Association of German Nobility, Silesian branch in Wrocław

Collection

Title (official language):: Stowarzyszenie Szlachty Niemieckiej - Oddział Śląski we Wrocławiu – Deutsche Adelsgenossenschaft, Landesabteilung Schlesien

Creator/accumulator:: Association of German Nobility, Silesian branch in Wrocław

Scope and content:: The collection consists of materials collected by the authorities of the Association in 1910-1944. They contain the following groups of records: 1. general materials; 2. matters of nobility property; 3. correspondence belonging to a particular noble family; 4. genealogical research; 5. coats of arms and family trees; 6. files of individual noble families in alphabetical order from 1871-1944.

There are few Jewish-related records; for instance:

ref. 1 - Adliger Grundbesitz 1937-1939 – contains, among others, statistical data regarding the ownership structure of noble property in Olesno (Rosenberg) county in Upper Silesia - the number of properties in Jewish hands is also indicated.

ref. 29 - reference number 741 – Records regarding individual noble families from Silesia in alphabetical order - scattered mentions of connections with Jewish families by way of marriage.

Archival history:: The materials included in the collection were created and collected by the authorities of the Association for the nobility. They became part of the collections of the State Archives in Wrocław after World War II.

Administrative/biographical history:: The Association of German Nobility (Deutsche Adelsgenossenschaft) was founded in Berlin on February 26, 1874 by 30 owners of noble estates from the Prussian provinces: Brandenburg, Pomerania, East Prussia, Saxony and Silesia. It was an organisation with legal status as of 1883. After the First World War, the noble class and titles were abolished (granted only by adoption or marriage). The Silesian branch was established in April 1892 and had 294 members in 1920, 885 in 1926 and 1226 in 1937.

In the 1920s, provisions were enacted that excluded Jews from the organisation [Wer unter seinen Vorfahren im Mannesstamm einen nach 1800 geborenen Nichtarier hat oder zu mehr als einem Viertel anderer als arischer Rasse entstammt oder mit jemand verheiratet ist, bei dem dies zutrifft, kann nicht der DAG sein.], though confirmation of "Aryanism" had been required since 1918. There is no information about two ennobled Silesian families (Landau and Ledermann) and or on the efforts of Jewish Silesian families to have their noble titles recognised outside Prussia (e.g., Isaac Cohn from Wrocław).

Finding aids:: A printed and digital inventory are available in the archive.

An online finding aid is also available.

Links to finding aids:: https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/de/zespol/-/zespol/88316

Yerusha Network member:: The Taube Department of Jewish Studies of the University of Wrocław