University of London Archives | Details | Adolf Placzek and Ernst Philipp Papers

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Actions Help FAQs Can't find what you're looking for? Browse Collections A-Z University of London	Adolf Placzek and Ernst Philipp Papers Remove from selection Add to selection Request this item TitleAdolf Placzek and Ernst Philipp Papers Held atUniversity of London, Institute of Languages, Cultures and Societies Reference codePLA Date1934-2004 Creator Placzek, Adolf K (1913-2000) architectural historian, writer, refugeeMore Info on CreatorLess Info on Creator Adolf Placzek was born in Vienna, Austria, 1913; initially studied medicine, and switched to architectural history in 1934; left Austria in 1939, and after a brief stay in Britain, moved to New York in 1940; served for 3 years in the US Army, and attended Columbia University's school of Library Service. After graduation he was appointed to the Avery Architectural Library; appointed Avery Librarian, 1960; appointed Professor at the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, 1970; after his retirement in 1980 he edited the four volume Macmillan Encyclopedia of Architects. Married (1st, 1948) Jan Struther, author of Mrs Miniver (d 1953) (2nd, 1957) Beverley Robinson. Philipp, Ernst (1916-1996) mathematician, writer, refugeeMore Info on CreatorLess Info on Creator Ernst Philipp was born in Vienna in 1916, and was a cousin of Adolf Placzek; he was educated at the University of Vienna (PhD, Mathematics, 1938); he, and his two brothers were sent to Dachau in November 1938, but released on the strength of their British Immigration visas. His mother and sister died in the holocaust. After moving to London he enlisted in the Labour Corps, and later served in the Parachute Regiment at Arnhem in 1945, he remained in the army after the War, and served in Palestine, 1946-1947. He taught mathematics at Seascale Preparatory School, Cumbria, for most of the rest of his working life. Not long before his retirement he moved, with the school, to merge with Cressbrook School, Kirby Lonsdale. He retired in 1981 and died in 1996, aged 79. Scope and ContentPersonal papers Ernst Philipp and typescripts of literary work sent to him by his cousin Adolf Placzek. Philipp's material includes typescripts of his literary works (1966-1994) and two boxes of material (donated later than the rest of the material in 2020), consisting of journals written between 1944 and 1995. The material by Placzek includes typescripts of eight plays and seven short prose works (1968-1994) and typescripts of poems (1940-1982), some of which were written in memory of his first wife Jan Struther (d 1953). There are also some miscellaneous papers including an obituary of Placzek from The Independent (April 2000); correspondence between M C Ives and the Institute of Germanic Studies relating to the Placzek/Philipp papers; and a typescript of article by Ives: 'Cousins in exile: an anthology' (undated). Conditions governing accessOpen. At least 48 hours' notice is required for research visits. Extent8 boxes Finding aidsBox listed to item level. A pdf version is attached to this description. Related files Ernst Philipp Letters Adolf Placzek Letters http://archives.ulrls.lon.ac.uk/resources/pla-catalogue.pdf The Institute also holds the papers of several other Austrian and German exiles (Ref EXS). Level of descriptionfonds Hierarchy browser contains 8 parts Adolf Placzek and Ernst Philipp Papers PLA \| 1934-2004 fonds

TitleAdolf Placzek and Ernst Philipp Papers

Held atUniversity of London, Institute of Languages, Cultures and Societies

Reference codePLA

Date1934-2004

Creator
- Placzek, Adolf K (1913-2000) architectural historian, writer, refugeeMore Info on CreatorLess Info on Creator
  Adolf Placzek was born in Vienna, Austria, 1913; initially studied medicine, and switched to architectural history in 1934; left Austria in 1939, and after a brief stay in Britain, moved to New York in 1940; served for 3 years in the US Army, and attended Columbia University's school of Library Service. After graduation he was appointed to the Avery Architectural Library; appointed Avery Librarian, 1960; appointed Professor at the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, 1970; after his retirement in 1980 he edited the four volume Macmillan Encyclopedia of Architects. Married (1st, 1948) Jan Struther, author of Mrs Miniver (d 1953) (2nd, 1957) Beverley Robinson.
- Philipp, Ernst (1916-1996) mathematician, writer, refugeeMore Info on CreatorLess Info on Creator
  Ernst Philipp was born in Vienna in 1916, and was a cousin of Adolf Placzek; he was educated at the University of Vienna (PhD, Mathematics, 1938); he, and his two brothers were sent to Dachau in November 1938, but released on the strength of their British Immigration visas. His mother and sister died in the holocaust. After moving to London he enlisted in the Labour Corps, and later served in the Parachute Regiment at Arnhem in 1945, he remained in the army after the War, and served in Palestine, 1946-1947. He taught mathematics at Seascale Preparatory School, Cumbria, for most of the rest of his working life. Not long before his retirement he moved, with the school, to merge with Cressbrook School, Kirby Lonsdale. He retired in 1981 and died in 1996, aged 79.

Scope and ContentPersonal papers Ernst Philipp and typescripts of literary work sent to him by his cousin Adolf Placzek. Philipp's material includes typescripts of his literary works (1966-1994) and two boxes of material (donated later than the rest of the material in 2020), consisting of journals written between 1944 and 1995. The material by Placzek includes typescripts of eight plays and seven short prose works (1968-1994) and typescripts of poems (1940-1982), some of which were written in memory of his first wife Jan Struther (d 1953). There are also some miscellaneous papers including an obituary of Placzek from The Independent (April 2000); correspondence between M C Ives and the Institute of Germanic Studies relating to the Placzek/Philipp papers; and a typescript of article by Ives: 'Cousins in exile: an anthology' (undated).

Conditions governing accessOpen. At least 48 hours' notice is required for research visits.

Extent8 boxes

Finding aidsBox listed to item level. A pdf version is attached to this description.

Related files

The Institute also holds the papers of several other Austrian and German exiles (Ref EXS).

Level of descriptionfonds

Item request date
Expected return date
Destination