GB 1556 WL 1361 - Ullstein Family Papers

Identity area

Reference code

GB 1556 WL 1361

Title

Ullstein Family Papers

Date(s)

  • 1856-1998 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

10 boxes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Frederick (Fritz) Ullstein was the son of Hermann Ullstein, the youngest of the 5 Ullstein brothers, responsible for building up the Ullstein publishing House to become the largest in Europe, prior to compulsory purchase by the Nazis in 1934, on account of the family's Jewish origins. Frederick came to Great Britain in the 1930s, became a farmer, served in the British army during the war and married into the Guiness family. After the war he was involved in claiming back for the Ullstein family what was rightfully theirs. Once the business was back in the hands of members of the Ullstein family, it became evident that for a number of reasons, they were not able to recreate the success, which the firm enjoyed before the Nazi seizure of power. Sustained interest by Axel Springer eventually resulted in the latter's company taking over the firm. Frederick Ullstein became an employee of Aldus Books, based in London.

.Aldus Books, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Doubleday and Co. Inc. of New York, USA Division was run by Wolfgang Foges, who came to Great Britain from Austria to get married in 1936. In Vienna he had edited a fashion magazine. He founded Adprint in Great Britain in 1937. This company created and produced illustrated books, the best known of which were the 120 volumes of the Britain in Pictures series, published in England by Collins, and translated into several languages by the Ministry of Information.

In 1941, Foges had been granted British citizenship for important services to the war effort and soon after his naturalisation he was appointed an honorary advisor to the Colonial Office on books and publications.

In the early 1950s, under the imprint of Rathbone Books, a series of books called The Wonderful World was published in association with Doubleday and Co. Inc. New York. This was the start of many further series of internationally co-produced educational and general knowledge books, written by distinguished British authors. In 1960 Aldus Books was founded.

Repository

Archival history

GB 1556 WL 1361 1856-1998 Collection level (fonds) 10 boxes Ullstein family

Frederick (Fritz) Ullstein was the son of Hermann Ullstein, the youngest of the 5 Ullstein brothers, responsible for building up the Ullstein publishing House to become the largest in Europe, prior to compulsory purchase by the Nazis in 1934, on account of the family's Jewish origins. Frederick came to Great Britain in the 1930s, became a farmer, served in the British army during the war and married into the Guiness family. After the war he was involved in claiming back for the Ullstein family what was rightfully theirs. Once the business was back in the hands of members of the Ullstein family, it became evident that for a number of reasons, they were not able to recreate the success, which the firm enjoyed before the Nazi seizure of power. Sustained interest by Axel Springer eventually resulted in the latter's company taking over the firm. Frederick Ullstein became an employee of Aldus Books, based in London.

.Aldus Books, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Doubleday and Co. Inc. of New York, USA Division was run by Wolfgang Foges, who came to Great Britain from Austria to get married in 1936. In Vienna he had edited a fashion magazine. He founded Adprint in Great Britain in 1937. This company created and produced illustrated books, the best known of which were the 120 volumes of the Britain in Pictures series, published in England by Collins, and translated into several languages by the Ministry of Information.

In 1941, Foges had been granted British citizenship for important services to the war effort and soon after his naturalisation he was appointed an honorary advisor to the Colonial Office on books and publications.

In the early 1950s, under the imprint of Rathbone Books, a series of books called The Wonderful World was published in association with Doubleday and Co. Inc. New York. This was the start of many further series of internationally co-produced educational and general knowledge books, written by distinguished British authors. In 1960 Aldus Books was founded.

Ullstein family

Papers of the Ullstein family, 1856-1998, comprising papers from a number of separate deposits from members of Frederick Ullstein's family. It contains both personal and family papers arranged by individual family members (1361/1-9) and material relating to the pre and post war Ullstein publishing business (1361/10-28). The latter contains correspondence regarding the take over of Ullstein by the Axel Springer Verlag (1361/17; 1361/22-23). In addition there is a quantity of material which Frederick Ullstein appears to have inherited from his former employer, Wolfgang Foges, managing director of Aldus Books (1361/29-85).

The material is arranged by Ullstein Family member (1361/1-9); by the Ullstein Verlag (1361/10-28); by material relating to Wolfgang Foges and the various businesses with which he was involved (1361/29-85).

Open

Copies can be made for personal use. Permission must be sought for publication.

English and German

Description exists to this archive on the Wiener Library's online catalogue www.wienerlibrary.co.uk

Entry compiled by Howard Falksohn.

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.

February 2008 Wars (events) Aldus Books Communication personnel Foges , Wolfgang , fl 1930-1960 , publisher International conflicts Jews Migrants Nazism Political doctrines Publishers Publishing Publishing industry Refugees Religious groups Third Reich Totalitarianism Ullstein , family Ullstein Publishing House War World wars (events) World War Two (1939-1945) Personnel People by occupation People

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Ullstein family

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of the Ullstein family, 1856-1998, comprising papers from a number of separate deposits from members of Frederick Ullstein's family. It contains both personal and family papers arranged by individual family members (1361/1-9) and material relating to the pre and post war Ullstein publishing business (1361/10-28). The latter contains correspondence regarding the take over of Ullstein by the Axel Springer Verlag (1361/17; 1361/22-23). In addition there is a quantity of material which Frederick Ullstein appears to have inherited from his former employer, Wolfgang Foges, managing director of Aldus Books (1361/29-85).

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

The material is arranged by Ullstein Family member (1361/1-9); by the Ullstein Verlag (1361/10-28); by material relating to Wolfgang Foges and the various businesses with which he was involved (1361/29-85).

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open

Conditions governing reproduction

Copies can be made for personal use. Permission must be sought for publication.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English and German

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Description exists to this archive on the Wiener Library's online catalogue www.wienerlibrary.co.uk

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Wiener Library

Rules and/or conventions used

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.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area