Dr. Gerd T. Schloss papers
Collection area: University of Arizona History of Science
Collection dates: 1900-2007
The Dr. Gerd T. Schloss papers contain correspondence, diaries, personal, professional papers on research, subject files, and publications. Series I is made up of correspondence from the USA and overseas, Gerd’s letters home to Berlin, letters from Leny’s family and friends, correspondence between Gerd and his brother Walter, correspondence between Gerd and his mother Elisabeth, as well as a grouping of miscellaneous correspondence. Series II consists of diaries kept by Schloss, which are arranged chronologically apart from a few German diaries found at the end of the series that were kept by Gerd as a child. The diaries include daily activities, but there are a few diaries dedicated to trips that were taken by Gerd and Leny. Series III is made up of personal papers, many of which are related to Gerd’s research about his family genealogy. This series is arranged alphabetically by topic. Series IV are Schloss’ professional papers, which include research notes, employment contracts, course notes, and other documents pertaining to professional endeavors. Series V are subject files pertaining to Gerd’s interests outside of academia. These subject files have been arranged alphabetically based on their original folder titles, created by Gerd. Series VI includes publications, most of which were authored by Gerd either as a single author or on co-authored research papers. These have been arranged by the author and titles.
Gerd Tobias Schloss was born on March 28, 1914, in Berlin, Germany to parents Dr. Ernst Schloss and Elisabeth Schloss (nee Neubeiser). Schloss grew up in Germany and went on to attend the University of Berlin, where he graduated with his degree in medicine in 1938. During World War II, he fled Berlin and entered Switzerland as a refugee. While in Switzerland, he worked at Ciba Pharmaceutical as a medical researcher.
In his personal life, Gerd met Helene (Leny) Falk in Basel, Switzerland, in 1944. The couple fell in love and emigrated to the United States together in June 1947. Gerd took several positions as a pathologist, notably filling a faculty position at Yale University. However, the couple later moved to Tucson, Arizona when Gerd took a position at Tucson Medical Center. At the time, Gerd was the second pathologist in Tucson and served as a director of laboratories at TMC. He also taught as a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona, where he also conducted cancer research studies until his retirement in 1979.
Gerd spent his time learning languages, attending educational seminars, was a founding board member of the Arizona Civil Liberties Union and the Tucson Humanists Association, and sat on the board of several other organizations in Tucson. He was a president of the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society and sat on the board of the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum for multiple years.
Gerd and Leny had a daughter, Jeannette, who passed away in 1978. Leny passed away in 2007. The couple was survived by their son Ernie Schloss and a daughter, Lizzie Schloss. Gerd passed away on October 4, 2007, following a brief illness.
Additional information can be found at Legacy Obitutary.
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