Fonds GB 0367 MBH - Berger-Hamerschlag, Margarete

8 archive boxes, 3 over-sized archive boxes

GB 0367 MBH [1902-2008] Fonds 8 archive boxes, 3 over-sized archive boxes Hamerschlag , Margarete Berger- , 1902-1958 , artist and writer

Margarete Berger-Hamerschlag studied at the Kunstgewebeschule in Vienna and then began a career as an illustrator and artist. Berger-Hamerschlag also designed costumes for the theatre. Berger-Hamerschlag fled Austria as Nazism began to take a grip on the country. She and her husband Josef Berger arrived in Britain in 1936. After the outbreak of the Second World War, Josef Berger was interned for a while in the Isle of Wight. Berger-Hamerschlag taught in local youth clubs. In 1955, Berger-Hamerschlag's diaries and drawings were published as "Journey into the Fog". She was particularly well-known for her paintings of teddy boys.

This archive contains the personal papers of the Austrian-British artist and designer Margarete Berger-Hamerschlag. Just over half the collection consists of her artwork, which includes designs and sketches for costumes for theatre or dance performances or as fashion wear; handmade picture books and illustrated poetry books; sketches and pastel drawings of theatre scenes sketched either during performances or from memory; and portraits and illustrations for her own and other writers' stories. Notable theatre costumes include designs for the Schauspielhaus in Vienna in 1928; the Teatro degli Indipendenti in Rome in 1928 and 1930; the pioneer of modern Israeli dance, Yardena Cohen in 1935; Italian revue theatre in 1954; Austrian choreographer Gisa Geert in 1954; and the Austrian exile puppeteer Bruno Tublin. There are also a number of fashion designs for the actor Elisabeth Bergner. In addition to the artwork, there are over two boxes of typescripts and manuscripts of MBH's writing, most of which remained unpublished. This includes her children's stories such as 'The Bungalow at Boxhill' and 'The Lost Tune', stories incorporating elements of MBH's autobiography, and a large number of poems reflecting on her experiences in Palestine in the 1930s and her life in the UK after 1936. There is also a set of paintings depicting key moments of MBH's childhood and an autobiographical text covering the period 1902-1918. As well as her artwork and literary writing, there are 14 folders of correspondence, the majority of which is that exchanged by MBH and her husband, Josef Berger, during the numerous periods when they were separated, including his internment as an enemy alien in 1940. There are also some letters to and from other members of the Berger family and various friends and officials, particularly concerning Berger's release from internment. The archive also contains a small number of official documents and fragments of MBH's diaristic writing.

The records in this archive have been ordered into the following series: 1) Personal papers; 2) Correspondence; 3) Autobiography (both text and image); 4) Literary writing; 5) Handmade picture and poetry books and cards; 6) Illustrations for children's stories; 7) Fashion and theatre costums; 8) Theatre sketches; 9) Other artwork; 10) Youth club work; 11) Records of exhibitions and publications; 12) Other miscellaneous items. As far as possible the principle of original order was followed to create these series and where it was necessary to make more coherent groupings of material, chronological order was also taken into account.

Open. At least 48 hours notice should be given before a research visit with exact details of files to be consulted.

English

German

Italian

French

Hebrew

Listed to file level.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. 2010-12-01; revised May 2020. World War Two (1939-1945) Art Hamerschlag , Margarete Berger- , 1902-1958 , artist and writer World wars (events) Wars (events)

This archive contains the personal papers of the Austrian-British artist and designer Margarete Berger-Hamerschlag. Just over half the collection consists of her artwork, which includes designs and sketches for costumes for theatre or dance performances or as fashion wear; handmade picture books and illustrated poetry books; sketches and pastel drawings of theatre scenes sketched either during performances or from memory; and portraits and illustrations for her own and other writers' stories. Notable theatre costumes include designs for the Schauspielhaus in Vienna in 1928; the Teatro degli Indipendenti in Rome in 1928 and 1930; the pioneer of modern Israeli dance, Yardena Cohen in 1935; Italian revue theatre in 1954; Austrian choreographer Gisa Geert in 1954; and the Austrian exile puppeteer Bruno Tublin. There are also a number of fashion designs for the actor Elisabeth Bergner. In addition to the artwork, there are over two boxes of typescripts and manuscripts of MBH's writing, most of which remained unpublished. This includes her children's stories such as 'The Bungalow at Boxhill' and 'The Lost Tune', stories incorporating elements of MBH's autobiography, and a large number of poems reflecting on her experiences in Palestine in the 1930s and her life in the UK after 1936. There is also a set of paintings depicting key moments of MBH's childhood and an autobiographical text covering the period 1902-1918. As well as her artwork and literary writing, there are 14 folders of correspondence, the majority of which is that exchanged by MBH and her husband, Josef Berger, during the numerous periods when they were separated, including his internment as an enemy alien in 1940. There are also some letters to and from other members of the Berger family and various friends and officials, particularly concerning Berger's release from internment. The archive also contains a small number of official documents and fragments of MBH's diaristic writing.

The records in this archive have been ordered into the following series: 1) Personal papers; 2) Correspondence; 3) Autobiography (both text and image); 4) Literary writing; 5) Handmade picture and poetry books and cards; 6) Illustrations for children's stories; 7) Fashion and theatre costums; 8) Theatre sketches; 9) Other artwork; 10) Youth club work; 11) Records of exhibitions and publications; 12) Other miscellaneous items. As far as possible the principle of original order was followed to create these series and where it was necessary to make more coherent groupings of material, chronological order was also taken into account.

Open. At least 48 hours notice should be given before a research visit with exact details of files to be consulted.

• English

• Latin

English

German

Italian

French

Hebrew

Listed to file level.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

• English