Nina Rubinstein Papers
Period 1918-1996
(-2002)
Total size 1.87 m.
Consultation Not restricted
Biography
Born in Berlin 1908, died in New York 1996; daughter of Alexander N. Rubinštejn (Alexander Stein) and Terese (Tatiana) Rubinstejn, née Mark, both Mensheviks, her parents, originating from Latvia, fled to Berlin 1906; with her mother in exile in Copenhagen 1914-1917; returned with her mother to Petrograd 1917-1918; moved with her mother to the Yiddish speaking grandmother in Latvia and afterwards to Berlin 1918; brought up with German language, learned also Russian; studied sociology at the universities of Heidelberg and Frankfurt am Main 1929-1933; her dissertation on the French political emigration after 1789 was accepted by Karl Mannheim but she withdrew from the university and left Germany 1933 to live in Paris, working as secretary and translator; settled in New York 1940, working as translator for the U.S. Office of War Information 1942-1945 and served with the United Nations from 1955; also a well-known photographer in circles of the United Nations; retired 1968; after her retirement translator of Russian books; admitted to the degree of doctor of philosophy based on her published dissertation of 1933 at the university of Frankfurt am Main 1989.
Content
Letters from Iraklij G. Cereteli (Tseretelli)1946-1947, Lidija O. Dan 1947-1963, Lida and Ernst Jablonsky 1945-1993, Karl and Lotte Kautsky Jr. 1965-1988 , Thésée (Therese) Korzybska 1940, 1989-1990, 1994, Karl Mannheim 1930, [1933], Hanna Papanek 1968-1993, Alexander Stein and Elly Kaiser 1934-1938, 1947-1948 and n.d., Tatiana (Terese) Rubinstein 1934, 1948-1952 and n.d., Boris and Berti Sapir-Willekes Mac Donald 1984, 1989 and n.d., Edith and Eliezer Yapou 1936, 1945-1991 and others; documents on her study at the universities of Heidelberg and Frankfurt am Main 1929-1933; pocket diaries 1941-1942, 1944-1989, 1995; diaries and notebooks 1918-1992 and n.d; documents on her doctorate at the university of Frankfurt am Main 1989; typescripts and manuscripts of articles and reviews 1931-1935, 1940-1941, 1943-1944, 1946, 1959, 1987 and n.d.; clippings of her published articles 1930, 1932-1933, 1936; documents on the United Nations 1952-1960, on her activities as freelance interpreter 1975-1982, on her activities for Amnesty International and similar organizations 1979-1990, on her work as a photograper 1958-1985; documentation on Lydia O. Dan, Albert Einstein, Norbert Elias and others c. 1929-1999; correspondence and personal papers from and correspondence with her mother, Tatiana Rubinstein 1934-1952; documents (partly photocopies) from Hanna Papanek relating to Nina Rubinstein's dissertation 1903-2002.
See also the papers of Alexander Stein, available at the IISH.
Arrangement
Inventory made by Tiny de Boer in 2005
Introduction
Nina Rubinstein was born 2 July 1908 in Berlin as only child of political emigres who left the old Russian Empire after struggle and jail in their homeland. Her parents came from traditional Jewish families in the Baltic region, where many people spoke Russian and German as well as local tongues. Both parents were lifelong activists in the more moderate menshevik (anti-bolshevik) wing of the outlawed Russian Social Democratic Party. Her mother was Teresa (Tatiana) Rubinstein, née Mark (1885-1955, daughter of well-off professional parents in Latvia) and Alexander Rubinštejn (Alexander Stein, 1881-1948, son of struggling artisans in Latvia). Her parents spoke Russian with each other, but Nina learned German as a child.
From 1914-1917 during the First World War she lived with her mother and other socialist emigres from Russia in neutral Denmark. Her father stayed in Berlin. He became economic writer for newspapers of the German Social Democratic Party.
In 1917 her mother Tatiana and Nina Rubinstein left for St. Petersburg (Leningrad) where her mother worked for the liberal-socialist Provisional Government of Russia, where in 1918 they again chose exile abroad when bolsheviks under Lenin ended multiparty politics.
In 1918 they went again to Berlin where she lived with her mother and her mother's younger sister Berta (Markuša). Nina Rubinstein studied in German public schools, including French and English languages. After hours she also studied Russian language and literature in an emigre group for children. At home they spoke Russian. While in school she began to translate Russian poetry and books for publication in German under her penname Nina Stein. Later (1931-1933) she also wrote short stories and reviews of books. At the Friedrich Wilhelms University in Berlin she studied art and then mainly sociology. Later she studied sociology in Heidelberg at the Ruprecht-Karls-Universität and in Frankfurt (Universität Frankfurt am Main).
In Frankfurt (1930-1933) she worked on her doctoral dissertation with the well-known professor Karl Mannheim at Frankfurt University's Institute of Social Research. Her dissertation engaged her in a deeply personal way: her topic of 'The French Emigration After 1789' was grounded directly in experience of her own menshevik community of political emigres. She submitted her dissertation a few months after Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933. Mannheim accepted her dissertation. Just then the Frankfurt University suspended Mannheim and he fled Germany. That same summer she fled Germany with her mother, taking her dissertation along.
During 1933-1940 she lived with her mother in Paris. She worked for a French literary agency as translator of German and English and as secretary. They fled again when Germany occupied France. Her neighbour and friend Thésée (Therese) Korzybska, rescued her dissertation and other papers and kept it for her throughout the war. After the war she sent it to New York, along with her books and photo albums.
Nina Rubinstein and her mother left France via Marseille with US emergency visas to Madrid and Lisbon and from there to the USA where she lived with her mother in New York. She became a US citizen in 1949. She stayed close to what had come to be her own exile homeland: the aging menshevik community, now also transplanted to New York: refugee friends from Russia and Germany; Russian and German languages and cultures. From 1942 to 1945 during World War II she worked as a translator from German to English for the Office of War Information (OWI) in New York. At the same time she completed graduate sociology courses at the New School for Social Research. But she pursued neither a doctoral degree nor her Frankfurt dissertation. Nina Rubinstein lived with her mother until she died in 1955. After that she lived alone in the same neigbourhood (Upper West Side of Manhattan). From 1947-1954 she was a freelance interpreter at international conferences. She interpreted mainly from English and French into Russian; also used German and Spanish. From 1955 she did the same work as staff member of the United Nations headquarters, mainly for the General Assembly and its standing committees, until she retired in 1968. She worked closely together with Lydia O. Dan. She was also a photographer and had exhibitions at the United Nations.
After her retirement she worked again as a freelance interpreter at conferences which brought her back to Europe many times and to various other countries; specialized topics ranged from aeronautics and Antarctic to telecommunications. She also translated several books and was active for Amnesty International and other organizations (mainly concerning Russian Jews and dissidents).
After having more time available she finally wanted to publish her dissertation. Her attempts to finish the dissertation in Paris and later in New York had failed: 'she had to make a living'. In 1970 she asked the help of the mayor of Berlin, who wanted to invite citizens to Berlin who had to flee Germany for political or racist reasons. This was, however, unsuccessful. In 1988, when she became 80, she was interviewed about her own exile life and her dissertation by her half-sister Hanna Papanek (sociologist at Boston University) and David Kettler (political scientist at Bard College near New York and a specialist on theory, culture and Karl Mannheim). Interviews led Kettler to urge the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität in Frankfurt am Main to award a doctor's degree for her 1933 dissertation. The University took favourable action. In 1989 she was awarded her degree in Frankfurt (from: typescript 'Forever Exile. the Modern Life of Nina Rubinstein' by George Uri Fischer, n.d. ). She died 28 September 1996 in New York.
Documents concerning her dissertation Die französische Emigration nach 1789. Ein Beitrag zur Soziologie der Politischen Emigration have been transferred by her half-sister Hanna Papanek to the 'Archiv für die Geschichte der Soziologie in Graz', Austria. It consists of the complete file of her dissertation, completed with documents originating from the publication of the dissertation.
See also the papers of Alexander Stein, available at the IISH.
See (on Markuša Fischer) also Louis Fischer papers at Princeton University and Hoover Institution at Stanford University.
Inventory
GENERAL
Diaries and addresses
Correspondence
- 11-75
-
Incoming
letters.
1932, 1934-1938, 1940-1980, 1984, 1987-1991, 1993-1994 and
n.d. 6 folders and 59 covers.
- 26
- Fischer, née Mark, Bertha (Markuša) (younger sister of Tatiana Rubinstein née Mark and married to Louis Fischer) and two letters of their son Yura (George Uri Fischer). Partly to Tatiana Rubinstein. 1934, 1936, 1952, 196?, 1967, 1975 and n.d.
- 33
- Jablonski (Jouhy), Lida and Ernst. With a letter from Ernst to Lida Jablonski (1967). 1945-1946, 1952, 1961-1962, 1965-1967, 1971-1972, 1979, 1989-1990, 1993.
- 57-58
-
Rubinstein (Stein), Alexander and
Elly Kaiser. 1934-1938, 1947-1948 and n.d.
NB. Alexander Stein, father of Nina Rubinstein.
- 77
-
English
translations of selected letters from Alexander Stein to
his daughter Nina Rubinstein (1934-1938, 1947-1948), one
letter from Tatiana Rubinstein (1948) to Nina
Rubinstein and comments by Hanna Papanek and
George (Yura) Fischer about Alexander
Stein's younger brother Louis [Lev Nikolaevich
Rubinstein].
1999. 1 cover.
NB. See also inv.nos. 57-58, 61-62.
PERSONAL
Education
- 82
-
'Studienbuch' and other documents concerning her studies at the
Friedrich Wilhelms Universität in Berlin.
1928-1929 and n.d. 1 cover.
NB. 'Studienbuch': certificate of registration with statement of lectures followed.
- 83
- 'Studienbuch' and postcard concerning her studies at the Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg. 1929-1930, 1941. 1 cover.
- 84
- 'Studienbuch' and other documents concerning her studies at the Universität Frankfurt am Main. 1928, 1930-1932, 1941 and n.d. 1 cover.
Promotion
- 87
- Notebook with notes concerning her dissertation, notes in Russian of interviews with emigres, notes 'Anekdoten aus Hitlers Zeit' 1933, notes 'Manuscripte an Papa', notes on poets and other notes, receipt of money sent by her father Alexander Stein, including his message to her on the reverse. 1932-1933 and n.d. 1 volume.
- 88
- Correspondence with Peter Lösche (Harvard University) and Klaus Schütz (mayor of Berlin) and others concerning her attempt to publish the dissertation. With typescripts of an outline and annex 'Lieder und Satiren aus der Revolutionszeit' p. 230-242, notes and clippings. 1969-1972 and n.d. 1 cover.
- 89-94
-
Die französische Emigration nach 1789. Ein Beitrag zur Soziologie der
politischen Emigration. Dissertation.
[1933], 1989 and n.d.
4 folders and 2 volumes.
NB. See also dissertation in IISH Library call nr. 2001/876.
- 95
- Certificate of doctor's degree in philosophy of her dissertation 'Die französische Emigration nach 1789. Ein Beitrag zur Soziologie der politischen Emigration'. With 3 duplicates and a photocopy of the programme. 1989. 1 cover.
- 96
- Programme of the symposium 'Die (mindestens) zwei Sozialwissenschaften in Frankfurt und ihre Geschichte', during which her promotion certificate was presented to Nina Rubinstein. With the text of the lecture 'Die ersten Soziologinnen in Frankfurt', held at the symposium by Claudia Honegger. 1989. 1 cover.
Other personal documents
- 100
- Notebook of books she read and books she lent to others. 1926-1928, 1932-1933 and n.d. 1 volume.
- 101
- Leaflet of a play at a social evening at the Städtische Studienanstalt, in which Nina Rubinstein participated. 1927. 1 piece.
- 102
- 'Laissez Passer'. Police identification card as a journalist during the visit of the British King and Queen in Paris in July. 1938. 1 piece.
- 103
- Documents concerning her immigration and naturalization in the USA. 1940-1944, 1948-1949 and n.d. 1 cover.
- 104
- Membership card and membership book of the United Federal Workers of America. 1944-1945. 2 pieces.
- 105
- Documents concerning the biography and writings of her father Alexander Stein (Rubinstein), including a part of his autobiography 'Erinnerungen eines Staatenlosen', 1945. 1945, 1964, 1971-1972 and n.d. 1 cover.
- 110
- Lists of organizations to which she donated money. With notes by Victor Fischer [son of Markuša Fischer]. 1988-1991. 1 cover.
PUBLIC LIFE
Authorship and translations
Typescripts and manuscripts
- 117
- Typescripts of reviews. Published in Bücherwarte. Zeitschrift für sozialistische Buchkritik. Organ der Zentralstelle für das Arbeiterbüchereiwesen. 1931-1933. 1 cover.
- 122
- Typescripts of articles concerning New York and the United States. With notes. 1941, 1944, 1946 and n.d. 1 cover.
- 123
- Typescripts of radio programmes for the German Section of the U.S. Office of War Information (OWI). 1943-1944. 1 cover.
Publications
- 136
- Printed reviews in Bücherwarte. Zeitschrift für sozialistische Buchkritik. Organ der Zentralstelle für das Arbeiterbüchereiwesen. 1932-1933. 1 cover.
United Nations
Freelance interpreter
Amnesty International and similar organizations
- 156
- Notebook concerning meetings of the adoption group and the coordination group of Amnesty International. 1979-1983. 1 volume.
DOCUMENTATION
- 165
- Stencilled text of the play 'Die Wolken des Aristophanes oder Politik als Wissenschaft', written by the 'Soziologischen Kollektiv' [at Frankfurt University]. 1930. 1 cover.
- 167
- Clippings, notes, typed texts and leaflets of poems, jokes and songs. 1938, 1973 and n.d. 1 cover.
- 168
- Clippings of reviews of the book My lives in Russia by Markuša Fischer. With photocopies. With notes concerning the family relation. 1944. 1 cover.
- 169
- Clipping with a photograph of Iraklij G. Cereteli and Abraham Cahan, published in Forward. 1946. 1 piece.
- 171
- Clippings on Nina Rubinstein and on United Nations interpreters. 1956, 1959-1960, 1965, 1971, 1973 and n.d. 1 cover.
- 172
-
Clippings on
Lev Nikolaevich Rubinstein and others, previous prisoners
who received the Lenin order.
1958.
1 cover.
NB. Uncle of Nina Rubinstein.
- 173
- Clippings, printed article and typed text with obituaries on Ekaterina D. Koskova-Prokopovič. 1958-1959 and n.d. 1 cover.
- 174-177
-
Documentation on Lydia O. Dan, néeTsederbaum.
1958, 1960, 1963. 3 covers.
- 174
- Clippings and a printed article in The Socialist Courier on the 80th. birthday of Lydia O. Dan. 1958.
- 181
- Clippings of obituaries on her father Alexander Stein and others. 1949, 1969, 1974-1975, 1978-1979 and n.d. 1 cover.
- 185
- Newspaper clipping of the article 'Das Pathos des Konkreten. Die ersten Soziologinnen im Frankfurt der Weimarer Republik' by Claudia Honegger, published in Frankfurter Rundschau, April 14, including photograph of a.o. Nina Rubinstein, Karl Mannheim and Norbert Elias, c. 1932. 1990. 1 piece.
- 186
- 'Reflections (Soviet Women)'. Printed article by Francine du Plessix Gray in The New Yorker February 19. Photocopy. 1990. 1 cover.
- 187
- Newsletter nr. 19 of AGSÖ Archiv für Geschichte der Soziologie in Österreich, including the articles 'Lebenserfahrung und historische Distanz. Nina Rubinstein (1908-1996)' by Dirk Raith, 'Die französische Emigration, insbesondere die Transformation ihrer Ideologie (1930). Mit Anmerkungen von Karl Mannheim' by Nina Rubinstein and 'Der Nachlaß Nina Rubinstein' by Reinhard Müller. 1999. 1 copy.
PAPERS FROM FAMILY MEMBERS
Tatiana Rubinstein
- 193
-
Letter from
Bertha (Markuša) Fischer, née Mark.
1936.
1 cover.
NB. Younger sister of Tatiana Rubinstein.
- 194
-
Letter from
G. Gilman.
1945. 1 cover.
NB. Probably mother of Lydia Jablonski (Jouhy), née Hilman.
- 195
-
Personal
documents relating to identity, divorce and naturalization.
1935,
1940-1941, 1943, 1945, 1950. 1 cover.
NB. The documents issued by the Office des Refugiés Russes, Marseille, 4 September 1940 was issued for the express purpose of enabling Tatiana (and Nina) Rubinstein to leave France with a legal 'Visa de sortie'. Alexander Rubinstein (Stein), Tatiana and Nina had in fact been naturalized as German citizens in 1920 and deprived of their citizenship by decree in February 1934. Without the documents making them 'Russian', the Vichy government would have refused them exit visas, following Article XIX of the 1940 German-French Armistice Agreement. Hanna Papanek, 9 November 2005.
Hanna Papanek
- 196-202
- Documents from Hanna Papanek relating to Nina Rubinstein's dissertation. Partly photocopies. 1903, 1907-1908, 1928-1933, 1935-1936, 1938, 1941, 1947, 1977, 1986-1994, 1998-2002 and n.d. 1 box and 6 folders.