IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 1556 WL 620
Held at: Wiener Library
Title: Gross, Fritz: unpublished writings
Date(s): 1930s-1940s
Level of description: Collection level
Extent: 73 volumes
Name of creator(s): Gross | Fritz | 1897-1946 | writer
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
Fritz Gross was born in Vienna in 1897, the son of a Jewish dealer in precious stones, Herman Gross; fought in World War One, where he lost some of his closest friends, after which he moved to Germany where he worked at a variety of jobs in different places; joined the German Communist Party (KPD)in 1919 and was also an activist in various other left wing groups such as the 'Internationale Arbeiter-Hilfe', of which he was the general secretary in 1923.
He married Babette Thüring, also an activist, in 1920 and they had a son in 1923; in 1929, after their separation he moved to Hamburg, and stayed in the house of Magda Hoppstock-Huth; after Adolf Hitler came to power he moved to England, eventually setting up home in Regent Square, London, where he built up a lending library for other refugees and the house became a meeting place. He spent much of his time working in the British Library where he produced most of his writing, without being able to publish much; died 1946.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Fritz Gross collection of unpublished writings, [1930-1949] comprises original typescript writings notably including numerous short dramas notably including Piter, 1927 (620/26) a drama about Russia in 1917; anthologies of poetry notably including Der Regenbogen 1946 (620/56), a collection of German poems; essays on a wide variety of subjects including Deutsche 1930s-1940s (620/87) and biographical sketches of famous people.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: German and English
System of arrangement:
Original alphabetical arrangement retained.
Conditions governing access:
Open
Conditions governing reproduction:
Copies can be made for personal use. Permission must be sought for publication.
Physical characteristics:
Finding aids:
Description exists to this archive on the Wiener Library's online catalogue www.wienerlibrary.co.uk
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Accruals:
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
Peter Gross
ALLIED MATERIALS
Related material:
Publication note:
Brinson, Charmian and Malet, Marian, "Fritz Gross: An Exile in England", in German Life and Letters 49:3 July 1996, Blackwell
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Archivist's note: Entry compiled by Howard Falksohn
Date(s) of descriptions: November 2007