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Otto Frank's internships in New York

During his stay in New York, Otto Frank worked as an intern in the Macy's department store and then at the bank L.M. Prince & Co.

Event

Sept. 14, 1909 - June 1, 1911

40.750915 N -73.989331 E

151 W 34th Street

NY 10001 New York

New York

USA

According to his autobiography Lebenslauf, Otto Frank stayed Herbst 1909 - Früjahr 1911 in den Vereinigten Staten von Amerika, zuerst als Volontät [sic] im Warenhaus Macy, dann im Bankhaus L.M. Prince & Co.[1] In 1948, Otto Frank stated that he spent about six months as an intern at the Macy's department store in New York.[2] It is not known what Otto's duties at Macy's were.

During his semester studying art history at the University of Heidelberg, Otto Frank met Charles Webster (Nathan) Straus. At the time, Straus's father (Nathan) and uncle (Isidor) were the owners of the R. H. Macy & Co. department store in New York, Heralds Square, Broadway at Sixth Avenue, 34-35th street.[3]

Otto Frank made a total of three trips to New York:

  • On 14 September 1909, he arrived in New York on the Wilhelm der Grosse from Bremen.[4] During this crossing, Otto wrote to his sister Leni, on letterhead of the Dampfer Kaiser Wilhelm der Grösse, a congratulatory letter on the occasion of her 16th birthday.[5]
  • When Otto Frank's father, Michael Frank died suddenly on 17 September 1909, Otto returned to Germany as soon as possible, arriving back in New York on 30 November 1909.[6] On 22 January 1910, he wrote a letter to his mother to comfort her in her grief.[7]
  • Sources indicate that he travelled to Germany once more in the interim, as he arrived in New York once more on 23 August 1910.[4]

Shortly after arriving on 23 August 1910, Otto wrote to his sister Leni that he had found a furnished room for fifteen dollars with a German family at 118 West 71 Str. This address was closer to the Straus family than before and close to the "elevated subway, Broadway and Central Park". He was also looking for a job.[8] At this address, Otto Frank received a postcard from his mother.[9] A postcard, dated 14 February 1910, was addressed to Otto Frank R.H. Macy & Co, 34/35 str. Broadway, New York, USA, Receiving Room Servant Floor.[10]

Internship at the bank L.M. Prince & Co.

It is not known when Otto Frank stopped working at Macy's, but after he left there until his departure from the United States in the spring of 1911, he worked at the bank L.M. Prince & Co. as an intern.[1] According to the New York Times, in 1919 this bank was located in New York's financial centre, at 20 Wall Street.[11]

Otto's return from New York was recorded in the population register in Frankfurt on 1 June 1911.[12]

Footnotes

  1. a, b Anne Frank Stichting (AFS), Anne Frank Collectie (AFC), Otto Frank Archief (OFA), reg. code OFA_058: 'Lebenslauf' Otto Frank.
  2. ^ Nationaal Archief, Den Haag, Ministerie van Justitie, Verbaalarchief, 1915-1955; Kabinetsarchief, 1915-1940, nummer toegang 2.09.22, inv. nr. 13402: Staat van inlichtingen.
  3. ^ Lazarus Straus (oorspronkelijk uit Otterberg, Duitsland) verkocht met zijn bedrijf (L. Straus & Son) glaswaren en China in de kelder bij Macy’s. In 1888 zijn zoons Isidor en Nathan Straus partners van (de erfgenaam en eigenaar van Macy’s sinds 1879 van Macy’s) Charles B. Webster die in 1896 zijn aandeel aan hen verkocht. Op 8 november 1902 opende Macy & Co het nieuwe gebouw op Heraldsquare, Broadway at sixth Avenue, 34-35 street. Dit was de locatie waar Otto werkte als volontair. De drie zonen van Isidor (Jesse, Percy, Herbert) en twee zonen van Nathan (Charles’ Nathan Jr. en Hugh Grant) werkten toen ook in het familiebedrijf. Na de dood van Isidor (samen met zijn vrouw omgekomen op de Titanic in 1912) zetten de zoons van Isidor het bedrijf voort. Nathan sr. trok zich terug en zijn zoons (die ook bij Macy’s werkten) werden eigenaar van Abraham & Straus (Hugh Grant) en Straus & Sons (Nathan jr.), Robert M. Grippo, Macy’s. The store. The Star. The Story, Garden City, NY: Square One Publishers, 2009, p. 53-93. Charles Webster Straus, vriend en studiegenoot van Otto Frank uit Heidelberg, was vernoemd naar Charles B. Webster (erfgenaam en (mede)eigenaar van Macy’s), hij was het vijfde kind van in totaal zes kinderen van Nathan Straus en Lina (huwelijk 28 april 1875). Later ging hij zich Nathan noemen. Otto Frank hield het lange tijd bij Charley. AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_058: , Correspondentie Otto Frank – Straus.
  4. a, b The Statue of Liberty―Ellis Island Foundation, Inc.: Ellis Island Passenger Search database.
  5. ^ AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_072: Otto Frank aan Helene Frank.
  6. ^ Otto is vertrokken uit Cherbourg (Frankrijk) op de Kronprinzessin Cecille, hij is nummer 20 op de passagierslijst, 20 jaar, ongehuwd. Ellis Island records.
  7. ^ Familiearchief Anne Frank-Fonds, Bazel, Alice Frank, AFF_AlF_corr_08: Otto Frank aan Alice Frank-Stern, 22 januari 1910.
  8. ^ AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_072: Otto Frank aan Leni Frank, 29 augustus 1910. 
  9. ^ AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_071: Ansichtkaart Alice Frank-Stern aan Otto Frank, 14 februari 1910.
  10. ^ AFS, AFC, reg. code OFA_060: Ansichtkaart aan Otto Frank, 14 februari 1910.
  11. ^  "Boy with $39,500 in bonds missing", The New York Times, 17 september 1919.
  12. ^ Institut für Stadtgeschichte, Frankfurt am Main: Einwohnermeldekartei.