Series II. General Slocum disaster scrapbooks, 1904-1908, 1934, inclusive
Scope and Contents
According to label text from the New-York Historical Society's 2004 exhibition, The General Slocum and Little Germany, both Both Paul and Anna (Wulf) Liebenow kept scrapbooks following the disaster. Edward T. O'Donnell, in his book, Ship Ablaze: The Tragedy of the Steamboat General Slocum (2003), attributes the compilation of both scrapbooks solely to Paul Liebenow. While the exhibition noted different emphases in each volume—sentimental reminders in Anna's, trial coverage in Paul's—there is considerable overlap of material, much of it drawn from the same English- and German-language newspaper coverage of the fire, rescue efforts, memorial ceremonies, and court proceedings. The smaller format volume [in Box 4] includes several photographs: "Our Helen" [identical to the one of Helen Liebenow (1898-1904) in Box 1, Folder 9]; "Grama Liebenow" [Henriette (Pisch) Liebenow (1846-1881)]; "Cousin Frank" [Frank Weber Jr. (1897-1904)]; and a cabinet card portrait of two young girls identified as "Friends lost on Slocum." Also present is a funeral remembrance card for "Grama Wulf" [Anna's mother, Helene (Brauer) Wulf (circa 1840-1897)], and a "hat pin found on North Brother Island, about 2 hours after the burning of the 'Slocum,' the property of one of the victims. Found by Paul Liebenow."