Herman Samuel Gundersheimer

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_Gundersheimer

http://articles.philly.com/2004-05-17/news/25382061_1_german-museum...

Dr. Herman S. Gundersheimer, who founded Temple University's art-history program and taught at the school for more than three decades, died Friday after a short illness. He was 101.

Dr. Gundersheimer was born in Germany and received his doctorate in art history there. He was a curator for public museums in several German cities until the Nuremberg Laws were passed, stripping German Jews of their rights as citizens.

In 1935, Dr. Gundersheimer became director of one of the few German museums still open to him: the Museum of Jewish Antiquities in Frankfurt.

That collection was looted in the Kristallnacht pogrom in November 1938, and for nine months, Dr. Gundersheimer was forced to appraise the pillaged artifacts for the Gestapo.

But in August 1939, shortly before Germany invaded Poland, Dr. Gundersheimer, his wife and their young son escaped Germany for England. In May 1940, the family arrived in Philadelphia, and Dr. Gundersheimer adapted his curatorial background to what was to become a long and successful teaching career.

"He found new life as a teacher," said Dr. Gundersheimer's son, Werner L. Gundersheimer. "The human contact brought out a dimension in him that probably wouldn't have been there had he not had to flee for his life."

Outside his work as a teacher, Dr. Gundersheimer's principal interests were art and culture, his son said.

He also was "serious about his Judaism, and he had great commitment to his family."

Dr. Gundersheimer was a member of Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia.

In retirement, Dr. Gundersheimer was consulted by leaders in Frankfurt as they built a new Jewish Museum in 1988. Temple created a scholarship in his name on his 90th birthday.

And in 1991, the Brandywine Workshop gave Dr. Gundersheimer its lifetime achievement award.

In addition to his son, Dr. Gundersheimer is survived by his wife of nearly 69 years, Frieda Siegel Gundersheimer; a daughter, Ann Gundersheimer; and four grandsons.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow at Congregation Rodeph Shalom, 615 N. Broad St., Philadelphia. Contributions can be made to the Herman Gundersheimer Scholarship Fund at Temple, 1938 Liacouras Walk, Philadelphia 19122.

Contact staff writer Patrick Kerkstra at 610-313-8111 or pkerkstra@phillynews.com.