Arnold Hartmann was born on December 25, 1878, in Schildberg, Germany. His parents, Soloman Hartmann of Germany and Rosalia Grabowski of Poland, brought him to Boston in 1880 when he was two years old. He attended Boston Latin School through the eighth grade and then worked as a clerk at various places in Boston.

Eventually, he found himself in the wool and leather business and lived for several years in Buenos Aires, Argentina. By 1915, he had formed his own leather and wool company called Hartmann Brothers with his brother Ed.

Arnolds start in real estate came in 1918 when he bought the former Levi Wade Estate in Oak Hill. Though it was bought for his home, he began developing this and other land in the area. In 1924, the Oak Hill Trust was formed to fulfill his dream of creating the residential community Oak Hill Village. (See Arnold Hartmann: Real Estate Developer in Oak Hill, 1924-1960 for a collection of papers related to Hartmann's real estate interests.)

Hartmann continued to work on the Oak Hill Village development project for most of his life. Arnold died in Newton, Massachusetts, on September 30, 1962, at the age of 83.

This collection of letters consists of photocopies made from the originals in 1999. The original documents can be found at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. (See below for a link to the museum's Web site.)

These letters cover the years 1936 to 1947 and focus on the various effects of World War II. The collection contains letters and memos to Arnold Hartmann while he was in Buenos Aires in 1938, primarily concerning his real estate business in Newton, Massachusetts; letters to and from various relatives in Germany, Shanghai and South America concerning money, affidavits of support (includes copies of affidavits for Elsa Hartmann of Germany and others), visas, family genealogy, and general aspects of life.

Also included is correspondence with various organizations, such as the Boston Committee for Refugees and the Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society of America, concerning bringing the Hartmann relatives to the safety of the United States; and letters from the end of the war telling of the fate of various individuals.

Also of interest is a letter dated January 1, 1946, from Arnold Hartmann to his relatives describing the state of business in Newton, Massachusetts, during the war.

Extent: 1 folder
Finding Aids: None
Location of original documents: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM).

References:
 Arnold Hartmann: Real Estate Developer in Oak Hill, 1924-1960