| | Abstract: | Martin Hirsch was born in Welnau, Germany, on September 12, 1898. Martin served in the Imperial German Army during World War I, and was given the Iron Cross for his efforts. Following the war, he continued his education and completed his medical degree in 1924, graduating from Fredrich Wilhelm University in Breslau, Germany. He was an ear, nose, and throat specialist and practiced in Germany for several years. Martin married Ruth Hirschmann on July 7, 1934. Ruth was born March 14, 1914, in Nurnberg, Germany. Martin Hirsch practiced medicine and lectured in Germany until prohibited by the Nazi government due to his Jewish background. At that time, Martin and Ruth sought refuge in the United States, where they immigrated in 1938. Unable yet to legally practice medicine in the United States, Martin lectured at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont, for a few years. In 1942, Martin and Ruth moved to Cleveland, Ohio. After passing the Ohio State Medical Board Exam, Martin set up a medical practice in the area. Martin and Ruth aided Ruth's mother Anna Hirschmann and Ruth's brother Rudolf Hirschmann in their attempt to immigrate to the United States. They had fled to Argentina from Germany during World War II. Martin passed away in 1961, after which Ruth married Harry Cohn. Ruth spent much of the 1960s and 1970s corresponding with a German lawyer, also named Martin Hirsch, about her late husband's will. Harry Cohn died in 1972, and Ruth legally adopted his youngest son, Marc. Ruth was an active philanthropist, contributing to the Cleveland Foundation, among other causes. At 85 years old, Ruth married Nazim Rahim in 1999. She died in 2009 at the age of 95. The collection consists of immigration applications, bank statements, certificates, correspondence, medical articles, academic papers, and military documents. | |
