Walter Keller papers

The Walter Keller papers contain biographical materials, correspondence, immigration papers, a personal narrative, and photographs documenting Walter and Caroline Keller, their lives in prewar Germany, their immigration to the United States, and the reestablishment of their medical and nursing careers. The papers also include four 1938 issues of the Jüdisches Gemeindeblatt für den Verband der Kultusgemeinden in Bayern. Biographical materials include student, employment, and military records documenting Walter’s medical training and practice in Germany, the establishment of his medical career in the United States, and his military service during World War II, as well as Caroline Keller’s nursing career. This series also includes a homemade booklet of poems celebrating Arnold Wolf on his birthday. Correspondence primarily consists of wartime illustrated letters Walter addressed Caroline during his World War II military service. This series also includes a condolence letter from Maria Racek on Walter’s death and three letters from Eva Prager reminiscing on her shared childhood with Walter. Immigration material includes correspondence, forms, and certificates documenting Walter and Caroline Keller’s immigration to the United States in 1938 and their efforts to help other family members immigrate. Walter Keller’s memoir describes his childhood in Augsburg, attending medical school in Germany during Hitler’s beer hall putsch, his early medical career, his brief arrest and the loss of his employment after Hitler came to power, finding work at the Jewish Hospital in Leipzig, meeting and marrying Caroline, practicing medicine in Wurzburg, immigrating to the United States, reestablishing his medical career, his military training and stateside service, and his naturalization. Photographic materials consist of two photograph albums and several dozen loose photographs depicting Walter and Caroline Keller and their family members and friends at home in Germany and on vacation in Germany and Austria

The Walter Keller papers are arranged as six series: I. Biographical materials, 1909-1960, II. Correspondence, 1943-1995, III. Immigration materials, 1937-1952, IV. Personal narrative, approximately 1974, V. Photographic materials, 1917-1972, VI. Printed materials, 1938