Summary Information
Max Kessel papers 1916-1991
MS 402
Collection includes: papers; postcards; envelopes; photographs1.75 Linear Feet 3 legal sized document boxes, 1 half legal sized document box
Correspondence, financial and legal papers, and miscellaneous other materials of Max Kessel, a German soldier during World War II. Most correspondence is from Max to his wife and daughter. Miscellaneous items include postcards with printed messages, food stamps, and a house plan for his home. German
.
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-sc-ms402
Biography/History
Max Kessel's birth and death dates are unknown. He served in the German army during World War II, after which he seems to have returned to his home village of Trübenbach, where he was a basket-maker. Trübenbach was near the town of Lichtenfels, which is still known for its basket-making industry today.
Kessel was married to Lina Stumpf; they had one daughter, Lotte. Kessel was also the guardian of a Barbara Kessel (born Nov. 1, 1940) until 1953 when his guardianship was terminated. Some of the papers also mention an Eduard Kessel, living at the same address – perhaps Max's father. In addition to basket-making, the family seems also to have grown some crops, and at some point Lina worked in a porcelain factory.
Scope and Content Note
The collection contains correspondence from Max to Lina and Lotte, along with letters from Lotte to both of her parents. There are a few letters to and from other family members and friends as well. The letters are interspersed with miscellaneous items such as mail order clothes catalogs, food stamps, and petitions for Kessel to receive leave so he could come home and help with the harvest. There is also a photograph of Kessel in uniform.
Other materials in the collection date 1935-1940 and 1946-1961. This includes letters, bank statements, receipts, real estate papers, house plans, building permits and correspondence regarding legal proceedings. There are also various printed materials including an army-related newsletter and miscellaneous pamphlets and advertisements. Finally, there are letters addressed to various members of the Stumpf family, dated 1916 to 1919, some of which were found in an envelope addressed to Eduard Kessel and postmarked 23 March 1932. Others were found mixed in with the Karl Lofmann papers (MS 411) where they did not seem to belong, but it is unknown whether there was actually any connection between the two families or not.
Additional Descriptive Information
This collection includes no known access restrictions.
Collection materials may be subject to laws governing rights. Researchers are solely responsible for determining the rights status of the materials they use. Permission may be required for some uses such as publication or reproduction.
Purchased by Barbara Walden, European History Librarian, from Charles Apfelbaum, Rare Manuscripts and Archives, in May 2002.
Subject Terms
Germany -- Armed ForcesWorld War, 1939-1945 -- Germany -- History -- SourcesWorld War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, GermanSoldiers
Contents List
Box
1
Folder
1
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Letters, January 10, 1941 - February 6, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
2
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Letters, February 8, 1941 - February 20, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
3
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Letters, February 22, 1941 - March 14, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
4
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Letters, March 14, 1941 - March 26, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
5
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Letters, March 28, 1941 - April 4, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
6
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Letters, April 4, 1941 - April 12, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
7
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Letters, April 13, 1941 - April 21, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
8
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Letters, April 21, 1941 - April 30, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
9
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Letters, May 1, 1941 - May 11, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
10
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Letters, May 12, 1941 - May 24, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
11
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Letters, May 25, 1941 - June 6, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
12
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Letters, June 6, 1941 - June 22, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
13
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Letters, June 22, 1941 - July 3, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
14
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Letters, July 6, 1941 - August 14, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
15
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Letters, August 14, 1941 - September 23, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
16
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Letters, September 24, 1941 - October 20, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
17
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Letters, October 23, 1941 - November 11, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
18
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Letters, December 2, 1941 - December 17, 1941
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Box
1
Folder
19
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Letters, December 18, 1941 - December 29, 1941
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Box
2
Folder
1
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Letters, January 4, 1942 - February 10, 1942
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Box
2
Folder
2
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Letters, February 11, 1942 - February 27, 1942
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Box
2
Folder
3
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Letters, February 28, 1942 - March 12, 1942
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Box
2
Folder
4
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Letters, March 14, 1942 - March 26, 1942
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Box
2
Folder
5
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Letters, March 28, 1942 - April 23, 1942
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Box
2
Folder
6
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Letters, April 24, 1942 - May 13, 1942
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Box
2
Folder
7
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Letters, May 17, 1942 - June 7, 1942
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Box
2
Folder
8
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Letters, June 10, 1942 - June 29, 1942
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Box
2
Folder
9
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Letters, July 3, 1942 - July 24, 1942
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Box
2
Folder
10
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Letters, July 27, 1942 - August 16, 1942
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Box
2
Folder
11
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Letters, August 16, 1942 - September 27, 1942
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Box
2
Folder
12
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Letters, October 1, 1942 - October 24, 1942
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Box
2
Folder
13
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Letters, October 31, 1942 - November 19, 1942
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Box
2
Folder
14
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Letters, November 24, 1942 - December 13, 1942
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Box
2
Folder
15
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Letters, December 18, 1942 - December 31, 1942
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Box
2
Folder
16
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Letters, January 2, 1943 - January 21, 1943
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Box
2
Folder
17
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Letters, January 27, 1943 - February 24, 1943
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Box
2
Folder
18
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Letters, March 5, 1943 - April 16, 1943
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Box
2
Folder
19
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Letters, April 17, 1943 - April 23, 1943
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Box
2
Folder
20
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Letters, April 24, 1943 - May 5, 1943
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Box
2
Folder
21
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Letters, May 6, 1943 - May 31, 1943
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Box
2
Folder
22
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Letters, June 2, 1943 -July 1, 1943
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Box
2
Folder
23
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Letters, July 8, 1943 - July 29, 1943
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Box
2
Folder
24
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Letters, August 1, 1943 - September 11, 1943
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Box
2
Folder
25
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Letters, September 11, 1943 - October 16, 1943
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Box
2
Folder
26
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Letters, October 19, 1943 - November 17, 1943
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Box
2
Folder
27
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Letters, November 21, 1943 - December 11, 1943
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Box
2
Folder
28
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Letters, December 13, 1943 - December 26, 1943
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Box
3
Folder
1
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Letters, January 6, 1944 - February 2, 1944
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Box
3
Folder
2
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Letters, February 3, 1944 - February 15, 1944
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Box
3
Folder
3
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Letters, February 16, 1944 - April 1, 1944
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Box
3
Folder
4
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Letters, April 2, 1944 - April 15, 1944
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Box
3
Folder
5
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Letters, April 17, 1944 - May 11, 1944
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Box
3
Folder
6
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Letters, May 12, 1944 - June 16, 1944
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Box
3
Folder
7
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Letters, June 16, 1944 - July 1, 1944
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Box
3
Folder
8
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Letters, July 3, 1944 - July 23, 1944
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Box
3
Folder
9
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Letters, July 24, 1944 - August 12, 1944
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Box
3
Folder
10
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Letters, August 13, 1944 - August 31, 1944
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Box
3
Folder
11
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Letters, September 3, 1944 - September 29, 1944
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Box
3
Folder
12
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Letters, October 2, 1944 - October 13, 1944
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Box
3
Folder
13
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Letters, October 16, 1944 - November 4, 1944
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Box
3
Folder
14
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Letters, November 7, 1944 - December 10, 1944
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Box
3
Folder
15
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Letters, December 12, 1944 - December 27, 1944
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Box
3
Folder
16
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Letters, January 6, 1945 - February 2, 1945
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Box
3
Folder
17
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Letters, February 3, 1945 - March 13, 1945
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Box
4
Folder
1
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undated/blank postcards, many to/from Lotte (Max's daughter)
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Box
4
Folder
2
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Letters, Undated
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Box
4
Folder
3
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Envelopes with no date
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Box
4
Folder
4
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Letters to Stumpf family, 1916 - 1919
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Box
4
Folder
5
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Misc. letters, August 3, 1935 - December 30, 1940
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Box
4
Folder
6
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Misc. letters, October 30, 1946 - February 2, 1961
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Box
4
Folder
7
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House plans, fire insurance, building permit 1928, 1939, 1950
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Box
4
Folder
8
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Misc. printed matter
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Box
4
Folder
9
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Misc. forms + notes (undated)
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