Gundersheimer Siegel Family Collection

Hermann Samuel Gundersheimer was born in Würzburg in 1903, the son of the wine merchant Samuel Gundersheimer and his wife Sophie (also spelled Sofie) née Salzer. After completing Oberrealschule Hermann Gundersheimer studied art history, archaeology and philosophy at the universities of Würzburg, Berlin, Munich and Leipzig, and received his doctorate in philosophy from the University of Leipzig with a dissertation on the fresco painter Matthäus Günther in 1930. He worked at the Museum of Ulm and later at the Städtisches Historisches Museum Frankfurt (The Municipal Historical Museum of Frankfurt) and the Kunstgewerbe Museum (Applied Arts Museum) in Frankfurt am Main until he lost his position in 1933.

In May 1933 Hermann Gundersheimer became curator at the Museum jüdischer Altertümer (Museum of Jewish Antiquities, also known as the Rothschild Museum) in Frankfurt, and in October of that year became director of the museum. At the museum he was responsible not only for the cataloging of items and creation of exhibits, but also gave lectures and tours and wrote numerous articles related to Jewish art. He also created an organization for the care of Jewish cemeteries and synagogues in Wiesbaden. In November of 1933 he became an editor for the Frankfurter israelitisches Gemeindeblatt (later the Jüdisches Gemeindeblatt für Frankfurt am Main) and after two months became chief editor. In May 1936 he became chief editor of the Jüdisches Gemeindeblatt für Hessen. In addition to these activities he also gave lectures at the Jüdisches Lehrhaus and was a member of their board, as well as a member of several other Jewish organizations.

Hermann Gundersheimer married Frieda (also known as Friedl) Siegel in May 1935. Frieda was the daughter of Siegfried and Anna (née Bamberger) Siegel of Landau. In 1937 Hermann and Frieda had a son, Werner.

During Kristallnacht the artworks in the Museum jüdischer Altertümer were heavily damaged. The Gundersheimers left Germany in 1939, going first to England before arriving in the United States on May 11, 1940. The family eventually settled near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where Hermann (spelled Herman after immigration) Gundersheimer began teaching art history at Temple University's Tylor School of Art on July 29, 1941, where he became chairman of the department of art history. He continued there until his retirement.

Samuel Gundersheimer died on September 30, 1938; his wife Sophie spent World War II in Jerusalem with other family. Both of Frieda Gundersheimer's parents were deported to Theresienstadt, where Anna Siegel died; Siegfried Siegel died in Auschwitz.

Hermann Gundersheimer died in May 2004, his wife Frieda in June 2004.