VIRTUAL JEWISH MUSEUM

Peace Dollar

In 1921 the United States adopted a new design for their silver dollar, signifying the end of the war. It shows an image of Liberty on the front, with the date below. On the back appears an image of a bald eagle, official symbol of the US, with its wings closed. The word Peace appears below.

Victors and Vanquished

The Great War ended with the signing of Armistice on 11 November 1918, by the Allied Powers and Germany. A series of peace treaties followed. This card shows the flags of all the combatant and supportive countries. The victors are around the outside of the circle and those that surrendered are inside.

Soldier Writes from Paris

US troops remained in France until after the Treaty of Versailles in June 1919. Soldier Richards wrote from Paris in May to Reuben Brainin, a Yiddish and Hebrew author at the Histadrut Ivrit office in New York city. "... Our prospects here are now very good. I expect to return on about the 15th of June...". Notice that he used American stamps and the cancellation reads 'Postal Express Service'. The card was also checked by the censor. The picture shows the heart of Paris.

US Troops in France

US troops remained in France until after the Treaty of Versailles in June 1919. Soldier Richards wrote from Paris in May to Reuben Brainin, a Yiddish and Hebrew author at the Histadrut Ivrit office in New York city. "... Our prospects here are now very good. I expect to return on about the 15th of June...". Notice that he used American stamps and the cancellation reads 'Postal Express Service. The picture shows the heart of Paris.

Censoring American Mail

This square imprint shows that the wartime mail was censored. It reads: "Passed by Base Censor A.E.F.". American Expeditionary Forces was the name given to US army forces on the Western Front in France.

Student Atlas of New Boundaries

This booklet, published in Boston right after the war, explains to students what changes are in place in the wake of the War.

Atlas: Terms of Surrender

An inside cover outlines the terms of Germany's surrender to the allies. It discusses the League of Nations, territories surrendered, disarmament of the German army, and cash reparation payments to countries who suffered, in particular Belgium.

Boundaries of Old and New Nations

Austria became a separate country. Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and Hungary are new countries. Poland becomes independent with the return of territories. Turkey is no longer an empire - Palestine, Syria, Armenia, Mesopotamia, and Egypt are separate countries.

WWI.aftermath.boundaries atlas

Versaille.stamp.Plebiscite

The Treaty of Versailles (Paris) was the most important of several that ended WWI. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allies. It was signed 28 June 1919. Allenstein was part of Prussia, Germany. But many residents were Polish. In July 1920 they voted which to join and remained part of Germany until after WWII. This stamp publicized the coming vote. it's a German stamp overprinted 'Plebescite' meaning popular vote.

Allenstein.Post Card

This postcard was actually sent from Allenstein, on 13 August 1920. It used two of the specially overprinted German stamps that mention the vote. That vote had taken place on July 11. It was overwhelmingly in favor of remaining part of Prussia, Germany. However, after WW Two, this area became part of Poland.

League of Nations cover

The League of nations was founded in 1919 as an outgrowth of the Paris Peace Conference. Its headquarters was established in Geneva Switzerland. The intention was to encourage countries to disarm, and to submit disputes to the League's council as a means of resolving them without going to war. U.S. President Wilson was the prime founder, but the US never joined due to disagreements with the US congress. This envelope was mailed from Geneva in 1933 to a Jewish man in Michigan.

League of Nations.Letter

The letter is nothing momentous. It gives information about short-wave broadcasts that they were publicizing. The League was not very effective, having no real enforcement powers. Countries withdrew, World War Two broke out, and the League dissolved in 1946.

Tank Parade in France

A few weeks after the Armistice of November 11, 1918, this parade took place in Metz, France. The caption explains that it is 'In honor of the President of the Republic in the square called 'Place de la Republique'. 8 December 1918. For many people this was their first glimpse of a tank. A Jewish soldier in the A.E.F. signed this postcard.

Tank Parade in France

A few weeks after the Armistice of November 11, 1918, this parade took place in Metz, France. The caption explains that it is "in honor of the President of the Republic in the square called 'Place de la Republique'. 8 December 1918. For many people this was their first glimpse of a tank.

Prayers at French Memorial

There are tens of thousands of memorials to WWI and its victims, especially in countries at the heart of the conflict. Here we see a prayer service at the memorial in Grivesnes, France. The caption identifies (right to left) 3 chaplains officiating: Rabbi Leon Sommer chaplain of the 9th army corps, and the Protestant and Catholic chaplains. Many of the women hold bouquets to be laid at the memorial.

Music Memorial in Palestine

An American agency collected funds to create a music school in memory of ‘Jewish soldiers who fell in the World War’. Developing musical talent in Jewish students would contribute to culture in Palestine. This receipt represents one ’brick’ in building the conservatory. The front shows a WWI soldier standing before the grave of a fallen Jewish comrade.

War Orphans

The millions of casualties in WWI, including a quarter million Jews, created a large number of widows and orphans. This envelope was sent by Zion War Orphans Home in Jerusalem, to a potential Jewish donor in Iowa. The EEF stamp dates it to the early 1920s, before official British mandate stamps were introduced in Palestine.

WWI.Pogroms

Russia quit the war in March 1918. The war reignited Pogroms in Eastern Europe in 1917 which were often the work of soldiers on the front rioting against Jewish populations. This postcard reproduces a painting capturing the horror of a soldier coming home to find his family slaughtered and home ransacked, while an elderly grandfather immerses himself in prayer.

Pogrom.back

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Aftermath.Petliura

Symon Petliura was born in 1879 in the Ukraine and played an important role in the Russian revolution. He was the head of the Cossack bands in the Ukraine, which attempted to drive out first the Germans and then the Bolsheviks. Reportedly, “Eight hundred and nineteen pogroms took place in the Ukraine between 1917 &1919, during which time 156,000 Jews were killed & wounded." Samuel Schwartzbard shot Petliura avenging his murdered family. This Ukrainian stamp honors Petlurya.

Aftermath.Protest Pin

Likely this pin was created once news of the widespread pogroms reached the west.

Destroyed Synagogue

Borisova in Belarus Russia. During and after WWI fights broke out for control of the city. Between 1917 -20 it changed owners several times: Soviet rule was recognized by the Treaty of Riga in 1921. It had a major Jewish community including 9 synagogues and 10 Hebrew schools. They suffered much upheaval in post-war fighting. "Great synagogue of Borisova destroyed 1920".

Collecting for Pogrom Victims

This document from 1919 was issued by The Committee to Help Pogrom Victims. It authorizes Leah Samulovna Prushanska to collect funds, food, and clothing for the victims. Signed and stamped by the seal of the Committee.

Eastern War Zone.Book

This book outlines much of the suffering that Jews in Eastern Europe experienced during and after the war.

Luboml stamps

The majority of the town's 5,000 residents were Jewish. In addition to the synagogue on the '5', the '10' shows the market place, the '20' shows the town square, the '25' shows the Catholic church, and the '50' shows the Greek Orthodox church.

Luboml.Stamps

As empires collapsed and the war wound down, some areas found themselves part of no government. Poland created a provisional government. They were running out of stamps and had none to replace them. Luboml, Poland created these provisional issues. They pictured sights in the town, including the first synagogue on a stamp, on the '5' value. The inscription 'City Post' appears in 4 languages - Polish, German, Yiddish, and Ukrainian.

Luboml cover

Aftermath.Karbovanitz

Aftermath.Karbovanitz

Ukraine shook off the rule of Russia in the wake of their revolution. In late 1917 they issued their own currency, denominated as '100 Karbovanitz'. It was issued in the name of 'The Ukrainian People's Republic'. They were printed on plain paper and so were subject to counterfeiting.

Aftermath.Karbovanitz.Yiddish

Interestingly, one of the languages on the notes is Yiddish, in which the denomination is described as '100 Karboventses'. This accommodated the large percentage of Yiddish-speakers in the area. These notes were replaced by newer issues in 1918.

Dutch Jewish Ration Card

Food and supply shortages continued after the war. Economies experienced a slump and eventually a depression. This is a ration ticket from Rotterdam, Holland dated 16 Dec 1920. Heinrich Bornstein used it heavily, to obtain white bread. It is imprinted on the back with the seal of the 'Netherlands Jewish Community of Rotterdam'.

WWI Refugee Aid Committee

On 22 June 1924, representatives of 45 Jewish organizations created the 'Emergency Committee on Jewish Refugees', chaired by Louis Marshall. He was a Jewish lawyer, community leader, and defender of Jewish rights. The mission was to relieve the conditions of Jewish refugees stranded in various cities and ports of Europe, Cuba and Mexico. The committee sent mail in 1934 to a Mr. Bromberg in Dallas, Texas, recruiting him to the cause. He used the enclosed reply card to turn them down.

JDC Post War Aid

This registered envelope was mailed by the Joint Distribution Committee on 17 April 1922. They continued operations after the war to help the starving in Europe and the refugees. They focused on Russia in the 1920s and shifted more to Germany in the 1930s and after WWII. They continue humanitarian efforts today around the world.

German Jewish Veterans Society

The Reichsbund der Judischer Front Soldaten (RJF) was an organization of 'Jewish Frontsoldiers', created after the war. These veterans sought to counteract rising anti-Semitism and to justify Jewish equality in society. This label is from the Berlin branch. It reads '1 Mark' which must represent a donation.

Austrian Veteran's Medal

In Austria the Jewish veterans society was known as BJF - Bund Judischer Frontsoldaten. It was founded in the early '30s. This is the badge worn by members. Early in the Holocaust, veterans received better treatment than average Jews. However eventually they met the same fate as everyone else.

Veterans' Convention

The Austrian Jewish veterans organized 'World Congresses of Jewish War Veterans'. Veterans from all over Europe were invited. This card was printed for the second such convention, and mailed from there (in Vienna) 1 July 1936. The postmark is a special one made for the occasion. They also issued a special pin and the design appears on this specially printed postcard in the upper left corner.

Sports.Bar Kochba.Makkabi

In the wake of widespread military involvement in the War, Jews increased interest in physical development through sports. They wanted to demonstrate Jewish physical prowess and involvement in European culture. The Maccabi World Union was created in 1921. The local Berlin chapter was named Bar Kochba, after the ancient Jewish fighter. This certificate of honor was awarded by the Hamburg branch for athletic competitions in 1928. It is for 3rd place in the 75 meter women's race.

Makkabi Olympic Winners.Latvia

This original postcard photo shows 8 'Makkabi Olympic' winners. The competition was held in Varaklani (Varklian in Yiddish) Latvia in 1931. These 5 boys and 3 girls are wearing the sash and medal of winners. This town was the most Jewish in Latvia, with more than half the population. That was completely wiped out in WW Two.

Makkabi Winners in Latvia.1931

The back of the photo is inscribed in Yiddish: 'gold medal winners from the Olympiada in Varklian 1931'.

Sports.Fencers

Berlin-born (Jewish) Ellen Preis fenced for Austria and won the Gold in the 1932 Olympics. She medaled again in the Berlin Olympics in 1936. Helene Meyer (right) fenced for Germany, winning the gold medal in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics and the silver in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Sports. Olympic Medalists

1936 Berlin Olympics: In the individual women's foil competition, all three medals were won by Jewish women who are counted among the greatest women fencers of the 20th century. Ilona Elek from Hungary won gold. Here they are pictured on the winners' podium. These photos appear on German collector cards of the Olympics.

Romania.Hasmonean sport club

In the 1920s, Zionist youth formed an organization named Hasmonean. In the city of Dorohoi, Romania there was a sport club named "Hasmoneea". Their stamped seal appears on this postcard, along with the date 9 February 1924.

San Remo Conference

In April 1920 the Allied powers (US, Britain, France, Italy) met to decide on the future of the former Ottoman territories of Syria, Mesopotamia and Palestine. Thus were the Mandatory governments created: France over Syria & Lebanon, Britain over Iraq & Palestine (including Transjordan), Italy over nothing. Britain was specifically directed to implement the Balfour Declaration of a Jewish Homeland in Palestine. This medal from 1920 celebrates the conference and its pro-Zionist decisions.

Yeshiva Kremenchug

Many Yeshivot and institutions were obliterated or impoverished by the War. Some eventually re-established in America or Israel. This receipt issued for the price of an Etrog. Supplying them was a source of funds for the Yeshiva Sha'arei Torah in Kremenchug, Ukraine. The purple seal of the Yeshiva/Kollel appears in the upper left.

Argentina Aid Label