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GERMAN AND JEWISH INTELLECTUAL ÉMIGRÉ COLLECTION

Finding Aid for the
FRITZ NEUGASS
PAPERS, 1913-1979
(GER-007)

 

VOLUME: 60 cubic ft.

ACQUISITION: All items were donated to the University Libraries, M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, by Lotte Labus Neugass on June 20, 1983.

ACCESS: Access to this record group is unrestricted.

COPYRIGHT: The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright. Whenever possible, the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives will provide information about copyright owners and other restrictions, but the legal determination ultimately rests with the researcher. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the Head of Special Collections and Archives.

Fritz Neugass, Papers
Biographical Note

Fritz W. Neugass (pseudonyms Francois Neuville and Friedrich Brenatano) was born on the 28th of March 1899 in Mannheim, Baden, Germany to a Protestant-Jewish family. In 1917, he finished school in Mannheim with an end examination (an "Arbitur"),which granted him permission to study at a university.During this time, Neugass was briefly a member of the Wandervogel movement. The following year, Neugass volunteered to serve in the Army. His military career was quickly ended when he was buried in rubble after an engagement with the enemy. Neugass spent the rest of the war in an army hospital, and then as a censor for the post office.

From 1919 to 1924, Neugass was a student of Art and Archeology in Heidelberg (1919-1920), Munich (1920), Berlin (1920-1921), and Bonn (1922-1923). He received his Ph.D. in Heidelberg in 1924. Neugass' dissertation discussed Gothic pews, and was printed in Strassburg within a series of art historical studies. Shortly thereafter, Neugass found employment as a lab assistant at the German Archeological Institute in Rome, and at the German Institute for history in Florence. During this time, he participated in many archeological excavations in Italy.

Neugass spent the years 1926 to 1939 as a resident of Paris, where he worked as an art correspondent for German and Swiss newspapers and art magazines, such as Berliner Tageblatt, Vossische Zeitung, Welkunst, and others. After the middle of the 1930s, his work was no longer accepted in Germany. This led Neugass to work for various American, British, and French periodicals. He often used the pseudonyms Francois Neuville and Friedrich Brenatano at this time. Much of Neugass' time was spent in the nations around the Mediterranean, where he took a large number of photographs.

In 1939, French authorities labeled Neugass an "enemy alien" and interned him in Antibes and in Les Milles. Neugass later wrote a novel about his experiences in the French detention camps. In 1940, he arrived in Free France (Cannes), and applied unsuccessfully for an American visa through the Emergency Rescue Commission of Varian Fry. Nevertheless, Neugass managed to emigrate to the United states via Casablanca in December 1941 just before a Vichy court found Neugass guilty of "enemy propaganda."

Shortly after his arrival in the U.S., Neugass worked as a swimming instructor and as a male nurse. He made various unsuccessful applications to join the U.S. Army or to work in the war industry. While taking night-classes to learn blueprint drawing, Neugass performed volunteer work for the Red Cross of New York City. Not long before the end of the War, Neugass joined the NYC Patrol Corps. He also worked with the Volunteer Service Photographers (who aided paraplegic G.I.'s with photography).

In 1944, Neugass married Lotte Labus, who had earned her own Ph.D in Berlin. Labus and Neugass had met in the U.S.  When the War ended, Neugass became a free-lance photographer.He published photos and articles in American and European photo magazines, such as Aufbau, New Yorker, Staats Zeitung, and Art News. He became a member of the American Society of Magazine Photographers, and had an exhibition of his work at the Village Camera Club. In 1954, the American Museum of Natural History held an exhibit of several dozen photographs that Neugass had taken in Mexico the previous year.

After 1947, Neugass re-established contact with various German newspapers and magazines, and became a correspondent on the subjects of art, architectture, the art market, and photography. He later became a permanent contributor to Frankfurter Allgemeine, Handelsblatt, and other European art and photography magazines. Neugass often wrote for the American art magazine Art Voices.

In January 1979, Neugass was forced to turn down an offer to act as the American editor for a new German magazine (Art) due to poor health. He passed away in June. A memorial exhibit of Neugass' work was held on the 15th of October 1979 at the Goethe house of New York City.
 

Exhibits of photography by Fritz Neugass

 1954: American Museum of Natural History exhibit of photographs that were taken by Fritz Neugass in Mexico in 1953.

 1959 (July-August): Chautauqua Art Association Gallery exhibit of photographs by Fritz Neugass.

 (ca. 1959): Village Camera Club exhibit of photographs that were taken by Fritz Neugass in New York City and in Europe.

 1979 (October 15): Goethe House of New York City memorial exhibit of photographs by Fritz Neugass.
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Sources

Roder, Werner.  International Biographical Dictionary of Central European Émigrés (New York: Gale Research Company, 1980): 854.

Telephone interview with Mrs. Lotte Neugass, 8 June 1990. -4-

Fritz Neugass Papers
Scope and content note

Fritz Neugass was a professional photographer and journalist as early as 1926, when he first moved to Paris. He was active almost until the day of his death in 1979. The earliest photographs in the collection (not including his personal family pictures) are dated from approximately the 1930s (few of these images have specific dates written on them.) The dates for the entire collection of papers and photographs range from 1913 to 1979. There are many gaps in time for this collection, which is to be expected in a set of personal papers.

The Neugass Papers are divided into two main groups. One group, almost exclusively photographs, includes personal family pictures, views in and around New York City, images from his travels overseas (and his days as a photojournalist in the 1930s), studies of patterns and faces, prints by other photographers, and mounted images for his exhibits of images from NYC and Mexico. As few of these prints have any dates, they have been organized largely by subject.

The second group contains mostly typewritten notes (in German and in English), photographs, books, and clippings from periodicals.  This material relates to various museum art exhibits and art auctions that took place from the early 1950s to the 1970s. Other papers discuss the work of well-known artists and styles of art, as well as contemporary news events. Much, if not most, of the above material apparently served as sources for articles that were written by Neugass. Two boxes contain negatives and the personal correspondence of Fritz Neugass.

Fritz Neugass Papers
Series Description

Series 1: Personal Papers of Fritz Neugass, 1950s-1970s.  1 cubic foot, labeled "Series V, box 51. Arranged by subject.

Financial records and personal correspondence of Fritz Neugass.
 

Series 2: Personal Family Photographs, 1913-1979.  1 cubic foot numbered 1 & 13. Arranged chronologically.

Photographs of Fritz Neugass as a youth with his brothers, sisters, and parents. Also photographs of FN with his wife Lotte. Box 13 contains almost exclusively negative photographs of Fritz Neugass.
 

Series 3: New York City Photographs, 1940s.  2 cubic feet, numbered 2, 3, 4, 5. Arranged roughly by subject.

Photographs of NYC architecture and residents.Street scenes and views of Central Park. Many of these images were blown up and mounted for the Village Camera Club exhibit (see Series 7).
 

Series 4: Travel Photographs by Fritz Neugass, 1930s, 1948, 1953, 1957.  0.5 cubic feet, numbered 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 19. Also 4 cubic feet, labeled " Series I, box 7, 13, Series III, box 44," with positive images, "Series IV, Box 46," with negative images. Arranged roughly by subject.

A large number of photographs taken by FN during his travels to the nations of the Mediterranean in the 1930s. Several of these images were blown up and mounted for the Village Camera Club exhibit (see Series 7). Studies of the architecture, residents, and religious ceremonies of the region. Scenes of Cape Cod, Coney Island, and Provincetown during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Photographs of Mexico taken in 1953, some of which were used for the exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History (see Series 6). Scenes of Pennsylvania and the American Southwest. Scenes of a U.S. veterans' hospital.
 

Series 5: Patterns and Photographic Studies, 1940.  1.25 cubic feet, numbered 8, 18. Arranged roughly by subject.

Carefully arranged studies of line and shape in nature and in urban settings. Portraits and studies of faces. Scenes of a hospital (see Series 4) on the same sheet with various other photographic studies. Images of farms and factories.
 

Series 6: Mexico Exhibit, American Museum of Natural History, Spring 1954, 1953.  1 cubic foot, numbered 14, 23, 24, 25. Arranged roughly by subject.

Architecture of Mexico, including older colonial churches and modern university buildings. Individual studies of Mexican Native Americans, and other residents. Various religious ceremonies. Scenes of city life, plus rural scenery. Images of Aztec ruins and other historic sites. 2 folders of typed notes relating to the exhibit, including a letter from Katherine Beneker of the Museum. Also captions for photographs that were exhibited.
 

Series 7: Exhibit Photographs of NYC and Europe, 1930s-1950.  1 cubic foot, numbered 15, 17, 20, 21 (some labeled "Hypo Hounds"). Arranged roughly by subject.

For Village Camera Club exhibit. Images of New York City architecture, streets, and individual residents. Studies of the same view at different times of the year. Also pictures of Mediterranean nations during the 1930s, including a passion play in southern France, and other religious ceremonies.
 

Series 8: Museum Exhibit Papers, 1950s-1970s.  12 cubic feet, labeled "Series I, box 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 16, 17, 20." Arranged roughly by subject.

Typewritten notes (in German and English), photographs, and clippings from periodicals, all relating to various art exhibits that were held in the United States and Europe. Mostly works from the the 20th century, though earlier works are discussed.
 

Series 9: Auctions by Christie's and Sotheby-Parke, 1950s-1970s.  7 cubic feet, labeled "Series I, box 4, 5, 21, 22, 31, 37, 38." Arranged by subject.

Books, photographs, typewritten notes (English and German), and clippings from periodicals all relating to various auctions that were held from the 1950s to the mid-1970s.
 

Series 10: Life and Work of Individual Artists, 1950s-1970.  11 cubic feet, labeled "Series I, box 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 21, 22." Arranged roughly by subject.

Typewritten notes (English and German), photographs, and clippings from periodicals, all relating to the life histories and work of various famous artists.
 

Series 11: Styles of Art, 1950s-1970s.  8 cubic feet, labeled "Series I, box 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 20, 22," "Series III & IV, box 44." Arranged by Subject.

Typewritten notes (English and German), photographs, and clippings from periodicals, all relating to various styles of art from around the world.
 

Series 12: General Interest Stories, 1950s-1970s.  6 cubic feet, labeled "Series I, box 14,15,16,18,19,22." Arranged roughly by subject.

Typewritten notes (English and German), photographs, and clippings from periodicals, all relating to a wide variety of topics from the news. Topics range from Alaska to the life of former NY Governor Nelson Rockefeller.
 

Series 13: Photographs by Other Artists.  0.25 cubic foot, numbered 22. Arranged roughly by subject.

Photographs by Werner Cohnitz, Eliot Eliosofon, Walter Laeubli, Gjon Mili, Arnold Newman, Edward Steichen, and other, unidentified photographers. Most of these pictures were taken in Europe shortly after World War II. outdoor scenes, and posed images of models.

Fritz Neugass Papers
Box and Folder List

The gray, acid-free boxes (1-25) contain almost exclusively photographs. They contain few folders per se. Information on the contents of these boxes can be found in the Series Description.

Series I, Box 1 Folders 177, 215-219, 221-226, 159, 160

Series I, Box 2 Folders 161, 432, 433, 448, 204-213, 196-203

Series I, Box 3 Folders 727-728, 121, 377-380

Series I, Box 4 Folders 722, 100, 17, 434, 678-693

Series I, Box 5 Folders 695-696, 661-677, 641-651

Series I, Box 6 Folders 652-660, 620-640, 697-717

Series I, Box 7 Folders 723-726, 40-43, 288-307

Series I, Box 8 Folders 308-333, 1-8

Series I, Box 9 Folders 9-36

Series I, Box 10 Folders 37-71

Series I, Box 11 Folders 72-104

Series I, Box 12 Folders 105-137

Series I, Box 13 Folders 138-146, 503-539

Series I, Box 14 Folders 540-556, 455, 477

Series I, Box 15 Folders 478-502, 335-355

Series I, Box 16 Folders 356-385, 147-152, 154-163

Series I, Box 17 Folders 164-231

Series I, Box 18 Folders 232-234, 387-421

Series I, Box 19 Folders 424-454, 557-571

Series I, Box 20 Folders 572-613

Series I, Box 21 Folders 614-619, 235-264

Series I, Box 22 Folders 265-287

[partial listing is missing]

Series I, Box 31 Bound volumes on Christie's auction house

Series I, Box 37 Bound volumes on Chrisitie's auction house

Series I, Box 38 Papers on Sotheby-Parke auction house

Series III & IV, Box 44 Papers and photographs of Fritz Neugass

Series IV, Box 46 Negative and positive photographic prints by Fritz Neugass

Series V, Box 51 Papers of Fritz Neugass