Michael Siegel: personal papers

This collection comprises the personal papers of Michael Siegel, a Jewish lawyer from Munich who emigrated with his wife to Lima, Peru, in 1940. Their two children had both emigrated to England in the late 1930s to escape Nazi persecutions. Siegel took on the role of Jewish community leader in Lima between 1942 and 1957.

Included are Michael Siegel's school reports and qualifications, references from the Jewish community in Munich, reports about his travels including post-war visits to Germany; copies of his own letters from Peru; political contemplations and articles published in Peruvian papers; autobiographical accounts; press cuttings; and a photograph of Siegel.

Michael Siegel was born in Arnstein in 1882, the son of farmer and horse trader, Salomon Siegel. He received the König Ludwig Kreuz in 1916 for his work with young people during the First World War. He married Mathilde Waldner (1893-1970) in 1920 with whom he had two children, Hans-Peter (born 1921) and Maria Beate (born 1925). After graduating in law at the universities of Munich and Berlin he joined the long established law firm of his relatives in Munich. He worked in the business until anti-Jewish laws prevented him from doing so in 1938. He was an active member of the Jewish community and acted as emigration advisor in 1939. Michael and Mathilde Siegel emigrated to Lima, Peru, in September 1940 where they arrived two months later. Their children were already in England by 1938. Michael Siegel led the German Jewish community "Sociedad de Beneficencia Israelita de 1870" in Lima between 1942 and 1957 and co-founded Bhai Berith Lima in 1994.

Chronological and by record type

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Donated by Bea Green

2012/12