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Correspondence of Isidor Landau

 Collection
Call Number: MS 2

Overview

Correspondence of Isidor Landau discussing theatre, as well as literature and social life. Includes 316 letters; 16 Manuscripts; 35 photographs; and 49 printed ephemeral items (posters, theatre-programs, etc.)

Dates

  • Creation: 1864-1937 (bulk 1880s-1930s)

Creator

Language of Materials

German; French; English

Conditions Governing Access

No access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Spencer Library staff may determine use restrictions dependent on the physical condition of manuscript materials.

Extent

1 linear foot (2 document cases + 1 oversize folder)

Scope and Contents

Most of these letters are from popular playwrights, actors, directors, "intendants" (theatre or opera house managers), authors, musicians, and critics connected with the German theatre. Most are addressed to Isidor Landau, a journalist and an important popular theatre critic employed by the Berliner Borsen-Courier from 1877 to 1912. Some are addressed to his wife, Louise (Loewenthal) Landau (1868-1952); a few are addressed to others (such as Hans von Bulow, and unidentified intendants of theatrical companies). The earliest items are 6 posters from Berlin theatres of the 1860s. All but two of the dated manuscripts are later than 1883.

Major correspodents include Barnay, Ludwig, 1842-1924 (actor, director, intendant, 34 items total); Blumenthal, Oscar, 1852-1917 (journalist, playwright, 13 items total); Haase, Friedrich, 1825-1911 (actor, intendant, 25 items total); Hullsen-Haeseler, Georg von, 1858-1922 (intendant, 13 items total); L'Arronge, Adolph, 1838-1908 (intendant, playwright, 9 items total); Lindau, Paul, 1839-1919 (critic, playwright, intendant, writer, 44 items total); and Triesch, Irene, 1878-? (actress, 27 items total).

Physical Location

MS 2

Physical Location

MS Q11:7

Other Finding Aids

See the attached for a detailed list of contents and item locations: ksrl.sc.landauisidor.pdf.

Custodial History

In 1955 or 1956 Landau's daughter, who was living in Lugano, Switzerland (where her parents had died) sold this group to the bookdealer B. Burstein of Lugano.

Bibliography

  • Claus, Horst. "An Annotated Bibliography of the Landau Collection in the Department of Special Collections of the University of Kansas." University of Kansas Masters thesis: Department of Speech and Drama, 1962.
  • Claus, Horst. The Theatre Director: Otto Brahm. Ann Arbor, MI: UMI, 1981.
  • Hoser, Klaus. "Der Theaterkritiker Isidor Landau." Dissertation for Philosopische Fakultat, Freie Universität: Berlin, 1962.
Title
Guide to the Isidor Landau Collection
Subtitle
Correspondence of Isidor Landau
Author
Finding aid prepared by alh, October 10, 1989. Finding aid encoded by skt, 2005. Finding aid revised by mwh, 2019.
Date
2005
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Finding aid written in English.
Finding aid permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/10407/3788395929
Preferred citation
Correspondence of Isidor Landau, MS 2, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas.

Repository Details

Part of the University of Kansas. Kenneth Spencer Research Library Repository

Contact:
1450 Poplar Lane
Lawrence KS 66045-7616 United States
785-864-4334