VIRTUAL JEWISH MUSEUM

Rescued Seforim

Symbolizing the Jewish survivors of the Holocaust are the Jewish books that survived mass book-burnings and destruction. This bookplate was attached to such books, then presented to Jewish institutions. "A gift from the Jewish books of Poland that were rescued from the destruction of the deadly years 1940 - 1945." By the council of Jewish communities in Poland, in late 1947.

Mauthausen Liberated

Mauthausen, Austria was the location of a concentration camp. It contained arms factories and also a gas chamber. Close to 100,000 inmates were murdered here. It was liberated by the U.S. army on May 5, 1945. This work service pass was issued by the liberators on May 18th.

Displaced Person Registration card

Survivors with no home and no state became known as 'Displaced Persons'. In order to manage this large population, everyone was recorded and given this card. Mania Libor got hers on 13 July 1945. It may have been her only piece of identification.

Statement of Identity

People in Europe had to carry Identification papers. But after the Holocaust, survivors had nothing, and were stateless. Sometimes it was only their own story that identified them. Israel Shmuelevicz declares that he was in Ghetto Litzmannstadt, then sent to Auschwitz. He was liberated on 11 April 1945. The Jewish Committee in Kaunitz and a help organization stamped his statement in 1949.

Allied occupied Germany

Allied plans to occupy Germany began in 1943. It was to maintain order & help refugees while preventing further German military activity. U.S. Britain France & Soviet Union each withdrew to their 'Zones' administered by the military commanders in chief. The Russian zone became communist East Germany while the 3 western ones became West Germany. The 50,000 Jewish D.P.s were held in dozens of camps, some of them former concentration camps! while their future was decided.

Mathausen work permit

Mauthausen was a concentration camp in Austria. Half of its 190,000 prisoners died there. The Allies liberated Mauthausen on 5 May 1945. In administering the surviving population, they managed their activities and needs. This work permit dated 16 May 1945 (a few days after liberation) enabled 3 men to leave the camp for 'necessary work', under the authority of the American commanding officer.

Russian zone stamps

The area occupied by the Russians in central Germany was called "The Soviet Occupation Zone". That is what is overprinted on each of these stamps. The return address in the lower corner also clearly states 'Russian Zone'. In 1949, it became the German Democratic Republic, commonly known as East Germany. Germany would remain divided for the next four decades.

DP Fohrenwald.Life in Camp

Fohrenwald, in the American zone, became one of the largest DP camps. It held over 5000 refugees by January 1946. Managed by the UNRRA, there was a wide range of educational and cultural activities, including a Yeshiva and Hassidic center. Zionist movements trained youth for life in Palestine. It was the last camp to close, in 1957. This envelope, mailed to Brooklyn, is stamped 'Yiddish' to guide the censor.

Russion Zone to Palestine

This envelope was sent from the Russian Zone to Jerusalem. Notice the censorship mark on the bottom, even though this was civilian mail and the war was over. Mailed 17 April 1946.

Badgastein Camp

This DP camp was in the American zone in Austria, near Salzburg. It consisted of several hotels, with a peak capacity of 2000. It provided schooling, vocational training in a variety of trades, a theater group, a chorale and higher education. Also a synagogue and Talmud Torah. It also boasted a very modern hospital. This New Year's card was printed specifically for survivors, and reads 'the Surviving Remnant in Austria'.

Badgastein New Year's card

The back of the card has a wonderful graphic showing survivors walking out of a concentration camp on a path that leads to the Land of Israel. In the corner we read 'Leshana Haba'ah BiYerushalayim' - Next year in Jerusalem. it was mailed to Palestine 30 September 1946.

Mizrachi Youth Groups

Mizrachi had been operating Religious Zionist youth groups in Europe since 1925. Their guiding philosophy was 'The Land of Israel for the People of Israel guided by the Torah of Israel'. They were known as the movement of 'Torah Va'avodah' - Torah and Labor. They wanted to build up the land with kibbutzim - cooperative settlements. After the war, they organized young adults into groups to help them get to Palestine and settle in Kibbutzim.

Mizrachi Hachshara in DP Camps

Mizrachi organized a 'Kibbutz Hachshara' in Badgastein, destination Palestine. Esther Fried was a member in 1946, as this card shows. The group went to Belgium, France, boarded an 'illegal ship' got caught by the British and ended up in Cyprus detention camp until they were free to go to Israel.

Badgastein.Mizrachi Youth Photo

See if you can find Esther among this group.

Ichud.visa to Israel

'Ichud' - the Union of Democratic Zionists - of Lodz, is writing to the branch in Warsaw on behalf of Halina Rubinowicz. It is December 1948 and she wants a visa to Israel. 5 members signed the request. This umbrella organization of Zionist parties operated from 1945 - 49.

DP money UNRRA. Scheinfeld

The Allies established The United Nations Relief & Rehabilitation Administration in 1943 to deal with the anticipated problem of DPs. Delegates from 44 countries were to facilitate economic and social aid. Herbert Lehman was its first director general. UNRRA supplied basic necessities for life and coordinated many welfare agencies including AJDC, ORT, Vaad Hatzalah, Jewish Agency, etc. At its peak, summer of 1946, it cared for 850,000 DPs, a quarter of whom were Jewish.

DP money UNRRA. Scheinfeld.Lithuania

Special paper money was issued in various camps to organize distribution of necessities at camp stores. This one is from Scheinfeld camp in Lithuania. The UNRRA's role was transferred to the International Refugee Organization (IRO) in 1947.

IRO Registration Card

The International Refugee Organization was created by the General Assembly of the U.N. in February 1946 to care for DPs. It took over from the UNRRA. When IRO began operations, there were over 1 million refugees, 20% of them Jewish, in the liberated countries of Europe. At its peak in 1948, IRO worked in 30 countries with a staff of 2800. The above registration card is for Displaced survivor Hugo Goldberg from Germany.

IRO Registration Card.back

The back of the IRO card testifies to his eligibility and mentions his wife. Even though the card states twice that it is not an ID card. it sure must have helped, especially as it included a photo.

IRO camp money

Like the UNRRA before it, the IRO maintained stores at their DP centers. Coupons like these were used as money to buy necessities. This one states that it was for use in Austrian camps. Since several different countries had authority in the region, the coupons were denominated in 'units' instead of dollars or marks.

IRO.camp money. back

The IRO was helped by many governments and 25 volunteer agencies. It contributed millions to Israel for transportation and resettlement of refugees. The IRO was dissolved in February 1952 and its functions taken over by governments, agencies, and the UN. They had repatriated 75 thousand and resettled over a million DPs at a cost of $430 Million.

DP Camp Bergen Belsen back

Bergen Belsen was a concentration camp until its liberation by the British on 15 April 1945. Part of it was burned to eradicate disease and the rest became a DP camp as survivors awaited repatriation or emigration. It was an all-Jewish camp, and the largest, with over 11,000 internees. Soon a camp committee was formed and political, cultural, and religious activities were organized, including schools, Yeshivot, and vocational programs. This envelope was mailed from Bergen Belsen DP camp.

DP camp Bergen Belsen.front

Most of the DPs wanted to emigrate to Palestine, but the British, even after giving administration of the camp over to the UNRRA in 1946, strictly limited such emigration and even prohibited free departure from this camp until 1949, well after Israel was established. Once allowed to leave, most went to Israel, the rest to USA & Canada. By 1951 the camp was empty and closed.

Bergen Belsen Rabbi

Rabbis were important to the survivor population, for comfort, counseling, performing weddings, and to help solve the unusual and sometimes agonizing problems created by the Sho'ah. Rabi Doctor Hermann (Zvi Azariah) Helfgott was responsible for the entire British Zone. Already in April 1945 he was active in Bergen Belsen Hohne which became headquarters for various Jewish organizations. He presided over many weddings, decided issues of identity, lineage, conversion, & matters of burial.

Bergen Belsen.Rabbi.back

Rabbi Helfgott was sought after to become rabbi of reconstituted Jewish communities in Germany but chose to make Aliyah in Sept 1948. This postcard authorizes a helper to pick up mail for him at Bergen Belsen. It is stamped by the seal of the Jewish Relief Unit (JRU) which was a squad of volunteers helping the DPs.

Bergen Belsen conference Palestine

The DPs organized, elected representatives, and formed committees. A major conference was held in Bergen Belsen in Sept 1945. This booklet was printed as a summary & souvenir of the proceedings. The U.S. supported refugee demands to be rehabilitated to Palestine but the British refused. Many Jews turned to 'Aliyah Bet', illegal immigration. Once the state of Israel was established, about 2/3 of the DPs settled there, 1/4 went to North America and the rest were absorbed into Europe.

Bergen Belsen Newspaper

Camp leaders created a newspaper 'Unzer Shtime' which means Our Voice in Yiddish. This envelope and letterhead were the official stationery of the newspaper. DPs didn't pay postage - instead there appears an imprint in the corner. Notice that even though the war had been over for a year and a half, this letter was still censored by the British in Jan 1947.

Bergen Belsen Newspaper.Letter

The long letter, typed on a Yiddish typewriter, asks the addressee in Montreal why the camp has not received any packages of late. It is signed by Paul Trepman who also gives regards from David Rosenthal and Rafael Olevski, the 3 organizers of the newspaper.

Bergen Belsen. Jewish Brigade

The Jewish Brigade was an all Jewish unit in the British Army made up of 5,000 volunteers from Palestine who wanted to fight against Hitler. (25,000 other Jews fought in regular British units.) They fought in Italy in the spring of 1945. When hostilities ended, Brigade soldiers helped survivors . This letter from the Central Jewish committee at Bergen Belsen praises Sgt. Tuvia Schwartz for his help 'for surviving Jews during his military service in Germany'. Dated 10 March 1946.

Trygve Lie.Palestine

Trygve Lie was the first Secretary -General of the United nations. Thousands of these form letters were sent to him from the DP camps, pleading for resettlement in Palestine. This one was mailed from Heidenheim camp, in the U.S. zone, which held over 2000 DPs, almost all wanting to go to Palestine. Mailed 1 May 1947.

Piea for Palestine

"...the Nazis killed before my eyes all my nearest and dearest...21 months after victory I am still among the murderers of my family. Let me join my brothers and sisters in Palestine.'

DP camp Bensheim medical clearance

Countries were reluctant to take refugees in general, since they might be a burden to the governments economy. But even worse was taking in someone who might have diseases that could spread. So getting medical clearance was very important. This card, with photo, shows that Gertie Freund was examined and tested and found free of disease. The card was issued by the American Joint Distribution Committee medical department at Bensheim DP camp..

DP camp Bensheim back

Gertie was examined in Bensheim, Germany. She was no doubt staying in the D.P. camp there. The camp was open from 1945 - 49. This health card is dated 16 December 1948.

Liberated Jews

The liberated survivors wanted to determine their own fate. In the British sector they had formed the Central Committee for Displaced Persons. In the American zone it was called the Central Committee of Liberated Jews. The issues were similar: health, welfare, employment, and immigration - preferably to Palestine but also to the US and elsewhere. This envelope mailed 23 Sept 1946 to the 'Jewish Community San Francisco'.

Liberated Jews.Letterhead

This note, on the letterhead of the 'Committee of Liberated Jews' was sent to the War Criminal Unit in Munich. It asked for the address of an individual. This was in October 1950.

Union of Persecuted Jews

The Union of Persecuted of the Nazi Regime was established by survivors who had been active in resistance. They wanted to continue the struggle against Fascism and also help former prisoners. Hugo Goldberg was a lawyer and notary. He joined in 1947. The red triangle of the political prisoners in the camps became their symbol. The organization became extremely left wing. It still exist, with a platform against racism, xenophobia, and discrimination.

Free Agunot - abandoned women

Missing a husband was more than tragic since in addition to the loss, the woman was not halachicly free to remarry without clear evidence that he was dead. This document from R' Samuel Eigner's 'court' in Hasenhecke DP camp gives permission for Mrs. Mehl to marry based on testimony: "..I was working with her husband Chaim Ber Mehl a.h. when ...he was hit by a train. I saw him lying dead on the ground and..participated in his burial". Verdict - We agree to permit her to re-marry."

Missing Relatives Bureau

In the wake of murder, starvation, and displacement, survivors were left wondering if any of their family and friends were still alive. Bureaus established in Europe, America, and Israel acted as clearinghouses of information for missing relatives. This card was mailed from Tel Aviv to Bern Switzerland 11 Oct 1945.

Missing Relatives. back

The Jewish Agency's Bureau in Tel Aviv received a request from Egen Grinfield in Switzerland, looking for Pinhas Graubert. This card replies, supplying his Tel Aviv address! But Grinfield must have moved on because the card is marked 'unknown' & 'return to sender'.

DP Camp to camp mail.Seperated

Johanna Klein is in DP camp Drochtersen. She is writing to father Erich who is in DP camp Flensburg. They are both in Northern Germany, about 130 miles apart. Will they be able to keep track of one another? Will they re-unite?

DP camp to camp message

Lone Survivor Seeks Relative

Aaron Szpringer, in a UNRRA camp in Italy, writes in Yiddish to the American Federation for Polish Jews in New York, looking for a distant relative. His camp is located in Rivoli Torinese, not far from the city of Turin. Mailed in 1946.

Lone Survivor Seeks Relative.message

Szpringer writes: "I turn to you with a request...I am here in an Italian UNRRA camp, the lone survivor from my entire family. My only living relative is in Brooklyn, America - I don't know the address. He is Faivel Keller, son of Pinya, living in Brooklyn, from Tomashov Lubelski in Poland. Please try to find the address and send it to me...I thank you."

Survivor Found !

The department of Relief & Rehabilitation of the World Jewish Congress in Stockholm responds to an inquiry from Tel Aviv with the news that Miss Ilse Schindler has been located in Malmo (also in Sweden), and supplies her contact information. Thrilling to locate a loved one after the war.

Polish DPs.

Lodz in central Poland was a major textile center with a Jewish population of 233,000 at the outbreak of the war. When the Soviet army liberated the city in January 1945, only 870 Jews had survived. But then 35-50 thousand survivors poured into the city, mostly from the Soviet Union-the largest concentration of Jewish survivors in Poland- & it became a cultural center. As Poland became 'Sovietized' in 1950 there ensued heavy emigration mostly to Israel, leaving just a few hundred elderly Jews.

Polish DPs.back

Widows & Orphans

The stub of a donation ticket reads 'For the rescue of the remnant'. It raised funds for Holocaust survivor relief in Palestine. The picture tells the story. The organized refugees used the term 'She'erit Hapeletah' - The Surviving Remnant' - to describe themselves. Beginning in June 1945, R' Abraham Klausner published lists to help in locating survivors and titled the volumes She'erit Hapeletah'.

Orphans

Other efforts included fundraising postcards. This one was sent from Los Angeles with photographs of orphans on the front. The back reads: "Our mother and father were killed by the Nazis. Please save us before it is too late. Please give now to the United Jewish Welfare Fund.

United Jewish Welfare Fund

This button was used in California. The United Jewish Welfare Fund had formed in 1930. Now it was active in aid and resettlement of survivors. The button reads 'They Must Live' and pictures a young woman. The date 1947 puts this right after the end of World War Two.

British Children Help

This button shows a Jewish star and the faces of two children. It was worn in connection with "Jewish Child's Day, 14 December 1947. British relief organizations supported hundreds of Jewish orphans after the war, and helped them to become British citizens.

British Relief.letterhead

"Jewish Child's Day" was instituted at Chanukah in 1947, When this letterhead was created. It was originally a one-day-a-year program for Jewish children (and by extension their families) to learn about Tzedakah and give for other children in need. It continues to this day and has become a year-round program focused on needy children.

Vaad Hahatzalah

The Rescue Committee of US Orthodox Rabbis was founded in Nov 1939 by R' Eliezer Silver & Agudat Harabanim. Its original purpose was specifically to rescue rabbis & yeshiva students escaping from Poland. They sent relief to 2500 who had fled to Shanghai & Siberia from Mir Kletsk Radin Kamenets & Baranovich. They helped 650 emigrate between Oct 1940 & June 1941. Some, including R' Aharon Kutler, came to the US & Palestine: the majority (500) ended up in Shanghai from where this envelope was sent

Vaad Hahatzalah

Once the annihilation of Jews became known, the Vaad broadened their goals. They organized a march of 400 Orthodox rabbis on the White House (6 Oct 1943) contributed to the rescue of 1200 from Theresienstadt and even ransomed Jews (against US policy about giving money to the enemy.) After the war they rehabilitated survivors and provided for their religious needs.

Vaad Hahatzala,Survivors Chumash

Among the Va'ad's provisions for religious needs was the printing of holy books, including this Chumash - book of the Torah. This title page reads: "Five books of the Torah - a gift from Va'ad Hahatzalah to the surviving refugees ... printed in Munich Germany 1947."

Vaad Hahatzala.Navi for Survivors

The Va'ad published a variety of Torah and Talmud books, including this softbound booklet containing Melachim Alef & Bet - Kings I & II. Densely printed and inexpensively bound on cheap paper, it was an emergency effort to re-connect Jews in the DP camps with their culture. Inside dedication: "With grateful recognition to Dr. Samuel Schmidt European Director Va'ad Hahatzalah a veteran of Torah true hatzalah for his selfless and tireless efforts and devotion to Sherith Hapleta".

Free Agunah - then Chalitzah !

Yehudis Stossel lost her husband. Then she realized that she was not yet exactly single. Her husband died childless and was survived by a brother. This triggered another religious requirement called Levirate marriage in which the brother-in-law & sister-in-law marry (see Deuteronomy 25). To break this connection requires a ceremony called Chalitza. Only then is she free to marry. This document attests that such ceremony was performed at a Jewish court freeing her to go on with her life.

Ketuba.Breslau

This wedding document, a traditional Ketuba, is dated 18 Iyyar 5709 = 17 May 1949. Yisroel Yirmiyahu is marrying Chaya Gitel. Interestingly, she is described neither as unmarried nor as a widow but as 'Matrachta', a divorcee. The document is stamped by the Rabbinical court of Breslau.

Free to Remarry.a

With no evidence of the death or divorce of his wife, Yoel Ashkenazi could not remarry in any Orthodox ceremony. In certain circumstances, permission is given to remarry, when attested to by 100 Rabbis who have learned of the situation. This 3 page document is such a permission, known as 'Heter Meah Rabbonim'. The faded pages are all shown to demonstrate the full 100 signatures. Read further for the details.

Free to Remarry.b

"In the Matter of Yoel Ashkenazi...we were shown an authenticated Rabbinic document from Bergen Belsen (D.P. camp) ... his brother in law testified that his sister was taken in transport to Belzec and never heard from again and it is well known that all perished there ..and despite strenuous efforts nothing more was heard from her therefore (based on various sources) we have agreed to release him to remarry through the Heter of 100 Rabbis. 11 Cheshvan 1947 Chassidic Rabbinic Court Jerusalem.

Free to Remarry.c

There are exactly 100 signatures on the 3 pages. The tops of the supplementary pages read: "We too, the undersigned, add our names to the abovementioned declaration to release the unfortunate man from the chains of his predicament."

Free to Remarry.d.Seal

This is the Rabbinic Court ('Beit Din') seal on the document. it reads 'Seal of the Rabbinic court of Ashkenazim and Chassidim - Jerusalem".

Reclaiming Children

Out of desperation, some parents entrusted their children to gentiles during the war. But what if they didn't survive to reclaim their children? Rita Strassman's parents did not survive the Nazis She was cared for by a Christian family in Scotland. Her grandfather in Haifa, Shlomo Lindenbaum, petitioned the Rabbinical court to adopt the child. On June 6 1946 they granted his request. '"we ask everyone...to help the child..in view of the tragedy that has happened to her..."

Illegal Immigration Center

Britain put restrictions on Jewish emigration to Palestine just as the situation became intolerable. Desperate refugees found every means possible to reach the Holy Land. The Haganah set up Mososad Aliyah Bet ('plan B emigration') to help them. Agents were sent to Europe to get Jews to small ports, charter ships and send them to Palestine. 'Alex Revivim' (in the return address) was code for a send-off center in Czechoslovakia. These centers operated until the British left Palestine May 1948.

Illegal Immigration.Port Bari

In 1943 Jews from Italy & Yugoslavia took refuge in Bari from Nazi-occupied territories. A refugee camp was established here and illegal immigration activity ensued. This small port was a point of departure for ships heading for Palestine. 65 such boats sailed between 1945 - 48. Most were intercepted by the British and passengers held yet again in camps, on Cyprus. Well over 100,000 Jews reached Palestine by way of Aliyah Bet.

Kesuba.Rabbinic seal

The seal states that it is from the Rabbinic court of the Jewish community of Wroclaw. That is the Polish spelling. This city, not far from Germany, was called by the Germans Breslau. The Hebrew pronunciation seems to be Varotzlav. Many Jews came to the city after the war, although under the Soviets, their population greatly diminished.

War Crime Trials

The Allies established the International Military Tribunal, developing procedures for War Crimes trials. Crimes specifically against Jews were considered at Nuremburg beginning 20 Nov 1945. Captured Nazi leaders such as Hermann Goering, Hans Frank, Julius Streicher & Martin Bormann were tried. 12 were sentenced to death, 3 to life imprisonment, 4 to shorter terms, and 3 were acquitted. Executions were carried out by hanging on 16-17 Oct 1946. This letter was mailed by a lawyer to the Court.

War Crimes Trials.Dachau

Trials continued until 1949. In the US zone 1941 criminals were tried at Dachau, a prime site of Nazi cruelty. 1517 were found guilty and 278 were actually executed. Hundreds of convicted were released under the US Clemency Act of 1951 Other European countries continued trials into the sixties. This envelope was sent from Dachau by Col. Willis Everett who was the appointed lawyer for the defense. Notice he used both a German and American stamp.

Nazi Hunter Wiesenthal

After the war crimes trials it became clear that many of the worst criminals had avoided capture or punishment. Shockingly, there were sympathizers who helped them escape. Some Jews and Gentiles undertook to become 'Nazi Hunters' and identify them. Simon Wiesenthal, himself a survivor, founded the 'Documentation Center' in Vienna to gather and verify such information. His name became synonymous with the cause. Here is a New Years card sent to contacts & supporters from the center in Vienna.

Eichmann Trial postcard

Adolf Eichmann was an eager Nazi and lieutenant colonel in the SS. He became the expert on carrying out the Final Solution of killing European Jewry. He organized deportations to killing centers and confiscated Jewish wealth. Eichmann escaped to Argentina in 1950. He lived with his family until hunted down by Israelis in May 1960 and abducted to Israel. His trial, from April to December 1961, was a world- famous event. During his trial, he was guarded, and shielded by bullet-proof glass.

Eichmann Trial. Requesting tickets

The Eichmann trial wasn't only about justice. Israel saw it as an important instrument for educating the world, and its own next generation, for whom the Holocaust was fading & unreal. The trial was reported and debated all over the world. It raised questions and stimulated research. Tickets to the trial were in demand. This letter from the court says"... tickets have already been distributed. I regret I can't comply with your request."

Eichmann Trial.Ticket

This simple piece of cardboard was a ticket to the proceedings, good for May 10, 1961. The triangular stamp reads 'Beit Ha'am', the site of the trial. The building is today a cultural center in Jerusalem. After an appeal, Eichmann was convicted, sentenced, hung on 31 May 1962, and cremated. Gideon Hausner, attorney general, later wrote a book about the trial titled "Justice in Jerusalem".

Eichmann prosecutor Gideon Hausner

Eichmann.Newsweek

As the Eichmann trial was beginning, on 11 April 1961, reporters and journalists were there to cover it. This issue of Newsweek was published that very week. It was the cover story with 9 pages devoted to it. Does Israel have a right to judge? What punishment could possibly fit? Was there any defense? How did this human being grow up to do what he did? How does the world see Germany now that the facts are coming out? The debate went on for months.

Eichmann Confession.Life magazine

A former SS officer, journalist Wilhelm Sassen befriended Eichmann in Buenos Aires, where he was living under an assumed name. Eichmann told his story in dozens of hours of taped interviews in 1956, which were transcribed. After Eichmann was captured and brought to Israel in May 1960, Life magazine obtained this manuscript with Eichmann's own footnotes. They published excerpts in Nov & Dec 1960, months before the trial began. The most famous quote is "I was only following orders".

Eichmann button 1960s

Lodz Ghetto Photographs

Henryk Ross was the official photographer for the Lodz ghetto. He also secretly took photos the Nazis would not have approved. He recorded abuse, starvation, sickness, executions, and other aspects of ghetto life, including mass deportation. Thousands of photos were buried in a box. Ross survived and after liberation unearthed the box. Those photos that were still usable were published in this book.

Lodz Ghetto Photo.working

Ross was a witness at the Eichmann trial and several of his photos were given in evidence. Here we see Jews wearing the yellow star working in the textile factories of Lodz, for the German war effort.

Lodz Ghetto Photo.Deportation

These photos show ghetto internees marching to trains, which would take them to concentration camps. All the belongings they were allowed are bundled over their backs. Books like this helped bring the horrors of the Holocaust to public awareness. There exist many graphic photos, often taken by the Nazis themselves. This website focuses on artifacts and has avoided displaying dehumanizing photographs.

Hitler Defaced

The War ended the first week of May. Use of the Hitler head postage stamps was outlawed but they were still available in quantity and new ones were going to take time to produce. So some of them were overprinted and used. These envelopes were mailed in early June, only a few weeks after the war. The six-pointed-star overprint seems a little too coincidental. It suggests Jewish survival after Hitler's defeat, although of course 6 million did not survive. Osterreich = Austria.

Hitler Stamp Defaced

Mailed June 18th, this envelope also uses a Hitler-head stamp with his face blotted out. This usage brings to mind the Jewish custom of blotting out the name of our enemies. It is usually associated with the Purim holiday and Haman. Haman was descended from the enemy Amalek tribe which the Torah specifically says should be blotted out. Many have characterized Hitler as a modern-day Haman, true heir of Amalek. Thus blotting out his face seems appropriate.

Local stamps.Dachau.Red Cross

Once the Nazi government ceased to exist, there were no government stamps yet available. Many unofficial stamps were printed, as much for souvenirs as for postage. This sheet was printed by the Polish Committee located after the war in Dachau. Funds raised were designated for the Red Cross relief agency. They were not recognized as valid for postage by the U.s authorities.

Help for Deportees.Satu Mare

This Romanian/Hungarian city, known to most Jews as 'Satmar', lost 75% of its Jews during the War. A substantial number of survivors returned and this label was intended to raise funds for them. It reads ' For the Deportees' and was attached to documents as a fund-raising tax. Under the Soviets, almost all eventually left. The Satmar Rebbe was from here, and got out on the Kastner train.

Austrian Graphic Stamps

In September 1946 Austria produced an anti-fascist exhibition entitled 'Never Forget'. It showed how Nazi Germany had invaded and damaged Austria. This set of stamps was issued with the same phrase on it.

Austrian Graphic Stamp.unissued

Two designs suggested for the Never Forget set were considered too provocative and were not approved. A few got out anyway and are very rare. This design shows a skeleton removing a face mask of Hitler.

Rabbi Weinberg regarding Ashes

R. Yechiel Y. Weinberg was a brilliant scholar and 'posek' of Jewish law. He headed the Rabbinic seminary in Berlin until it was shut down, spent the war in Warsaw, and then lived in Switzerland. His 4 volumes of Torah decisions, 'Seridei Aish' combine traditional law with modernity. Here he refers to a decision he wrote regarding the purity of ashes of incinerated Jewish bodies. Such ashes are preserved in some of the Holocaust memorials in Europe.

Reparations

In 1952, Germany agreed to pay reparations to victims of the war. Cash & goods were given to the State of Israel and payments to victims of the Holocaust wherever they lived. This was to compensate for confiscated property, slave labor, and persecution. Israel's acceptance of reparations was controversial as some characterized it as blood money. The Conference on Jewish material Claims Against Germany manages the process. "pension will be 277 Marks per month".

Aftermath.Jewish childs day