Georg and Margarethe Weiss family papers

The Georg and Margarethe Weiss family papers include two passports ("Reisepass") issued in Vienna, Austria, to Georg and Margarethe Weiss and affidavits and correspondence from Louis Weiss regarding his support of Georg and Margarethe’s immigration to the United States. Louis was not related to the Weiss family. The collection also includes a diary written by Peter Weiss, Georg and Margarethe’s son, from 1938-1940. Peter began his diary when he fled to Belgium in 1938 and his last entry was in June 1940, after arriving in the United States. In his diary Peter writes about boy scouts, leaving for Belgium, daily life in a DP camp in Belgium, leaving for England, developments of the war, his fears for his family, the process of his parent’s immigration to the United States, and immigrating to the United States though Canada. The diary includes photographs and newspaper clippings. The collection also includes a translation of the diary. Georg Weiss (b. 1886, later George) was born in Austria and married Margarethe Weiss (née Fuerst, b. 1890, later Margaret). They had one son, Peter (1918-1990) and lived in Vienna, Austria where Georg worked as a beer exporter and Margarethe worked as a milliner. Peter left for Belgium in 1938 at the urging of his uncle, who lived in Belgium. Shortly after crossing the border, Peter was stopped and taken to a DP camp in Belgium. In 1939 he was taken to the Kitchener DP camp in England. Meanwhile, Georg searched for people in the United States with the same last name and contacted several people in New York asking for their help. Louis Weiss was a lawyer in New York and did not know Georg or his family, but he answered Georg’s letter and became the family’s sponsor. Georg and Margarethe received their immigration paperwork in December 1939 and immigrated to the United States from Brussels in early 1940. Peter received his paperwork in May and immigrated to the United States through Canada in May 1940 and was reunited with his parents in New York. Peter settled in the Washington, D.C. area and served in the United States Army. He married Lillian in 1948 and they had two sons, Martin and Irwin. Georg Weiss (b. 1886, later George) was born in Austria and married Margarethe Weiss (née Fuerst, b. 1890, later Margaret). They had one son, Peter (1918-1990) and lived in Vienna, Austria where Georg worked as a beer exporter and Margarethe worked as a milliner. Peter left for Belgium in 1938 at the urging of his uncle, who lived in Belgium. Shortly after crossing the border, Peter was stopped and taken to a DP camp in Belgium. In 1939 he was taken to the Kitchener DP camp in England. Meanwhile, Georg searched for people in the United States with the same last name and contacted several people in New York asking for their help. Louis Weiss was a lawyer in New York and did not know Georg or his family, but he answered Georg’s letter and became the family’s sponsor. Georg and Margarethe received their immigration paperwork in December 1939 and immigrated to the United States from Brussels in early 1940. Peter received his paperwork in May and immigrated to the United States through Canada in May 1940 and was reunited with his parents in New York. Peter settled in the Washington, D.C. area and served in the United States Army. He married Lillian in 1948 and they had two sons, Martin and Irwin.