Dr. Herman S. Gundersheimer, 101, Founded Temple University's Art-History Program
Bill Schenley
http://www.realcities.com/mld/inquirer/news/obituaries/8683496.htm
Dr. Herman S. Gundersheimer, who founded Temple University's
art-history program and taught at the school for more than
three decades, died Friday after a short illness. He was
101.
Dr. Gundersheimer was born in Germany and received his
doctorate in art history there. He was a curator for public
museums in several German cities until the Nuremberg Laws
were passed, stripping German Jews of their rights as
citizens.
In 1935, Dr. Gundersheimer became director of one of the few
German museums still open to him: the Museum of Jewish
Antiquities in Frankfurt.
That collection was looted in the Kristallnacht pogrom in
November 1938, and for nine months, Dr. Gundersheimer was
forced to appraise the pillaged artifacts for the Gestapo.
But in August 1939, shortly before Germany invaded Poland,
Dr. Gundersheimer, his wife and their young son escaped
Germany for England. In May 1940, the family arrived in
Philadelphia, and Dr. Gundersheimer adapted his curatorial
background to what was to become a long and successful
teaching career.
"He found new life as a teacher," said Dr. Gundersheimer's
son, Werner L. Gundersheimer. "The human contact brought out
a dimension in him that probably wouldn't have been there
had he not had to flee for his life."
Outside his work as a teacher, Dr. Gundersheimer's principal
interests were art and culture, his son said.
He also was "serious about his Judaism, and he had great
commitment to his family."
Dr. Gundersheimer was a member of Congregation Rodeph Shalom
in Philadelphia.
In retirement, Dr. Gundersheimer was consulted by leaders in
Frankfurt as they built a new Jewish Museum in 1988. Temple
created a scholarship in his name on his 90th birthday.
And in 1991, the Brandywine Workshop gave Dr. Gundersheimer
its lifetime achievement award.
In addition to his son, Dr. Gundersheimer is survived by his
wife of nearly 69 years, Frieda Siegel Gundersheimer; a
daughter, Ann Gundersheimer; and four grandsons.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow at Congregation
Rodeph Shalom, 615 N. Broad St., Philadelphia. Contributions
can be made to the Herman Gundersheimer Scholarship Fund at
Temple, 1938 Liacouras Walk, Philadelphia 19122.