Call Number:

Ms. Coll. 45

Repository:

German Society of Pennsylvania: Joseph P. Horner Memorial Library

Extent:

2.4 linear feet (8 boxes + 1 oversize folder)

Language:

German

Preferred Citation:

Eugen and Emma Klee papers, Joseph P. Horner Memorial Library, German Society of Pennsylvania

Date:

1901-1930 (bulk) and 1852-1930 (inclusive)

Creator:

Klee, Emma, b. 1881 and Klee, Eugen, 1869-1929

Form:

Clippings (information artifacts), Correspondence, Greeting cards, Photographs, Postcards, Printed ephemera, Programs (documents), and Scrapbooks

Abstract:

This collection documents the activities of the accomplished German-American music director Eugen Klee and his wife Emma. Eugen Klee was an award-winning music director in Philadelphia from 1894 to 1913, and in New York City from 1914 until 1929. The collection includes correspondence from family, colleagues, friends, and acquaintances, mostly in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, plus newspaper clippings and ephemera. There is one file of correspondence from the Matthes family who are related to Emma Klee's mother. Also included are five scrapbooks, four of which include many newspaper clippings, music programs, correspondence, travel brochures, leaflets, and photographs related to both Eugen and Emma Klee, and the fifth is Emma Klee's scrapbook containing primarily correspondence from the year 1930.

Eugen Klee (1869-1929)

Eugen Klee was born in Otterberg, Germany, near Kaiserslautern, on December 15, 1869, the fourth of four children, to Jakob Klee (born 1819, died May 7, 1896), an orchestra leader in Otterberg who was one of Eugen's music teachers, and Margaretha Klee, née Zimmer (born 1832, died May 22, 1893). He had three sisters, Katherina (born 1851, died 1870), who was married to Mr. Cherdron; Anna (born 1852, died 1863); and Amalia (born 1864, died 1900), who was married to Heinrich Haas. Eugen Klee married Emma Caroline Weidner of 1126 North 8th Street, Philadelphia, on April 16, 1913.

Klee first went to college at the Humanistic College, then to the preparatory school for teachers in Kaiserslautern, graduating in 1888. He spent a short time teaching and afterward went on to complete his military service. He then went on to study music at the conservatories at Karlsruhe and Munich and studied under some very prominent music teachers. He studied violin, piano, organ, and leadership for church choir, orchestra and German opera.

In 1893, Eugen Klee immigrated to the United States, settling in Philadelphia. In 1894 he became director of the Kreuznacher Saengerbund and won first prize at the National Singing Festival in New York City in that year. He was elected Vice Musical Director of the United Singers of Philadelphia in 1895 and won first prize in the local singing festival. In the same year he became musical director of six other singing societies, including Singing Society Humor, Teutonia Sängerbund, Singing Society Arion, Pfälzer Casino, Fairmount Liedertafel, and Columbia Singing Society. Klee was elected in 1897 to be one of the musical directors for the National Singing Festival that was held in Philadelphia in that year. In 1898 he was elected to be the first musical director of the United Singers. With the Columbia Singing Society in 1900, he won first prize in the first class at the National Singing Festival held that year in Brooklyn, New York. In 1903, he became musical director of the Singing Society Harmonie and in 1906 won with Harmonie first prize at the National Singing Festival in Newark, New Jersey. He became Musical Director of the Junger Männerchor in 1910, and in 1912 performed with that group in front of twenty thousand people, including President Taft, at the National Singing Festival in Philadelphia. It was at this festival that Klee and the Junger Männerchor won the Kaiser Prize. In March 1914 Klee directed a performance of the Junger Männerchor with the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Leopold Stokowski. He also collaborated with Frederick Stock of the Chicago Symphany Orchestra, in June 1914, in a concert at Willow Grove Park, outside of Philadelphia.

In November 1914 Klee became musical director of the Arion Singing Society in Brooklyn, New York. At the 24th National Saengerfest of the Northeastern Saengerbund, in June 1915, Arion won the Kaiser's Prize. Arion Brooklyn made a recording circa 1916 of the song Schwertlied (Du Schwert an meiner Linken) that appeared on phonograph record.

Besides being a music director Klee established Eugen Klee's Music Institute at 1714 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, and taught voice culture, artistic singing, coaching, piano, violin and theory. On October 1, 1901, he became choirmaster at the Memorial Church of the Advocate located at 1801 W. Diamond Street and served until 1914.

In 1902 Klee was living at 1621 N. Marshall St. in Philadelphia. By the time he married Emma Weidner in 1913 he was living at 6013 Chestnut Street, an address they maintained until 1916, even after he and his wife moved to New York City. The Klees were living at the Hotel St. George in Brooklyn Heights, New York, in 1918, and in 1919 they lived briefly at 100 Northern Avenue in New York City before moving to 851 W. 181st Street. In 1920 they lived at 2055 Davidson Avenue in the Bronx, in New York City. By 1924 they were living at the Prince George Hotel at 14 E. 28th Street.

The Klees spent many of their summers traveling in Europe. In 1921 they spent the summer there. They sailed aboard the steamship Bremen in April 1923 to Bremen, Germany, and then traveled to Bad Kissingen, Wurzburg, Otterberg, Kaiserslautern, Freudenstadt, and Stuttgart. In 1924 they traveled from Stuttgart to Sicily, Italy, and back to Munich on a 25-day trip that included Switzerland. In 1927 they traveled to Niagra Falls, and in June 1928 they travelled again to Europe.

Klee died on December 18, 1929 at the age of 60 and is buried in West Laurel Hill Cemetery outside Philadelphia.

Emma Klee (b. 1881)

Emma Klee was born Emma Caroline Weidner in Philadelphia in the year 1881 to Gustav A. and Caroline (Karolina) Weidner (née Matthes). Her father was a retired builder, member of Common Council and School Director of the 19th Ward who died on February 7, 1912. Her mother was born in Philadelphia on November 2, 1855 and died January 13, 1914. Emma married the choirmaster and music director Eugen Klee at the Memorial Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia on April 16, 1913. They lived together at his home at 6013 Chestnut Street until 1914, when they moved to New York City.

In New York City, Emma and Eugen Klee lived at several addresses, including the Prince George Hotel, 14 E. 28th Street, for many years, until Eugen's death in December 1929, after which Emma lived for a time at the Walnut Park Plaza Hotel in Philadelphia.

Emma Klee died sometime after 1930 and is buried in West Laurel Hill Cemetery outside Philadelphia.

The Matthes Family

The Matthes were the family of Emma Klee's mother, Karolina Weidner, née Matthes, who was born in Philadelphia on November 2, 1855. Karolina's parents were Heinrich Matthes (born in Dorflas, district Wundsiedel, Bavaria, February 14, 1824; died in Philadelphia, March 10, 1897) and Johanna Matthes, née Hoffmann (born in Arzberg, district Wunsiedel, Bavaria, September 13, 1832; died January 1, 1917). Other children of Heinrich and Johanna were John (born in Davenport, Iowa, December 20, 1858), Henry (born in Philadelphia, December 20, 1861), Luisa (born in Philadelphia, July 29, 1864), and one other child (born in Philadelphia, September 7, 1868).

Eugen Klee was a German immigrant who came to the United States in 1893 and became an award-winning music conductor in Philadelphia and New York City. In 1913 he married Emma C. Weidner. This collection comprises correspondence, clippings, biographical information, photographs, concert programs, ephemera, and five scrapbooks that span their lives.

The correspondence (Series I) is mostly from Eugen's family members and colleagues in Germany. A significant number of letters and photographs (1909-1929) are from Klee's nephew Eugen Haas, who was a teacher in Knittelsheim.

The collection also includes some older items, dated 1852-1904 (Series II), of Johanna and Henry Matthes, Emma Klee's maternal grandparents, who were from the Wundsiedel district of Bavaria and settled in Philadelphia. Included are several of letters written from Davenport, Iowa; and a knitting book of Johanna, begun in 1852, with information about her family inscribed at the back.

The scrapbooks (Series IV) include newspaper clippings, music programs, correspondence, photographs, and travel-related items. Many of the newspaper clippings are about singing societies and events, and Eugen Klee's accomplishments as a music conductor. Scrapbook volume 2 contains correspondence from Leopold Stokowski of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Items such as brochures, tickets, and itineraries, from the Klees' travels to Europe and around the East Coast of the U.S. are also included. Volume 5 of the scrapbooks was put together by Emma Klee after Eugen's death, and includes only a few letters over several pages.

This collection has been arranged in four series. Series I includes correspondence with family, friends and colleagues, as well as enclosed photographs and clippings. Series II includes correspondence and memorabilia of the Matthes family (Emma Klee's maternal grandparents). Series III includes clippings and ephemera such as business cards, leaflets, travel-related items, and items pertaining to the Klees' investments in the stock market. Series IV includes five scrapbooks filled with newspaper clippings, music programs, correspondence, photographs and travel-related items.