Max Sondheimer Collection

Papers and photographs belonging to Max Sondheimer, German-Jewish soldier. "War Diary" notebook (1915 - 1916); German Passport (1937); Photo album from the front (c. 1915); Handwritten letter (1917); Memorabilia magazine of WWI; Written document "Batterie 8/6 1915 - 1918" (1930).

Max Sondheimer was born in 1896 in Oberdorf close to the Wurttemberg/Bavaria border. His parents were Julius and Lina (nee Weil) Sondheimer. Lina's grandfather Veit Weil, founded a family business in the 1830s, manufacturing glues and adhesives.

Max Sondheimer served in the German army during the First World War then joined the family business which had moved to Stuttgart. He married Ida Oppenheimer (1900-1993), whose father was a banker in Wertheim-am-Main. Ida and Max had two sons, Ernst (1923) and Franz (1926 - 1981).

After disputes with the firm, Max established his own glue business in Stuttgart, in 1930. He was at first able to continue his business under Nazi rule, but in 1937 emigrated to London to work at his pre-existing branch in Tottenham. After the war he continued to live and work in London. In 1963 he sold his business to Borden Chemical Company, USA, but continued work as Managing Director and worked until he was over 80.

Items in the collection may be consulted for the purpose of private study and personal research, within the controlled environment and restrictions of The Keep's Reading Rooms.

An online catalogue is available on The Keep's website .

Note created by J Samuelson June 2011. Edited by Joanna Baines, 2011. Edited Samira Teuteberg, 2017

COPIES FOR PRIVATE STUDY: Subject to copyright, conditions imposed by owners and protecting the documents, digital copies can be made.

PUBLICATION: A reader wishing to publish material in the collection should contact the Head of Special Collections, in writing. The reader is responsible for obtaining permission to publish from the copyright owner.

Donated by Professor E H Sondheimer to the University of Sussex, c. 1997.