Title: Gert von Gontard Papers (MSS121), 1775-1974
Administrative/Biographical History
Gert von Gontard (1906-1979) was a book collector, patron of the arts, and publisher of the 1930s avant-garde literary and arts magazine Neue Revue, whose strong anti-Nazi policy expressed in cartoons, articles, and poetry, put him on the Nazis’ “death list” in 1933. Forced to flee his native Germany during World War II, he devoted his life to what he described as "the holy mission of art, the overcoming of international prejudice." He became an active member of the community of expatriate German artists and literary figures. He was particularly active in developing theatrical projects and, with the important producer-director Max Reinhardt, co-founded The Workshop, a Los Angeles theatrical academy. Upon moving to New York, von Gontard became an active member of that city’s theatrical community, notably through his efforts at bringing German theatre groups to New York.
