Solomon Bergstein papers

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum 

Solomon Bergstein was born in 1901 to Mayer and Etie Bergstein. He attended school at the University of Vienna, where he studied pharmacology. He graduated in 1929 and worked for the Apotheke Grünberg & Metall pharmacy. In 1932, he married Lily Porter. As the situation worsened in Europe, the Bergsteins were desperate to leave. Unable to obtain a visa for the United States, the couple, accompanied by Lily’s mother Henrietta, traveled to Shanghai China in 1939 with little money. Once Solomon arrived, he met with other refugees and learned of the need for medical care for the thousands of refugees that were now residing in Shanghai. A medical board and hospital was formed, and Solomon was charged with the administration of the pharmacy. In the meantime, Lily worked as a seamstress in a textile factory. The Bergstein family eventually received their visas to immigrate to the United States in 1940. Solomon passed away in 1992. 

Solomon Bergstein papers 

folders oversize folders 21 3 

The Solomon Bergstein papers contain documents related to Solomon Bergstein, a Viennese Jewish pharmacist who left Austria and established a pharmacy in Shanghai, China before immigrating to the United States. Documents include identification papers such as birth, marriage and naturalization certificates. Also included are documents from Solomon’s attendance at pharmacy school and employment in Shanghai, including examination certificates, report cards, and employment verification. Other items include correspondence, photographic prints, and newspaper clippings. The Solomon Bergstein papers contain mainly identification and school documents related to Solomon Bergstein. The identification papers include birth, marriage, and naturalization certificates, a letter for recommendation, and a passport belonging to Solomon’s mother, Etie. The pharmacy school and employment documents contain course certificates and report cards, student books, and a doctor’s examination certificate. Records related to Solomon’s employment in Shanghai include a report of the medical board in Shanghai, verification of employment, and a drug regulation book written in German with his assistance. Other items in the collection include photographic prints, news clippings, and correspondence with items such as his Bar Mitzvah and wedding invitations. 

The Solomon Bergstein papers are arranged as three series: •Series 1: Identification, 1923-1961 •Series 2: Pharmacy school and employment, 1915-1965 •Series 3: Various, 1916-1992