Marta Feuchtwanger was born Marta Loeffler on December 21, 1891 in Germany. In 1912 she married German-Jewish writer Lion Feuchtwanger and went with him into exile during WWII. First they lived in Southern France in Sanary-sur-mer but had to flee in 1940. They escaped to the US in 1940. Marta and her husband Lion moved to Los Angeles in early 1941 where they eventually bought a house at 520 Paseo Miramar. During WWII the Feuchtwanger's house became a well-known gathering place for German-speaking exiles and their American friends. Both Marta and Lion also helped others persecuted by the Nazis to escape from Europe. After Lion Feuchtwanger's death in 1958, Marta dedicated her life to keeping his memory and his work alive. She willed her house and Lion's invaluable library to USC and became the first curator of the Feuchtwanger Memorial Library. Marta assisted researchers and gave tours to USC students on a regular basis and received an honorable doctorate from USC in 1981. Marta survived her husband by almost 30 years. She died in Santa Monica in 1987.

Processing information:

The collection was partly processed by Adi Ben-Michael in 2011.

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Authors, German -- 20th century -- Biography -- Archival resources
Artists -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Simon Rodia's Towers (Los Angeles, Calif.) -- Archival resources
Political campaigns -- California -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Celebrities -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Composers -- California -- Los Angeles -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Conductors (Music) -- California -- Los Angeles -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Charities -- California -- Archival resources
Theater -- Germany -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Musicians -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Exiles -- Germany -- History -- 20th century -- Archival resources
German literature -- Archival resources
International relations -- 20th century -- Archival resources
German language -- Archival resources
Nonprofit organizations -- United States -- Archival resources
Jews -- California -- Los Angeles -- History -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Authors, German -- California -- Los Angeles -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Authors, German -- Germany -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Exiles -- United States -- History -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Photographs
Audiocassettes
Correspondence
Clippings
Theater programs
Notes
Manuscripts
Memoirs
Financial records
Scrapbooks
Ephemera

Names:

Feuchtwanger Memorial Library -- Archives
University of Southern California -- Archives
Wolff, Victoria -- Correspondence
Guggenheim, Felix -- Correspondence
Chaplin, Charles -- Correspondence
Schoenberg, Arnold, 1874-1951 -- Archives
Remarque, Erich Maria -- Archives
Eisler, Hanns -- Archives
Franklin, Carl M. (Carl Mason) -- Archives
Dieterle, William, 1893-1972 -- Correspondence
Feuchtwanger, Lion -- Archives
Waldo, Hilde -- Correspondence
Waldo, Hilde -- Archives
Feuchtwanger, Marta -- Correspondence
Feuchtwanger, Marta -- Friends and associates
Feuchtwanger, Marta -- Archives
Mierendorff, Marta -- Correspondence
Mann, Heinrich -- Archives
Mann, Thomas, 1875-1955 -- Archives

Places:

Germany -- Emigration and immigration -- History -- 1933-1945 -- Archival resources
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Emigration and immigration -- Archival resources

Restrictions:

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access.

Terms of access:

The collection contains published materials; researchers are reminded of the copyright restrictions imposed by publishers on reusing their articles and parts of books. It is the responsibility of researchers to acquire permission from publishers when reusing such materials. The copyright to unpublished materials belongs to the heirs of the writers. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Marta Feuchtwanger papers, Collection no. 0206, Feuchtwanger Memorial Library, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Location of this collection:

University of Southern California, Feuchtwanger Memorial Library

Special Collections

Doheny Memorial Library, Room 209

Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189, US

Contact:

(213) 740-5900

specol@usc.edu

Website