The Josef Bergmann Collection

Graduation photo of six students on a bench c.a. 1900
Bergmann is 4th from the left

Last year, project staff digitized the Josef Bergmann collection at the Holocaust Museum and Learning Center Archives in St. Louis, Missouri. Bergmann was born in Przeworsk, Poland, on December 13, 1879. He graduated from the University of Berlin in 1905 and became a physician. Bergmann became a German Citizen in 1913. On March 11, 1916, during WWI, he was decorated with the Merit of the Golden Crown Medal by the Emperor of Austria for bravery. Bergmann was discharged from the Austrian Army in 1918.  In 1935,  he was issued the Cross of Honor, which was given to all WWI  combatants. On June 5, 1939, at the height of Nazism, Bergmann's physicians license was revoked by the German government. On April 11, 1939 he was issued an immigration visa from the American Vice Consul in Berlin and on June 25, 1939 he was issued a visa through Belgium. On October 3, 1945, Bergmann  became a naturalized citizen of the United States in St. Louis, Missouri where he and his family settled.

The following documents and photographs provide context to Bergmann's remarkable story:

Certificate for Merit of the Golden Crown Medal.

HIS MAJESTY THE KAISER OF AUSTRIA King of Bohmen and so forth AND APOSTOLIC KING OF HUNGARY  HAVE, WITH THE  HIGHEST RESOLUTION on March 11, 1916 Have given the Head Physician Dr. Josef Bergmann of the Infantry Brigade Sanitary Institution 22In recognition of the sacrifice rendered against the enemy The Golden Distinguished Medal with the Crown of the Medal of Bravery.  Sent with the Most Gracious Loan on the following date Vienna  April 14  1916 From his Gracious Apostolic Majesty Colonel Signature



Photograph of  Merit of the Golden Crown Medal

Certificate for Cross of Honor Medal 

IN THE NAME OF THE CHIEF AND CHANCELLOR To Doctor Josef  Bergmann  in Berlin Regarding the Decree of July 13, 1934, in memory of the World War 1914/1918 from the Imperial President General Field Marshall von Hindenburg the Honorable Medal for the Warriors of the Front lines, was given. President of the police in Berlin Berlin on July 15 1935 Signature Authorization from the War Ministry





Photograph of Cross of Honor Medal



Letter to Josef Bergmann dated October 6, 1939.

 



General Medical Council Berlin Berlin W. 35,Woyerstrasse 33 Telephone  No. 22-78-11 Postal Office Number  Berlin  18346 To. Mr.  Dr. J. Israel Bergman Berlin-N Chorinerstr. 64 The Representative for Jews. October 6, 1939 Regarding your letter of June 5,1939, I wish to inform you that we have received a letter from you from October 12,1920, filled out so that it can inform the Division of the Doctor's Department of Larger Berlin that since April 1909 in Berlin  you have been eliminated as practicing physician. On September 9,1938 you have lost your position as ordered by the Laws of the General Medical Council. From that day on you are no longer  a physician. You received therefore from the General Medical Council  on October 1, 1938, that you will only be allowed to handle jews.  Signed  Dr. Hermann Seal with general Medical Council  BERLIN



Certificate of Naturalization. Bergmann, Josef.  Issued in St. Louis, Missouri on October 3, 1945

In addition to the Bergmann collection,  project staff surveyed several other collections at the Holocaust Museum and Learning Center Archives.  They included the Walter Liebmann, Vambery, Renate Collection and the Sallo Ledermann, Lederman/Baron Collection.  These gentlemen's stories are below:

Walter Liebmann

Walter Liebmann was a lawyer in Stuttgart before he voluntarily joined the German military in 1913.  Because of his doctorate level of education, he should have received an officer ranking immediately, but because he was a Jew it took a little longer.  He received awards for his service, and by the time of his discharge in November 1918 he had the rank of Lieutenant.   

After WWI, Walter Liebmann rebuilt his law practice, and provided well for his highly cultured family (wife and two daughters). However, in 1933 he began to post a guard at his office, and had “Jew” pasted over his shingle.  Thus he began to have fewer and fewer clients, until the next year when he was told he could no longer attend court. 

Under the Gestapo’s gaze, the family packed what they could, and by 1936 the entire family had left Germany for the United States.

Sallo Ledermann

Irene Apfel left Germany in 1938, traveled to Paris and then to the United States.  She married Fred (Sallo) Ledermann in St. Louis in 1941.  Both became US citizens – one in 1943 and the other in 1944. 

Sallo was born in 1899, and served in the German military in WWI.  Like many other German Jews, however, that service did not help him when WWII began.  He finally got out of Germany in the late 1930s.

Irene Apfel Ledermann’s brother, sisters and nephew were held in various French camps during WWII.

For more information on any of these collections, contact the Holocaust Museum and Learning Center Archives.

Sources:

Joseph Bergmann Collection,  Holocaust Museum and Archives

Walter Liebmann, Vambery, Renate Collection, Holocaust Museum and Archives

Sallo Ledermann, Lederman/Baron Collection,  Holocaust Museum and Archives