Robert Wolfers Family Collection 1811-1968

The collection contains extensive personal documents including correspondence and biographical material, of members of the Wolfers family from the early 19th century until mid 20th century. There is also significant documentation concerning the Berlin road construction firm of the Wolfers in the early 20th century.Philip Wolff Wolfers (? - 1848) was the father of Jacob Philipp Wolfers (1803-1878) and Julius Wolfers (1822-1896) (additional children as well). Jacob Philipp Wolfers became a well-known astronomist and corresponded with, amongst others, Alexander von Humboldt. Julius married Flora Blumenfeld (1826-1910) of Osnabrück and managed a store in Minden. They had several children, including Richard (1854-1925) who married Bertha Harff (c. 1857-1940). Richard was partial owner of a road construction company in Berlin. His son, Robert (1884-1968) , took over the company business upon the death of his father. Robert was one of 7 children, some of whom emigrated during the 1930s and some of whom were killed in concentration camps. Robert, his wife Lilly, and daughter Ruth (1936-2001) emigrated to the United States separately, Robert arrived last in 1940.The original German language catalogue cards are in folder 1.Finding aid available online.Photographs removed to Photograph CollectionProcessed for digitizationdigitize