Finding Aid
Leon and Rachel Lili Gerstenzang fonds. -- First accrual. – [1890]-1999. – 1.30 m of textual records, graphic records and printed material; 691 photographs.
Note: While the records are predominantly in English, the fonds also contains records in other languages: French, Polish, Hebrew, and Mandarin.
Dates in brackets are estimated dates, based on documents in the fonds.
Series 1
Personal, writing, identity, and ephemera. – 1913-1990. – 16 cm of textual and graphic records. – Title based on contents of series.
Box 1
F.1 Writing by Leon Gerstenzang: Poems in typescript, [1949-1970].
F.2 Envelopes with documents:
E .1 Passports and certificates of identity for Leon Gerstenzang, 1913-1988.
E. 2 Passports and certificates of identity for Rachel Lili Gerstenzang, 1918-1978.
F.3
E. 3 Chinese police certificates for Leon and Lili Gerstenzang (negatives).
E. 4 Hong Kong police certificate of identity for Leon Gerstenzang, 1950.
E. 5 Hong Kong police certificate of identity for Lili Gerstenzang, 1950.
E. 6 Chinese travel documents for Leon and Lili Gerstenzang. [In Mandarin? Dialect]. n.d.
E. 7 Chinese currency [Hong Kong dollars and Japanese military?] owned by Lili Gerstenzang.
E. 8 Membership card for Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong, 1949-1950.
E. 9 Reuters Press cards, business cards, Chinese press, and ID cards, 1948-1950.
E. 10 General business cards.
E. 11 Cloth badge with the letters “T.G.S.” [Tientsin Grammar School], [1921].
E. 12 Prayer books for Jewish individuals in the Armed Forces of the United States (4). [1944].
E. 13 Ship passenger list and menus, China Navigation Company Ltd., 1950.
F.4
E. 14 Hong Kong Driver’s License for Leon Gerstenzang, 1950.
E. 15 State of New York Operator’s License for Leon Gerstenzang, 1932-1933.
E. 16 International Driving Permit, Hong Kong, 31 October 1950.
E. 17 Car Insurance and related documents, Hong Kong, 1950-1951.
F.5 Hong Kong Police Bureau affidavits for Leon Gerstenzang, 1948-1949.
F.6 Documents and affidavits of Lili Gerstenzang: Tientsin Grammar School (1933) ; East Sydney Technical College (1951); Ontario College of Art (1955-1963) ; Hong Kong Police Bureau affidavits (1948-1949); vaccination certificates 1950-1953); Tientsin Hebrew Association affidavit of identity (1948); Newspaper clipping from The North China Daily News (1935) showing caricature of the new president of the Shanghai Art Club, Mr. S. Sigaut. Drawing signed LT (Lili Tunik); Newspaper clippings from Sydney Morning Herald (1953) related to Art competition results.
F. 7 Biographical write-ups for Leon and Lili Gerstenzang, 1954.
F. 8 Christmas card list, 1990.
F. 9 Documents of Anczel (Edward) and Sara Gerstenzang (father and mother of Leon Gerstenzang), 1920-1986
Series 2
Immigration and business records, correspondence, and printed material. –1942-1997. – 16 cm of textual and graphic records and printed materials. – Title based on contents of series.
Box 2
F.1 Australia - immigration documents, and correspondence re residency, 1947-1953
F.2 Canada – Immigration, citizenship, pension documents, and correspondence, 1952-1980.
F.3 Poland – birth certificates (photographic and certified copies) and other identity documents in Polish, 1913-1940.
F.4 General correspondence 1942-1997.
F.5 Reuters Ltd. Tientsin, Hong Kong and Shanghai - correspondence, business and notes and affidavits, 1945-1949.
F.6 Business correspondence, 1949-1952. Includes correspondence with A.R. Tunik & Son (Lili’s father’s import-export business).
F.7 Correspondence re employment and business contracts and affidavits for Leon Gerstenzang, 1934-1966.
F.8 Correspondence from Ma Ming Tong, Northwestern Press/New World Press, Beijing sent to Leon Gerstenzang in Toronto, 1982-1992.
F.9 Family correspondence, 1950-1951.
Box 3
F. 1-5 Reuters - Tientsin and Shanghai – copies of press releases, 1947-1949.
F. 6 Newspapers: China Daily Tribune, October 28, 1948; November 1, 1948; November 3, 1948.; November 11, 1948. The Shanghai Evening Post, December 2, 1948; North-China Daily News, December 3, 1948; South China Morning Post, January 16, 1949; The Sydney Morning Herald, November 17, 1950.
F.7 Miscellaneous – envelopes, notes.
Series 3
Graphic and oversized. – [1890-1990]. -- 83 cm of graphic records and printed materials; 691 photographs. – Title based on contents of series.
Note: Some photographs are identified on reverse.
Box 4
Photograph albums:
Album 1 (black album with pasted photos) Lili Gerstenzang from her youth; some group photos with Leon Gerstenzang and other people. 77 photos: b&w.
Album 2 (black album with pasted photos Lili Gerstenzang and some photos of Leon Gerstenzang. 126 photos: b&w
Album 3 (large black album with pasted photos) Photographs taken in China, depicting early family and school pictures, rural landscapes, 1921- [193-]. The album also contains pasted school mementos and programmes. 253 photos: b&w.
Album 4 (small red album with plastic pages) Leon Gerstenzang and colleagues, [1960]. 20 photos: b&w.
F. 1
Loose photographs in envelopes:
E. 1 Leon Gerstenzang - portraits and other, [1940-1970]. 25 b&w; 2 col.
E. 2 Young Leon Gerstenzang with family, [1920-1930]. 9 b&w.
E. 3 Leon Gerstenzang in uniform, with Squadron in barracks, 1941. 3 b&w.
E. 4 Leon Gerstenzang at construction site [in Toronto?]. 1956. 5 b&w.
E. 5 Leon and Lili Gerstenzang at conferences and events, [1950-1970]. 7 b&w.
E. 6 Lili Gerstenzang, portraits and other, [1940-1970]. 27 b&w; 2 col.
E. 7 Leon and Lili Gerstenzang – early school and events; social events in Tientsin; political events in Tientsin, 1927-[1970]. 38 b&w.
E. 8 Leon and Lili Gerstenzang – various, one in Chinese wedding attire, others in Toronto, [1938-1980]. 7 b&w; 1 col.
E. 9 Leon and Lili Gerstenzang with friends outside at City Hall, Toronto, [1960-1970]. 6 b&w.
E. 10 Leon and Lili Gerstenzang – various – groups, in Toronto, Q-Tip Factory in Toronto. [1980-1990], 21 col.
E. 11 Sara Gerstenzang (Mother of Leon Gerstenzang) – portraits, 9 b&w.
E. 12 Raisa Tunik (Lili Gerstenzang’s mother), Helen Tunik, 4 b&w.
E. 13 A. Tunik (Lili’s father) – portraits, [1940-1970], 9 b&w.
E. 14 Gerstenzang family groups, social activities, [1940-1980]. 2 col.
E. 15 Gerstenzang family – unidentified or first names at back of photo, [1890-1920].
E. 16 [Olam?] Tunik portraits (relative of Lili?), [1940], 2 b&w.
E. 17 Rafi Mense, David Mense(in army uniform) and Jacob Mense (at Bar Mitzvah), [1940-1970]. 2 b&w, 1 col.
E. 18 Australia – various. [1950-1970]. 11 b&w.
F. 2 Negatives: 155
Box 5 Oversized
- Copper plaque, presented to Anzcel Gerstenberg (Leon’s father), in China, engraved with landscape and writing in English and Mandarin?, [1920-1930]. Inscription reads: “Mr. E, Gerstenzang Andrey Susisang”. [1920-1930].
- Framed wedding photo of Anczel and Sara Gerstenzang (Leon’s parents). [1890]. 1 b&w.
- Framed photo of Lili Gerstenzang as baby, c. 1913-1914, 1 b&w.
- Family photos of Sara and Anczel Gerstenzang, portraits, and social, 1909 –[1060].. 9 b&w.
- Wedding family photo of Sara and Anczel Gerstenzang with relatives, [1890], 1 b&w.
- Leon Gerstenzang in group photo of Tennis team, with championship cup, [1930].
- Artwork by Lili Gerstenzang – portraits and caricatures in pencil, ink with added colour. 6 items, [1940-1952].
- Pencil portrait of Lili Gerstenzang, signed by Chapman, dated 7/10/45.
- Certificates for Leon Gerstenzang from University of Cambridge examinations, 1927, 1928. 1929. 3 items.
- Marriage certificate for Leon Gerstenzang and Rachel Lili Tunik, in Hebrew, 1938. (Accompanied with 2 copies); certificate registration document from Tientsin Hebrew Association, dated Dec 5, 1948, registering the marriage, as Auguust 28, 1938.
Oversized folder:
- Wedding photo of Leon Gerstenzang and Rachel Lili Tunik, 1938. 1 b& w, hand coloured., 69 cm by 48 cm.
Series 4
Printed materials. – 1932- 16 cm of graphic and printed materials. – Title based on contents of series.
Box 6
The Columbia News, Columbia Grammar School Yearbook, senior issue. New York, N.Y., 1932.
Columbia Grammar School Alumni Directory. 1965.
Ye Olde Grammarian, Tientsin Grammar School yearbook. Tientsin, China, 1935-1936.
The North China Upheaval 1937: A complete pictorial record of the North China Upheaval with a survey by W.V. Pennell. Tientsin Press, Ltd, 1937.
The North China Hong-List. Published by The North China Advertising Co., Tientsin, 1938.
Handbook of the Hong Kong Automobile Association. Cathay Limited, Hong Kong, 1950.
The Hong Kong Directory 1950.
A Lifetime with the Chinese by Wilfred V. Pennell. Hong Kong, 1974.
Little Foreign Devil by Desmond Power. Vancouver: Pangli Imprint, 1996.
Strange Haven: A Jewish Childhood in Wartime Shanghai by Sigmund Tobias. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1999.
