Haas (Elise Stern) papers, 1914-1955

Elise Stern Haas was born in San Francisco on Oct. 29, 1893, the only child of Rosalie Meyer and Sigmund Stern. Her father was president of Levi Strauss and Co., and nephew of Levi Strauss, who founded the firm in 1850. In 1914, she married Walter A. Haas, president of Levi Strauss and Co. from 1928 to 1955. They had three children: Walter A., Jr., Peter, and Rhoda. She died on Oct. 20, 1990.

Contains some letters from German Jewish architect Erich Mendelsohn and his wife Luise regarding, among other things, the creation of a Museum of Architecture, a photograph of Erich Mendelsohn, and pamphlets entitled “A Museum of Architecture” and “Church Art Today.” The collection also includes a program (c. 1914) from a meeting of the Philomath Club, a San Francisco women’s arts and literary club.