The Dietrich Gerstel Family Historical Archive spans from the early 20th century in Germany—Berlin, 1917, the year of the birth of its central figure, within a prosperous Jewish family and framed by the historical context of the two World Wars—until the end of the same century, specifically 1997, with his passing in Caracas, Venezuela.

        This German historical archive of a Jewish family covering the mentioned period is of great importance because it documents an era of social, political, and persecutory transformation, offering a unique perspective on the lives of Jewish families in Germany—their way of life, their struggle, the diaspora, and the legacy of the Holocaust. The magnificently preserved material allows the reconstruction, through a personal story, of an entire family that was once prosperous and contributed greatly to German society at the time. It also provides the opportunity to identify situations, victims, and better understand the impact of the Holocaust in social, cultural, and legal spheres.

        The documentation of this critical period in German history covers a time of profound social and political crisis, marked by the rise of Nazism and the persecution of Jews. The archive provides details about Dietrich Gerstel, his family, and their activities; the way he faced growing uncertainty and hostility has been a crucial resource for genealogical reconstruction and the family’s life history. The documents supply evidence for justice and reparation, serving as vital sources for the investigation of war crimes.

        The material encompasses the Gerstel and Ostberg genealogies, the latter corresponding to the family branch of his wife, Irmgard. The documents include Dietrich’s parents (Walter Gerstel and Lili Gerstel, née Dannenbaum), Irmgard’s parents (Ernst Ostberg and Elsa Ostberg, née Kohne), as well as a set of family members with whom both had direct relationships. Additionally, significant information is found in the fields of health, education, business, professional life, migration, politics, and society, covering three main contexts: Germany, Cuba, and Venezuela.

        The archive is composed of more than 2,000 unpublished documents, magnificently preserved by the family and now fully digitized and classified by a team of historians for upcoming publication. Altogether, it represents a documentary source of incredible value that will allow the recreation of a transcendental period in German and world history, fundamentally between the years 1917–1997. The material includes official documents, handwritten letters (both family and social/professional), postcards, telegrams, photographs, various objects, and a vast number of business records, which reveal the importance of the Gerstel family to German society in the first three decades of the 20th century. Among the countless family properties are: Casa Familia Gerstel Tiergartenstraße 25, A.G. für Industrielle Betätigung, Permutit A.G., Freienwalder Kirchenziegelei GmbH brickworks, Berliner Preussenhaus A.G. real estate, among others.

        The protagonist of this documentary collection, born with severe congenital physical limitations—deformity in both legs and the left arm, and partial agenesis in the right hand (which had only four fingers)—received specialized care from his family and the Oskar Helene Heim hospital in Berlin-Dahlem, where he was treated from his earliest days by Dr. Hermann Gocht until 1938.

        Dietrich received a privileged education, typical of Germany in the early decades, attending renowned institutions: Falk Real Gymnasium (April 1927 – August 1933) and the Berlin-Zehlendorf Vocational Commercial School, where he began higher-level studies in the April–September 1934 semester and graduated on September 30, 1936, with a certificate in commercial apprenticeship, accounting, and typing. Simultaneously, he carried out his professional practice as a commercial apprentice at Oskar Helene Heim between June 1, 1934, and May 31, 1936. This educational trajectory laid the foundation for the character of a prosperous future entrepreneur in Latin America.

        By the late 1930s, in an environment framed by the growing Nazi persecution of the Jewish population and on the eve of World War II, Dietrich Gerstel consolidated his professional experience at the company Kosmos Neuheiten (April 26, 1937 – March 31, 1938), where he performed accounting tasks, managed foreign correspondence, and handled cash operations. After marrying Irmgard Ostberg (a stenotypist by profession) on April 14, 1938, he began administrative procedures for leaving Germany, obtaining approval for his emigration certificate to South America on November 22 of the same year.

        In summary, the Gerstel Archive contains highly relevant documents concerning migration under the Third Reich, led by Adolf Hitler, the departure from Germany aboard the M.S. Orinoco of the Hamburg-Amerika Linie shipping company, and his passage through the Caribbean—specifically Havana, Cuba—where he remained for four months (February 14 – June 17, 1939), during the presidency of Federico Laredo Brú. His final destination was Venezuela, arriving at the port of La Guaira on July 1, 1939, under the presidency of General Eleazar López Contreras, in a period of political transition from the Gómez regime to restoration.

        Gerstel became a relevant figure in Venezuela’s economy in the second half of the 20th century, excelling as an accountant and auditor through his personal company, Dietrich F. Gerstel, with which he received the Order of Merit in Labor on September 10, 1981, by decree of President Luis Herrera Campins. Beyond his professional success, he was a philanthropist deeply committed to history, the historical memory of his country of origin, and contributions to science and medicine in Venezuela.

        This archive contributes to the preservation of Holocaust historical and collective memory. Its value lies in enabling present and future generations to learn about past injustices and personal resilience in the face of adversity, ensuring that horrors are not repeated and that these examples of life become legacy. With this purpose, the Gerstel Legacy Foundation has been created, based in Venezuela and Germany, to promote historical studies and keep family and collective memory alive.