Pelz, Walter, 1888-

Walter Pelz was born in 1888 in Berlin. Following an apprenticeship with the Rudolf Mosse publishing house in 1903, he quickly moved up the ladder within the company, becoming the managing director of the Berlin offices. He served in the German army in World War I and was awarded an Iron Cross. In 1935 he married Edith Flora Böhm, a sculptor, born 1899 in Berlin-Schöneberg. In 1941 he and Edith emigrated to the United States. The publisher of the New York Times, Arthur H. Sulzberger, provided the required affadavit. After an initial period in New York, they eventually settled in Los Angeles and worked in photography. Their circle of friends included numerous prominent journalists and artists.

From the guide to the Walter and Edith Pelz Collection, 1892-1959, (Leo Baeck Institute Archives)