Guide to the Rabbi Iwan Gruen Papers, 1925-1981
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Rabbi Iwan Gruen Papers,
- Creator
- Gruen, Rabbi Iwan, 1900-1981
- Collection Number
- MSS 581
- Extent
- .50 linear ft.
- Date
- 1925-1981
- Abstract
- Rabbi Iwan Gruen was born in Berlin, Germany, on October 4, 1900. He was ordained as a rabbi on March 6, 1925 and served as Chief Rabbi of the Free City of Danzig (today known as Gdansk, Poland) between 1928 and 1939. In April of 1939, he emigrated from Danzig to the United States with his wife and daughter. Rabbi Gruen assumed the pulpit of Temple Israel in New Castle, Pennsylvania on October 25, 1945, and remained there for thirty-five years. During his time in New Castle, he served on the board of the Lawrence County Chapter of the American Cancer Society and the Lawrence County Society for Crippled Children and Adults; was president of the Nathan J. Love B'nai B'rith Lodge; and was a member of the speaker's bureau of the Anti-Defamation League. The collection contains records pertaining primarily to his time at Temple Israel, including photographs of bar and bat mitzvahs and confirmations, as well as synagogue and church bulletins, and articles written by him. A small amount of materials document his activities in Danzig and records of his emigration to the United States.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English, German, and Hebrew.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
History
Rabbi Iwan Gruen was born in Berlin, Germany, on October 4, 1900, to Clara and Sally Grün. He was a graduate of the College for Jewish Studies. In 1923, he received his Ph.D. in philosophy from Humboldt University of Berlin, where he also studied history and Semitic languages under Dr. Leo Baeck. On March 6, 1925, he was ordained as a rabbi at Hochschüle fur die Wissenschaft des Judentums. He served a small congregation in Frankfurt-Am-Oder near Berlin from 1925 to 1927. Rabbi Gruen became Chief Rabbi of the Free City of Danzig on January 1, 1928. During this time he was president of the Danzig B'nai B'rith, a representative of Danzig minority groups before the League of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, and was a member of the governing body of the World Union for Progressive Judaism. By 1939, Rabbi Gruen headed one of the largest synagogues in Europe, composed of more than 10,000 members.
Before leaving Danzig, Rabbi Gruen attempted to negotiate with the Gestapo for the departure of as many Jews as possible from the city. His congregation was forced to sell the Great Synagogue of Danzig to the police, and the proceeds were used to enable some of the congregants to emigrate. A small collection of ritual objects was saved and sent to the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York for safekeeping. The collection consisted of ten crates of Judaic ritual objects, including Torah shields, crowns, curtains, pointers, amulets, spiceboxes, menorahs, kiddush cups, seder plates, and scrolls. However, because the Jews never returned to Danzig, this collection was transferred to the Jewish Museum in New York City. Before his own departure, Rabbi Gruen was denied permission to visit friends and family in Berlin. During this time, he was arrested three times and threatened with imprisonment by the Gestapo. He left Danzig in April, 1939, and sailed to London from the Polish port of Gdynia with his wife Gertrude D. Zimmt Gruen and his daughter Hanna. From England, they sailed to New York City on the Aquitania.
Shortly after Rabbi Gruen's arrival in the United States, he became rabbi of Congregation Mount Sinai in Wausau, Wisconsin. While in Wausau, he served as vice president of the local ministerial association and was active in its activities. In 1942, he became rabbi of Temple B'nai Israel in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. In 1944, he was named to fill the pulpit at Temple B'nai Abraham in Decatur, Illinois. During this time, Rabbi Gruen was a member of the speakers' bureau of Kiwanis International. He spoke before many Kiwanis and Rotary organizations including the Oshkosh Kiwanis club and the Decatur Kiwanis. He also was a lecturer for the National Conference of Christians and Jews.
On October 25, 1945, Rabbi Gruen assumed the pulpit of Temple Israel in New Castle, Pennsylvania, and remained there for 35 years. During his time in New Castle, Rabbi Gruen was president of the Nathan J. Love B'nai B'rith Lodge; served on the board of the Lawrence County Chapter of the American Cancer Society and the Lawrence County Society for Crippled Children and Adults; and was a member of the speaker's bureau of the Anti-Defamation League. Also, he was active in interfaith work and an advisor to the Jewish Affairs and Education Department, a government branch of the Federal German Republic. In 1962 he was awarded an honorary doctor of divinity degree from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. He gave his last sermon on Friday, February 27, 1981, before his death on March 4. He was survived by his wife Gertrude and daughter Hanna, who was director of the Occupational Therapy Department at St. Margaret Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Scope and Content Notes
The Rabbi Iwan Gruen Papers are housed in one box and are arranged in two series: one pertaining to his time in the Free City of Danzig, and the other on his activities after his arrival in the United States. Most of the records pertain to Rabbi Gruen's time at Temple Israel in New Castle. However, a few records remain from his time in Danzig, including a photograph of him in his rabbinic robes, his rabbinic ordination diploma written in German and Hebrew, and his passport. This series also contains records of his emigration to the United States, including programs, postcards, menus, and landing arrangements from the Aquitania, the ship he and his family came to the United States on in 1939. Materials pertaining to Rabbi Gruen's time in the United States include articles written by and about him, a church bulletin, a short history of the Jewish community in New Castle, Gruen's reports to the congregation, correspondence, sermons, and synagogue bulletins with articles pertaining to his death in 1981. Of note are his honorary doctor of divinity degree from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, and photographs depicting confirmations, bar and bat mitzvahs, a wedding, and Rabbi Gruen's twenty-fifth anniversary as rabbi of Temple Israel.
Conditions Governing Access
No Restrictions.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Hanna Gruen on December 29, 2003, January 23, 2011 and September 4, 2015
Preferred Citation
Rabbi Iwan Gruen Papers, 1925-1981, MSS 581, Rauh Jewish Archives, Library and Archives Division, Senator John Heinz History Center.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Megan Rentschler on February 9, 2011. Additions and revisions by Carly Lough on
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.
Related Materials
The Rauh Jewish Archives also houses other collections related to Temple Israel in New Castle, Pennsylvania, including the Temple Israel Sisterhood and B'nai B'rith New Castle. MSS 1061, Temple Hadar Israel (New Castle, Pa.) Records; Schoenberger Family Papers, 2003.0156; Temple Israel Photographs, PFF 14; Reva Love Rack Papers, MFF and MFQ 2003.
Separated Materials
Rabbi Gruen's honorary doctor of divinity diploma has been separated to the oversize collection and is designated as MSO 581. Also, his tallit bag and neckpieces have been separated and sent to the museum collection.
Subjects
- Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
- Hochschule für die Wissenschaft des Judentums (Berlin, Germany)
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
- Temple Israel (New Castle, Pa.)
- Gruen, Gertrude Zimmt
- Gruen, Hanna
- Pittsburgh (Pa.)
- New Castle (Pa.)
- Jews--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
- Jews--Pennsylvania--New Castle