Stella Reichenberg Meyer diaries and notebook
Scope and Contents
Includes photocopies of a handwritten diary and notebook, dated 1913 to 1932 and 1914 to 1923 respectively, and a travel diary dated March - August 1953. The first two items are only in German, and the last is in English and German.
These materials describe the frustrations, fears, and survival of Jews and other Germans during the Weimar Republic and Hitler eras. Also included are copied letters and a description of a trip to and around Europe (especially Germany, describing the aftermath of World War II) and the United States.
If you don't already know how to read the Kurrent script Stella uses in the first two folders, try this primer (https://www.kurrent-lernen-muecke.de/pdf/Schreiblehrgang%20Kurrentschrift%20%202016-english.pdf) or these tips (including the websites in #4 and 6: https://germanologyunlocked.com/20-tips-deciphering-old-german-handwriting/).
Dates
- 1913-1953
Conditions Governing Access
Open for public research.
Conditions Governing Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to use material from this collection must be obtained from the Reference Services at specialcollections@byu.edu.
Biographical / Historical
Stella Reichenberg Meyer was born in Bochum, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, on March 31, 1900, the oldest child and daughter of Jewish parents Adolf Reichenberg and Paula Lederer. She married Karl Ernst Meyer on January 10, 1924; they had one son, Frank George (December 1924), and one daughter, Eve (or Eva, July 1926). Karl moved the family to Switzerland in 1933, then emigrated to New York City on the ship Normandie in September 1938. The family later settled in San Francisco and petitioned for naturalization in August 1940. Karl registered for the draft in San Francisco in February 1942. He died on June 26, 1954 and was buried in the Hills of Eternity Memorial Park in Colma, San Mateo County, California. Stella died on June 8, 1987, and was buried in Hills of Eternity with her husband and mother.
Extent
3 folders (0.08 linear ft.)
Language of Materials
English
German
Custodial History
The diaries were passed down from Stella to her granddaughter (through Stella's son Frank/Franz), Hailey L. Meyer Liechty. Hailey donated them to Special Collections (on deposit only) in February 1991. She later requested them back for translation along with photocopies (while the library was able to keep a set of photocopies); the diaries were returned to her by curator P. Bradford Westwood in November 1996.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated; Hailey L. Meyer Liechty; 1991.
Appraisal
Latter-day Saint history and culture (Latter-day Saint and Western American Manuscripts Collection Development Policy V.A.1.a, 2023)
Processing Information
Processed; Amanda Crandall; 2024.
- Title
- Register of Stella Reichenberg Meyer diaries and notebook
- Status
- In Progress
- Author
- Amanda Crandall, processing archivist
- Date
- 2024 April 10
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English in Latin script.
Repository Details
Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo Utah 84602 United States