Hertha Leab and Leo Leab Collection 1858-1981

Abstract

This collection details the lives and immigration experiences of Herta and Leo Leab. Given Herta Leab's experience as an executive in the Scherk cosmetics company and as the owner of her own company, Hedda Maar Cosmetics, it includes significant material on the cosmetics industry in Germany and the United States. Losses suffered by the Marcus, Liebeskind, and Scherk families in Nazi Germany and the Leabs' efforts to receive restitution are also well documented, along with some material on the town of Gilgenburg (now Dabrowno, Poland) and World War I. The collection is comprised of extensive personal and business correspondence, family and official papers, notebooks, clippings, and a few photographs.Researchers should note that Herta Leab's name is often spelled Hertha in the papers of the collection, even among her family members; to avoid confusion, this finding aid uses the spelling given on her official documents.digitizeddigitize