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Eugene Max Mannheimer Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MsC0386

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Scope and Contents

The Eugene Max Mannheimer Papers consist of his unpublished manuscript, Reminiscences of My Three Score Years and Nine, concerning American-Jewish life in America during the first half of the twentieth century. The manuscript is nearly 1,000 typed pages written by Rabbi Mannheimer between 1949 and 1951 and is based on his personal notebooks while serving as Rabbi. Also included is an alphabetical index, a page index, and a calendar of Mannheimer's meetings and sermons dated from 1905 to 1950. The page index contains reprinted paragraphs from the manuscript to aid in locating specific subjects. A memorial booklet is filed in the first folder.

Dates

  • Creation: 1902-1951

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright restrictions may apply; please consult Special Collections staff for further information.

Biographical or Historical Information

Eugene Max Mannheimer was a Jewish Rabbi at Temple B'nai Jeshurun in Des Moines, Iowa, from May 1905 to October 1943. Mannheimer was born in Rochester, New York, on November 3, 1880. After eight years of study at the high school and college levels, he graduated from Hebrew Union College, in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1902. Mannheimer's father was an instructor in the Hebrew language and in the Bible at that college, beginning in 1884. After graduation, Mannheimer served as a Rabbi in Sioux City, Iowa, and in 1905 he moved to Des Moines, Iowa, to serve the congregation at Temple B'nai Jeshurun. He met Irma Shloss in Des Moines and the couple married on April 17, 1917. They had two sons, Robert and Richard.

As a representative of the Jewish religion, Mannheimer was invited to attend a meeting at the State University of Iowa on May 12, 1925, to establish the School of Religion. Later that month he was appointed to the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the School of Religion. Mannheimer was elected as first vice president of the School of Religion in May 1949.

During 1941, Mannheimer suffered two heart attacks. In April 1943 he requested to retire and he was elected Rabbi Emeritus on October 1, 1943. Eugene Mannheimer died of a heart attack on September 8, 1952.

Extent

0.75 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Rabbi and civic leader of Des Moines, Iowa. Reminiscences.

Method of Acquisition

These materials were donated to the University of Iowa Libraries by Robert E. Mannheimer in January 1980.

Author
Denise Anderson, June 2009
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
eng

Repository Details

Part of the University of Iowa Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Special Collections Department
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City IA 52242 IaU
319-335-5921
319-335-5900 (Fax)