Leonard Lawrence: copy personal papers and diary

This collection contains copies of personal papers and a diary of the Jewish teenager Leonard Lawrence (formerly Leopold Weil) who came to England on a Kindertransport in 1939. Included are his diary, 1939-1943 (1730/1) documenting his efforts to educate himself and make a living, his social life particularly his involvement with the 'Young Austrian' group and his perception of political events; as well as copy personal papers including his last school certificate from 1938, military service papers, certificate of naturalisation, marriage certificate and correspondence relating to his compensation claim regarding the disruption of his education (1730/3). Also contains summary in English of diary contents (1730/2)

Leopold Weil was born in Karlsruhe in 1925. His father Nathan Weil was born in 1885 and died in 1937. His mother Irene Weil (née Kauders, born in 1899) emigrated to the USA. Leopold Weil went to school in Milan until 1938. He must have returned to Germany as he emigrated to England as a teenage refugee on a Kindertransport in 1939. There he changed his name to Leonard Lawrence. He initially lived at a camp near Ipswich, Suffolk, from where he moved to a hostel in London to work as a tailor. He served in the Lincolnshire Regiment. He was naturalised in 1947 and married Muriel Harris in 1963.

Chronological

See Wiener Library access conditions at: http://www.wienerlibrary.co.uk/usinglibrary/usingthelibrary.aspx

Donated by Tessa Lawrence

2007/5

Includes summary of diary contents in English.