This collection focuses on Anna Laqueur (nee Levy) (1850-1932), who became a matriach of the extended Laqueur-Levi family. Her spirited correspondence withher husband Siegfried Laqueur, a successful entrepreneuer, with her sons, her brother, her sisters, with an ever growing number of nephews and nieces, as well as her family'scorrespondence with her, reached an astounding volume. While it was possible to trace the lineage of the Laqueur family it required an extraordinary amount of patience and someguessing to establish the family relationships of the Levy clan, who like the Laqueur family originated from small towns in Silesia and who by virtue of hardwork and a well- focusedbusiness acumen achieved economic security. Their histories reflected in their correspondences and diaries are an example of the rise of German Jews from Eastern provinces from modestbeginnings to a comfortable bourgeoisie. According to the grade of their assimilation it is not surprising that the second and third generation felt no longer restrained to marryoutside the Jewish faith. Measured by the volume and intensity of the correspondence between the mother and sons Walter and Ernst, who both were to become physicians, it can beconcluded that they were quite attached to each other. Unfortunately the bulk of the correspondence between Ernst and his mother is in shorthand. Anna, besides being the center of theLaqueur family, had wide ranging interests: poetry (mostly offered on festive occasions), correspondence with intellectuals (Geiger, Ludwig) and active involvement in social welfareand charities. She also travelled frequently. In short, she led a very active life, a true "mater familiae".
