Permanent URL: http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/r207tp33z
Arthur von Briesen Papers, 1895-1929 (bulk 1905-1920): Finding Aid
MC034
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Published in 1997
©2006 Princeton University Library
Summary Information
- Creator:
- Von Briesen, Arthur, 1843-
- Title and dates:
- Arthur von Briesen Papers, 1895-1929 (bulk 1905-1920)
- Abstract:
- The papers housed in the Arthur von Briesen Papers document the later years of Arthur von Briesen (1843-1920), a New York City lawyer and philanthropist. Von Briesen, a German-American patent lawyer, served as President of the Legal Aid Society of New York (1889-1916), and as president of the Alliance of Legal Aid Societies of America. Aside from emphasizing his work with the Legal Aid Society, the papers also highlight a variety of other areas--professional, political, and philanthropic--actively pursued by von Briesen. The papers illuminate the passionate side of von Briesen in the private correspondence with his family and others, as well as his cultural interests and engagement within the German-American community of New York City.
- Size:
- 6.85 linear feet (11 boxes, 1 oversize box)
- Call number:
- MC034
- Location:
- Princeton University Library. Department of Rare Books and Special Collections.
Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library.
Public Policy Papers.
Princeton, New Jersey 08540 USA - Language(s) of material:
- English. Nearly half of the Arthur von Briesen Papers appear in German with only a few documents translated.
- Storage note:
- This collection is stored onsite at the Mudd Manuscript Library.
Biography of Arthur von Briesen
Arthur von Briesen, born into German aristocracy in 1843, came to the United States after completing his early education in northern Germany in 1858. He is said to have lived through bouts of extreme poverty while his family struggled to settle in their adoptive country. After responding to President Lincoln's call for troops and fighting with the First New York Volunteer Engineers, von Briesen returned to New York City and worked for Scientific American. A highly resourceful and ambitious man, von Briesen simultaneously studied law at New York University and was admitted to the Bar in 1868. By 1874 von Briesen ran his own firm, practicing patent law primarily. Sixteen years after his immigration, Arthur von Briesen had established himself as a distinguished lawyer.
As a German immigrant, von Briesen took great interest in the German-American community in New York City as well as in other areas of the United States. He was active in a number of organizations and publications meant to speak to and on the behalf of immigrated Germans. Such organizations included the Deutscher Gesellig-wissenschaftlicher Verein, Deutsches Hospital, Liederkranz, and Deutsche Gesellschaft. His interests and philanthropic energies, however, were not exclusively German. As a leading member of the Good Government Club, von Briesen carried an influential voice in municipal as well as state legislation. Von Briesen was president of the Legal Aid Society (1890), president of the Political and Citizens Union (1896), chairman of the Ellis Island Investigating Committee (1903), president of the New York Roosevelt League (1904), and a delegate to the Universal Congress of Lawyers and Jurists in St. Louis (1904). He also served on various committees and was a member of a number of charity organizations in New York City. For the services rendered to the French and German citizens of New York in connection with the Legal Aid Society, von Briesen received the Cross of the Legion of Honor from the French government in 1905, and the Order of the Crown of Prussia from Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1906.
Arthur von Briesen's greatest deed and gift to New York City was indeed his dedication and impassioned involvement as President of the Legal Aid Society. As stated in the organization's constitution of 1908, its purpose was, “to render legal aid, gratuitously if necessary, to all who appear worthy thereof, and who are unable to procure assistance elsewhere and to promote measures for their protection.” The Society's aim was to avoid litigation through negotiation, saving the client both time and money. The Legal Aid Society was originally founded as the Der Deutsche Rechts-Schutz-Verein in 1876 by a group of German citizens concerned with the abuses and hardships of newly arrived (German) immigrants in New York. Arthur von Briesen's rise to the Society's presidency in 1889 marked the beginnings of a larger movement in legal aid around the country. In the immediate decades thereafter, branches of the Legal Aid Society appeared in other larger cities around the country.
Arthur von Briesen resigned as president of the Legal Aid Society in 1916 due to his views on the World War, then in progress. Not entirely convinced that Germany was to blame for the war, von Briesen did not want his views to threaten the future of the Legal Aid Society. Although not present in this collection, von Briesen is said to have published a number of pro-German articles (or at least calls for American neutrality--references to these are made in Series 6 of this collection) in 1914, and in 1915/6 his name was associated with the pro-German activities of George Viereck. Von Briesen became active in a number of organizations engaged in relieving the hardships wrought by war in Europe--medical aid and food shipments, primarily. And as the war worsened and exchanges with his family in Germany grew dimmer and disheartening, von Briesen too became disheartened. He died shortly after the War's close, in May 1920.
Description
The bulk of the papers are dedicated to Arthur von Briesen's general interest and work in philanthropy and politics, both within and beyond the municipal realm of New York City. The files of the Legal Aid Society, of which von Briesen was President for over twenty-five years, make up more than half of this collection and are for the most part complete. As Legal Aid Society President, von Briesen participated in all aspects of the organization--administration, finance, publicity, the activities of its six branches, and individual case work. The collection therefore holds the Legal Aid financial files, much of its case work, and extensive correspondence between von Briesen and the Society's various directors and attorneys. The rest of the collection consists of files from his own law firm as well as from the various professional, charitable, and cultural organizations in which he took part, including the National Roosevelt League (he served as president), the Merchants' Association of New York City, Germanistic Society of America (von Briesen was a charter member), and Civil War veterans organizations. Also found are papers, printed material, and correspondence regarding German-American activities before, during, and after the First World War. Nearly half of the Arthur von Briesen Papers appear in German with only a few documents translated. The hand-written correspondence is at times difficult to read as some of it is in Fraktur.
Arrangement
Organized into the following series:
- Series 1: General Correspondence, (1895-1920)
- Series 2: Legal Aid Society, (1900-1918)
- Series 3: Legal Files, (1907-1929)
- Series 4: General Subject File, (1895-1920)
- Series 5: Organizations, (1895-1920)
- Series 6: Family Correspondence, (1908-1920)
- Series 7: Printed Materials, (ca. 1914-1920)
Access and Use
Access
Collection is open for research use.
Restrictions on Use and Copyright Information
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Curator of the Public Policy Papers. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions.
Acquisition and Appraisal
Provenance and Acquisition
The Arthur von Briesen Papers were purchased from the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana in 1947 by the Princeton University Library (Accession Number: AM13411). These papers are known to be incomplete as Mr. Warshaw--on a tip from a house wrecking concern--was unable to salvage all the records.
Processing and Other Information
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Marta A. Hanewald in June 1993. Finding aid written by Marta A. Hanewald in June 1993.
Descriptive Rules Used
Finding aid content adheres to that prescribed by Describing Archives: A Content Standard.
Encoding
Machine-readable finding aid encoded in EAD 2002 by Techbooks and Cristela García-Spitz on October 13, 2006.
Finding aid written in English.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Arthur von Briesen Papers, Box and Folder Number; Public Policy Papers, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Princeton University Library.
Subject Headings
These materials have been indexed in the Princeton University Library online catalog using the following terms. Those seeking related materials should search under these terms.
- Germanistic Society of America.
- Legal Aid Society (New York, N.Y.)
- Merchants' Association of New York.
- German Americans -- New York (N.Y.)
- Legal aid societies -- United States -- 20th century.
- Patent laws and legislation -- United States -- Cases -- 20th century.
- World War, 1914-1918 -- Civilian relief -- Germany.
- World War, 1914-1918 -- German Americans.
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Veterans.
- Case files.
- Correspondence.
- Legal correspondence, American.
- Lawyers -- New York (N.Y.)
Browse other finding aids related to the following terms:
Contents List
Series 1: General Correspondence, 1895-1920
Series Description
The letters in this series are arranged alphabetically, and then chronologically. The bulk of this series dates from 1914 until his death in 1920 and the date span determines the correspondence's topics. It includes correspondence with friends and family in Germany which discuss his views about the war, as well as his interest in related events and political attitudes. Topics include the plight of war-embroiled Europe, treaty implications, American neutrality, the increasing discrimination against German-Americans in New York City, matters of wartime legal and trade interests, and the organization of various relief groups.
There are also letters which depict another side of von Briesen's time and person. The Turnbridge correspondence, for example, highlights von Briesen's dedication in helping the needy and presents the patient, caring and creative side of him. (Turnbridge was a “schizophrenic” elderly woman who relied on von Briesen's correspondence and support.) Among other items of this sort, there are many letters which reveal von Briesen's concern for the poor, the homeless, and orphaned children.
Also worth mentioning are some letters concerning the Legal Aid Society: In a letter to Kennedy Tod in 1916, von Briesen offers the only explanation of his resignation from the Legal Aid Society in the entire collection. In 1919, von Briesen also writes Hughes (his successor as President of the Legal Aid Society) and Leonard McGee (Attorney-in-Chief of the Legal Aid Society). In his letters to the latter, von Briesen reprimands McGee and the organization in general for abandonment of the moral pursuits of the Society.
There are a few publications about the history of Legal Aid in the United States with most of them focusing on New York City and the achievements of Arthur von Briesen. One such book, The Legal Aid Society: 1876-1951 by Harrison Tweed, the husband of von Briesen's daughter Barbara, is introduced by another, earlier author of a piece on the Legal Aid Society, Reginald Heber Smith ( Justice and the Poor).
Two folders entitled “Quirksome Arthur von Briesen” highlights the eccentric, humorous, and creative side of von Briesen. He pokes and chastises his cobbler and tailor as well as himself, orders exotic wines and animals for his lavish Staten Island estate, writes corny and touching poetry to friends and family, in addition to other amusing items.
A, 1914-1920
Box 1, Folder 1 Altman, B., 1917-1918
Box 1, Folder 2 Argus Press Clipping Bureau, 1916
Box 1, Folder 3 B, 1916-1919
Box 1, Folder 4 Bag - Ban, 1908-1920
Box 1, Folder 5 Bandelier, Fanny R., 1916-1918
Box 1, Folder 6 Be, 1909-1920
Box 1, Folder 7 Boardman, Catherine, 1916
Box 1, Folder 8 Bo - Br, 1916-1926
Box 1, Folder 9 Bur - Bus, 1916-1919
Box 1, Folder 10 C, undated
Box 1, Folder 11 Carnegie Foundation, 1911-1919
Box 1, Folder 12 Cal - Cam, 1907-1920
Box 1, Folder 13 Car - Cor, 1912-1917
Box 1, Folder 14 Cra - Crl, 1911-1918
Box 1, Folder 15 Cro - Cut, 1916-1920
Box 1, Folder 16 Cromwell, George, 1907
Box 1, Folder 17 D, 1916-1919
Box 1, Folder 18 E, 1916-1920
Box 1, Folder 19 F, 1912-1919
Box 1, Folder 20 G, 1916-1919
Box 1, Folder 21 Hag - Hau, 1908-1919
Box 1, Folder 22 Hemphill, Alexander, 1918
Box 1, Folder 23 Hea - Hum, 1908-1920
Box 1, Folder 24 J, 1916-1920
Box 1, Folder 25 Logan, 1919
Box 1, Folder 26 Lorleberg, Laura, 1920
Box 1, Folder 27 Lutz, Charles and Willi, 1916-1919
Box 1, Folder 28 K, 1908-1920
Box 1, Folder 29 Kaiserlich Deutsches Generalkonsulat (Imperial German Consulate General), 1914-1916
Box 1, Folder 30 Knapp, Lucien and Kuttroff, Adolf, 1911-1919
Box 1, Folder 31 Kingman, 1916
Box 1, Folder 32 Knauth, 1908-1920
Box 1, Folder 33 Kolff, Cornelius, 1906-1920
Box 1, Folder 34 La - Le, 1918
Box 1, Folder 35 Li - Ly, 1914-1920
Box 1, Folder 36 Ma - Mc, 1911-1920
Box 1, Folder 37 Me - Mu, 1907-1920
Box 1, Folder 38 McGee, Leonard, 1917-1920
Box 1, Folder 39 Mordecai, Gertrude, 1903-1920
Box 1, Folder 40 N, 1906-1920
Box 2, Folder 1 O, 1916
Box 2, Folder 2 P, 1918-1919
Box 2, Folder 3 Probst, Ilse, 1917-1919
Box 2, Folder 4 Putnam, G. H., 1907-1911
Box 2, Folder 5 Quirksome Arthur Von Briesen, 1906-1917
Box 2, Folder 6 Quirksome Arthur Von Briesen, 1920
Box 2, Folder 7 R, 1909-1919
Box 2, Folder 8 Reynders, C., 1920
Box 2, Folder 9 Riis, Jacob A., 1911-1918
Box 2, Folder 10 Roosevelt, Theodore, 1917-1918
Box 2, Folder 11 S, 1905-1920
Box 2, Folder 12 Schoenstadt, Arthur, 1916-1917
Box 2, Folder 13 Schepp, Leo, 1917-1920
Box 2, Folder 14 Schirmer, Otilie, 1920
Box 2, Folder 15 Schlegel, Philippa, 1913-1920
Box 2, Folder 16 Schlender, Otto, 1920
Box 2, Folder 17 Schling, Max, 1918-1920
Box 2, Folder 18 Schneider, Anna, 1918
Box 2, Folder 19 Schweitzer, Hugo and Adele, 1909-1916
Box 2, Folder 20 Schraeder, Lucy, 1913
Box 2, Folder 21 Schurz, Carl L., 1895-1920
Box 2, Folder 22 Shepherd, William, 1916-1917
Box 2, Folder 23 Shortt, William, 1911
Box 2, Folder 24 Siemers, Edmund, 1916
Box 2, Folder 25 Smyth, Nathan, 1916-1917
Box 2, Folder 26 Stoiber, Louis, 1916-1917
Box 2, Folder 27 Shess, John L., 1917-1919
Box 2, Folder 28 T, 1916-1919
Box 2, Folder 29 Tod, J. Kennedy, 1916-1919
Box 2, Folder 30 Tombo, Rudolf, 1917-1920
Box 2, Folder 31 Townsend, F.C., 1918-1919
Box 2, Folder 32 Tucker, Lillian C., 1916-1919
Box 2, Folder 33 Turnbridge, Virginia, undated
Box 2, Folder 34 Turnbridge, Virginia, undated
Box 2, Folder 35 U, 1916-1917
Box 2, Folder 36 unidentified, undated
Box 3, Folder 1 V, 1916-1920
Box 3, Folder 2 Viereck, George, 1917-1920
Box 3, Folder 3 Von Briesen, Arthur, 1916
Box 3, Folder 4 W, 1914-1920
Box 3, Folder 5 Wachter, Ferdinand, 1919
Box 3, Folder 6 Wagner, Theodore B. and Caroline, 1919-1920
Box 3, Folder 7 Werthheimer, S., undated
Box 3, Folder 8 West Publishing Company, 1919
Box 3, Folder 9 Wiebusch, Charles F., 1918-1920
Box 3, Folder 10 Wiesel, Peter, 1917-1919
Box 3, Folder 11 Writings, 1914
Box 3, Folder 12 Writings, 1914-1915
Box 3, Folder 13 Y, 1920
Box 3, Folder 14 Series 2: Legal Aid Society, 1900-1918
Series Description
This series consists of seven types of material arranged alphabetically which together reveal the Legal Aid Society as it functioned during the last ten years of von Briesen's Presidency. Von Briesen became its President in 1890, although the earlier years of his term are not represented in this collection. The papers in this series are from the office of the President (von Briesen) and therefore should not be considered the complete files of the Legal Aid Society. Von Briesen was, however, interested and dedicated to all aspects of the Society, the welfare of its directors and attorneys in its branch offices, as well as the people it served throughout New York City and beyond.
The Administrative Files hold the papers and correspondence of the Legal Aid Society officers and directors, arranged alphabetically, as well as committee activities and papers, correspondence from the branch offices, and official bulletins and reports. Within these areas, the files are arranged chronologically. The bulk dates of these papers are 1905-1914. The following is important to note: Arthur von Briesen, as President, corresponded with all members of the Society as well as many of its clients. His papers in this series detail everything from committee appointments to resignations, and include individual case work, his work to allay tensions among the Society's other administrators, and public relations work.
The papers of the various officers throughout the years warrant brief description. Some folders list both the name and position held by the person while others are headed with just a name. In most cases this is due to an overlapping of responsibilities and functions. Most of the officers and directors of the Legal Aid Society served on one or more committees and their correspondence with von Briesen demonstrate a large breadth of information.
- Merrill E. Gates--Attorney-in-Chief from 1907-1909.
- J. Augustus Johnson--Chairman of the Branch for Seamen and the Chairman of the Immigration Committee. See also committee-work under the heading Immigration Committee.
- Cornelius Kitchel--Attorney-in-Chief in 1905 serving until 1907. In 1913, he became Secretary. His position was very valuable and ranged from case work to congressional interests
- Leonard McGee--Attorney-in-Chief beginning in 1910; a January 1912 letter lists attorneys working under him in the various branches.
- Carl Schurz--(son of the famous 1848 German revolutionary) Vice President of the Society beginning in 1906 and Chairman of the Harlem Branch for some time. Von Briesen's correspondence to Schurz of April 10, 1912, gives the latter an “Inspection of the Seven Offices,”--the only complete reference to the Society in relation to its branch offices.
- Louis Stoiber--director of the Society almost since its beginning as the Deutscher Rechtsschutzverein. His correspondence to von Briesen was very open and quite frank about the developments and tensions within the Legal Aid Society. His dedication to Legal Aid is almost as unwavering as that of von Briesen's; he virtually began and maintained the Brooklyn Branch with his own funds and many of his papers document this. Stoiber was an outspoken member of the Society as well as a good friend of von Briesen. His letters are heated and at time border on sycophantic.
- Charles Wiebusch--Chairman of the Harlem Branch in 1905, of the Publication Committee, Secretary, and interim-Treasurer, 1914-1915.
- Louis Windmüller--Treasurer who died in 1914.
The Press Agent folder (the press agent was affiliated with the Main Office which was maintained by the Attorney-in-Chief) consists of interesting discussion of Legal Aid issues and the importance of their publication. The folders regarding committee work and branch offices require little explanation. The work done by Johnson and the Immigration Committee is noteworthy, however, and at the time greatly appreciated by von Briesen and the New York community at large and especially its immigrants. Johnson wrote a number of articles about “The Problem of Immigration,” in which he stressed the importance of the “distribution of these immigrants for the good of the state.” The committee (led by Johnson) did extensive work with the railroad systems in the East, making transportation more comfortable, easier and safer for immigrants travelling westward. The Bulletins and Reports folder holds only a few of those that must have circulated during von Briesen's administration.
Materials relating to the Alliance of Legal Aid Societies of America consist of correspondence between Arthur von Briesen and other lawyers and academics across the United States interested in Legal Aid work and the formation of a national alliance of Legal Aid Societies. Through close work with the Legal Aid Society of Chicago, von Briesen became the President of the Alliance of Legal Aid Society's of America, though his date of election is unclear.
The Benefit Events file consists of letters concerning the concerts and performances sponsored by the Legal Aid Society in order to raise money. The Cases file is arranged chronologically. The Financial Files consist of correspondence between the Treasurer (Windmüller) and Arthur von Briesen, financial reports and the fund raising activities of von Briesen. The Printed Material files contain both articles and press releases written by von Briesen and others.
Administrative--Briesen, Arthur Von (President), 1904-1917
Box 3, Folder 15-20 Administrative--Briesen, Arthur Von (President), 1900-1914
Box 4, Folder 1-3 Administrative--Everett, A. Leo (Secretary), 1908-1913
Box 4, Folder 4 Administrative--Gates, Merrill E. (Attorney-in-Chief), 1907-1909
Box 4, Folder 5-6 Administrative--Johnson, J. Augustus, 1905-1913
Box 4, Folder 7 Administrative--Kitchel, Cornelius, 1905-1914
Box 4, Folder 8 Administrative--MacKenzie, Colin (Auditor), 1907-1914
Box 4, Folder 9 Administrative--McGee, Leonard (Attorney-in-Chief), 1910-1914
Box 4, Folder 10-11 Administrative--Schurtz, Carl (Vice-President), 1905-1914
Box 4, Folder 12 Administrative--Stoiber, Louis, 1905
Box 4, Folder 13 Administrative--Stoiber, Louis, 1907-1913
Box 5, Folder 1 Administrative--Taussig, Walter (Secretary), 1905
Box 5, Folder 2 Administrative--Wardell, Allen (Treasurer), 1914
Box 5, Folder 3 Administrative--Wiebusch, Charles, 1904-1907
Box 5, Folder 4 Administrative--Windmuller, Louis (Treasurer), 1907-1913
Box 5, Folder 5 Administrative--Press Agent(s), 1909-1914
Box 5, Folder 6 Administrative--Immigration Committee, 1911-1913
Box 5, Folder 7 Administrative--Law Committee, 1905-1914
Box 5, Folder 8 Administrative--Branch for Seamen, 1905-1913
Box 5, Folder 9 Administrative--Brooklyn Branch, 1907-1914
Box 5, Folder 10 Administrative--East Side Branch, 1905-1913
Box 5, Folder 11 Administrative--Harlem Branch, 1907-1913
Box 5, Folder 12 Administrative--Nominating Committee, 1905-1916
Box 5, Folder 13 Administrative--Uptown Branch, 1905
Box 5, Folder 14 Administrative--West Side Branch, 1913
Box 5, Folder 15 Administrative--Bulletins and Reports, 1905-1912
Box 5, Folder 16 Administrative--Miscellaneous, 1905
Box 5, Folder 17 Alliance of Legal Aid Societies of America, 1905-1912
Box 5, Folder 18 Alliance of Legal Aid Societies of America--Convention of the Legal Aid Societies, 1912-1914
Box 5, Folder 19 Alliance of Legal Aid Societies of America, 1913-1916
Box 5, Folder 20-22 Benefit Events, 1905-1914
Box 6, Folder 1 Cases, 1910-1917
Box 6, Folder 2-9 Cases, 1904-1909
Box 7, Folder 1-9 Financial Files--Correspondence with Treasurer, 1907-1914
Box 7, Folder 10 Financial Files--Financial Reports, 1905-1915
Box 7, Folder 11 Financial Files--Fundraising, 1902-1914
Box 7, Folder 12 Printed Material--Newspaper Clippings, 1905-1909
Box 7, Folder 13 Printed Material--Articles/Press Releases, 1906-1918
Box 7, Folder 14 Series 3: Legal Files, 1907-1929
Series Description
Only four major cases comprise the legal files of von Briesen and Schrenk and one (Cumaná & Carúpano Pier and Tramway Co.) was handled by von Briesen's son after von Briesen's death. All are patent cases.
The Cumaná & Carúpano Pier and Tramway Company files consist of correspondence between the company and other sources (such as their clients and shareholders). Von Briesen's law firm, Briesen & Knauth (later Briesen & Schrenk) served as counsel to the Cumaná & Carúpano Pier & Tramway Co. which operated lighthouses, piers, and power plants in Venezuela. Most of the correspondence was handled by Otto van Schrenk who also served as a director and officer of the company. Von Briesen seems to have no direct relation to the company; the records continue long after his death, and there is no clear reason for these records to have been in von Briesen's papers. Records relate to income, stock, finances, tax status of the company. Among the items present are annual reports, financial audits, and general correspondence.
Briesen and Schrenk - Cases - W.P. Dunham, 1920-1922
Box 8, Folder 1 Briesen and Schrenk - Correspondence, 1907-1920
Box 8, Folder 2 Briesen and Schrenk - Cases - George Sardou, 1923
Box 8, Folder 3 Briesen and Schrenk - Cases - Paul Goffart, 1920-1923
Box 8, Folder 4 Briesen and Knauth/Briesen and Schrenk Cumana and Carupano Pier and Tramway Co, 1910-1919
Box 8, Folder 5-8 Series 4: General Subject File, 1905-1920
Series Description
This series is arranged topically by subject, and then chronologically. It contains information on von Briesen's many areas of work and interest, including his efforts to shape legislation, his activities within the German-American community, and his World War I reflections and opinions.
The nature of the legislative interests (federal and state) are various and span a number of years which indicates his devotion and general interest in political affairs and the welfare of America's citizens. Issues include immigration policies, loan shark bills, and domestic patent statutes.
The nature of the international patent and trade issues are just that -- the major issues are the Panama trade zone, Cuban patent rights and patent and trade freedom with Germany and the rest of Europe.
The Carl Holland files detail the dire straits in which post-war Germany found itself. Carl Holland came to the United States trying to develop business transactions to help Germany out of starvation and disaster. Von Briesen corresponded with Holland before the latter came to the United States, and besides trying to establish contacts for Holland, he discussed at length the situation in Germany and that country's relations with other European states and the United States. The coal issue (a central issue due to Germany's loss of Alsace Lorraine) as well as the desperate situation with transportation are discussed in detail.
There are a series of clippings which have to do with the performance of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar on 28 March 1916. Apparently the performance was organized through the German Theater (Deutsches Theater) and von Briesen was its spokesperson. In one of the clippings, he is quoted at length in the Volkszeitung for expressing his feelings towards “Deutschtum” and the hope that the world could continue to be brought together, regardless of nationality, through art and science. The efforts of the German Theater underscore this idea.
The War Issues file contains information on diverse issues and all are intensely debated by von Briesen. Issues discussed include: discrimination against German-Americans in America and particularly New York City; the morality of the Red Cross; von Briesen's response to anti-German propaganda; the legal implications of European treaty obligations; von Briesen's insistence on American neutrality. Newspaper clippings document these issues as well.
International Patent and Trade Issue, 1906-1916
Box 8, Folder 9 Congressional Interests (State and Federal), 1905-1914
Box 8, Folder 10 “Kladderadatsch”, 1915
Box 8, Folder 11 US Relief to Germany (re: Dr. Alice Hamilton), 1920
Box 8, Folder 12 German Bazaar in Aid of War--Sufferers of the Central Powers, 1916
Box 8, Folder 13 German Bazaar in Aid of War--Sufferers of the Central Powers, 1916
Box 9, Folder 1 Infantile Paralysis--Correspondence, 1916
Box 9, Folder 2 Infantile Paralysis--Newspaper Clippings, 1916
Box 9, Folder 3 Municipal Legislation--“Sunday Law”, 1895
Box 9, Folder 4 Staten Island, 1907-1911
Box 9, Folder 5 Awards, 1905-1913
Box 9, Folder 6 Carl Holland, 1919-1920
Box 9, Folder 7-8 War Issues - Correspondence, 1914
Box 9, Folder 9-10 War Issues - Newspaper Clippings, undated
Box 9, Folder 11 Series 5: Organizations, 1895-1920
Series Description
This series consists of an alphabetical arrangement of all the organizations and committees in which von Briesen participated and/or served. The natures of these organizations are varied, ranging from the political and philanthropic to the cultural and ethnic.
The more significant files in this series are the following:
Germanistic Society of America of which Arthur von Briesen was a charter member, Vice President and Directing Attorney. This organization was established through Columbia University in 1907.
National Roosevelt League of New York which von Briesen, and his good friend Carl Schurz led. Von Briesen served on the National Board of Directors and as president. This series contains many of the organization's files and papers, along with its printed materials, written mostly by von Briesen, Schurz and George Viereck. The materials in this file is extensive and valuable for the history of the Roosevelt campaign of 1904. Most of the materials and efforts of the National Roosevelt League were directed to the German-Americans of New York.
The Merchants' Association of New York; in which von Briesen served as Chairman of both the Patent Committee and the Committee on the Protection of Industrial Property. He wrote a number of articles on wartime trade and patent issues. Other issues were the British mail censor and the complete ban on correspondence across enemy lines. The correspondence and papers in this file are extensive and informative.
East Prussian Relief Fund was an organization which interested and engaged von Briesen during the years of the First World War.
American Physicians Expedition Committee, 1917
Box 9, Folder 12 Association for the Improvement of the Condition of the Poor, 1911
Box 9, Folder 13 Carl Schurz Memorial Fund, 1906-1913
Box 9, Folder 14 Citizens Union of the City of New York, 1900-1918
Box 9, Folder 15 Die Deutsche Gesellschaft Der Stadt New York - Annual, 1910
Box 9, Folder 16 Deutsch-Amerikanischer National Bund “Deutscher Tag”, 1916
Box 9, Folder 17 Deutsche Haustrauen Verein, 1906
Box 9, Folder 18 Deutsches Theater, 1916
Box 9, Folder 19 East Prussian Relief Fund By Laws/Certificate of Corporation, 1916
Box 9, Folder 20 East Prussian Relief Fund - Correspondence, 1915-1917
Box 9, Folder 21 East Prussian Relief Fund--Newspaper Clippings, undated
Box 9, Folder 22 First New York Volunteer Engineers, 1907-1918
Box 9, Folder 23 Germanistic Society of America--Correspondence, 1907-1913
Box 9, Folder 24-26 Germanistic Society of America--List of Members, undated
Box 10, Folder 1 Germanistic Society of America--Constitution/Certificate of Incorporation, 1908
Box 10, Folder 2 Germanistic Society of America--Printed Material, 1908
Box 10, Folder 3 Good Government Club - Correspondence, 1895
Box 10, Folder 4 Good Government Club--General Materials, 1895
Box 10, Folder 5 Judiciary Nominators, 1906
Box 10, Folder 6 Liederkranz of the City of New York--Annual Report, 1917-1918
Box 10, Folder 7 Liederkranz of the City of New York--Bazaar, 1919-1920
Box 10, Folder 8 Linden Museum of Natural History of Stuttgart, 1912-1914
Box 10, Folder 9 The Merchants' Association of New York--Correspondence, 1906-1918
Box 10, Folder 10-13 The Merchants' Association of New York--Bulletins and Printed Material, 1907-1916
Box 10, Folder 14 National Roosevelt League--Correspondence, 1904-1912
Box 10, Folder 15-18 National Roosevelt League--Publications, undated
Box 10, Folder 19 National Roosevelt League--Drafts for Articles by Arthur Von Briesen, undated
Box 10, Folder 20 National Roosevelt League--Newspaper Clippings, undated
Box 10, Folder 21 National Roosevelt League--Miscellaneous, undated
Box 10, Folder 22 Veteran Association of the Department of the South, 1908-1917
Box 11, Folder 1 Viereck's American Monthly/The Fatherland Corporation/Rundschau Zweier Welten, 1911
Box 11, Folder 2 Verband Deutscher Patentwalte, 1915-1920
Box 11, Folder 3 Receipts, undated
Box 11, Folder 4 Olmsted and Vaux Memorial Committee (Central Park), 1914
Box 11, Folder 5 Stapleton National Bank, 1906-1911
Box 11, Folder 6 Series 6: Family Correspondence, 1908-1920
Series Description
The correspondence is arranged alphabetically by correspondent's last name. This series gives a broader understanding of von Briesen and his family, providing information as to particular members' location and activities.
Von Briesen's correspondence with his cousin Ernst Schenk (Schenk was the last name of many of von Briesen's family in Germany) particularly illuminates this point. Much of the correspondence is fact-filled in nature, caused in no small part by the English censors who made for irregular correspondence between the United States and Germany. Ernst's handwriting is difficult to understand, but its pattern, consistency, and near modern fraktur allow for relatively easy deciphering. The letters also reveal von Briesen's reverence and love for his family and mother-country. The letters on the whole tell about the war from both sides as Schenk's letters provide first-hand accounts of post-war Germany's disarray and severe food shortages (which von Briesen alleviated with food shipments) while von Briesen details the English censor and the stature of German-American citizens as “enemies” (or, at best “second-class-citizens”).
In an unrelated but humorous matter, in a letter to Stanwood Menken concerning the choice of college for the grandson, von Briesen vehemently chooses Harvard over Princeton. In a letter dated April 10, 1920, there are three pages about why one should NOT go to Princeton.
B-C, 1914
Box 11, Folder 7 Banning, Kendall, 1916
Box 11, Folder 8 de Lara, Louise, 1914
Box 11, Folder 9 Duvel, Erich, 1919-1920
Box 11, Folder 10 Engelhorn, Julia, 1916
Box 11, Folder 11 Goepel, Carl, 1919-1920
Box 11, Folder 12 Goepel, Frank, 1914
Box 11, Folder 13 Goepel, Hannchen, 1919-1920
Box 11, Folder 14 Goepel, Lollie, 1919
Box 11, Folder 15 Goepel, Paul, 1920
Box 11, Folder 16 H-K, 1920
Box 11, Folder 17 Licht, Hugo, 1914
Box 11, Folder 18 Mahl, Herma, 1918
Box 11, Folder 19 McCormack, Charles F., undated
Box 11, Folder 20 Menken, Arthur, 1919
Box 11, Folder 21 Menken, Gretel, 1914-1919
Box 11, Folder 22 Menken, Stanwood, 1914-1920
Box 11, Folder 23 Metropolitan Opera Company, 1914
Box 11, Folder 24 Meylan, 1914
Box 11, Folder 25 Palmedo, Clara, 1918-1919
Box 11, Folder 26 Palmedo, Ado, 1919-1920
Box 11, Folder 27 Palmedo, Lolly, 1918
Box 11, Folder 28 Papacheu, undated
Box 11, Folder 29 Piorkowski, Arthur, 1914
Box 11, Folder 30 Potsziwnitzki, Franziska, 1919-1920
Box 11, Folder 31 Pollock, Walter H., undated
Box 11, Folder 32 R, undated
Box 11, Folder 33 Schill, Emil, undated
Box 11, Folder 34 Schenck, Dr. Ernst, 1918-1920
Box 11, Folder 35 Schall, Edith, 1918-1920
Box 11, Folder 36 Scriven, J.J., undated
Box 11, Folder 37 Stiefel, Carl, undated
Box 11, Folder 38 Sutherland, H.M., undated
Box 11, Folder 39 Von Briesen, Agnes, 1919-1920
Box 11, Folder 40 Von Briesen, Arthur, 1908-1920
Box 11, Folder 41 Von Briesen, Fay, 1916
Box 11, Folder 42 Von Briesen, Hans, 1920
Box 11, Folder 43 Von Briesen, Richard, 1914-1920
Box 11, Folder 44 Von Briesen, Robert, 1920
Box 11, Folder 45 Von Briesen, Ida, 1919-1920
Box 11, Folder 46 Von Briesen, Wolf, undated
Box 11, Folder 47 Von Briesen, Zaide, 1917
Box 11, Folder 48 W, 1919
Box 11, Folder 49 Unidentified, 1914-1920
Box 11, Folder 50 Series 7: Printed Materials, 1914-1920
Series Description
This series contains 23 pamphlets, broadsides, and magazines, some in German, which discuss immigration, World War I, post-war Germany, and legal issues.
Oversize: Twenty-three assorted pamphlets, broadsides, and magazines
Box 12
Permanent URL: http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/r207tp33z