Four Plaubel color camera filters, lens, and fitted case used by a Jewish German emigre and US soldier 2003.149.42_a-b front
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, United States
Set of 4 color camera filters, a clear T 1.5 lens for a Plaubel camera, and case owned by 30 year old Rudolph Sichel, a Jewish refugee from Frankfurt, Germany, who served as a US Army officer in Europe during World War II. In May 1936, unable to return to Germany from England because of anti-Jewish regulations, Sichel went to the United States. His parents, Ernst and Frieda, joined him in 1940. In April 1943, Sichel enlisted in the army and was sent to Camp Ritchie for military intelligence training in interrogation techniques. In July 1944, Sichel, now Chief Interrogator, Interrogation of Prisoners of War Team 13, landed on Utah Beach in France, where his unit was attached to the 104th Infantry, the Timberwolf Division. As the unit advanced through France, Belgium, and into Germany, Sichel interrogated those captured. On April 11, 1945, the unit liberated Dora-Mittelbau/Nordhausen concentration camp and Rudolph witnessed the horrific conditions. A skilled photographer, he took snapshots of the camp and other events of his military tour. Following Germany’s surrender in May, 2nd Lt. Sichel was attached to the 9th Army. He interrogated prisoners of war and civilian witnesses, and participated in fact finding missions to document and prepare evidence for war crimes trials. In June 1946, 1st Lt. Sichel returned to the US. He was awarded a Bronze Star for his service.
Set of 4 color camera filters, a clear T 1.5 lens for a Plaubel camera, and case owned by 30 year old Rudolph Sichel, a Jewish refugee from Frankfurt, Germany, who served as a US Army officer in Europe during World War II. In May 1936, unable to return to Germany from England because of anti-Jewish regulations, Sichel went to the United States. His parents, Ernst and Frieda, joined him in 1940. In April 1943, Sichel enlisted in the army and was sent to Camp Ritchie for military intelligence training in interrogation techniques. In July 1944, Sichel, now Chief Interrogator, Interrogation of Prisoners of War Team 13, landed on Utah Beach in France, where his unit was attached to the 104th Infantry, the Timberwolf Division. As the unit advanced through France, Belgium, and into Germany, Sichel interrogated those captured. On April 11, 1945, the unit liberated Dora-Mittelbau/Nordhausen concentration camp and Rudolph witnessed the horrific conditions. A skilled photographer, he took snapshots of the camp and other events of his military tour. Following Germany’s surrender in May, 2nd Lt. Sichel was attached to the 9th Army. He interrogated prisoners of war and civilian witnesses, and participated in fact finding missions to document and prepare evidence for war crimes trials. In June 1946, 1st Lt. Sichel returned to the US. He was awarded a Bronze Star for his service.
- Title: Four Plaubel color camera filters, lens, and fitted case used by a Jewish German emigre and US soldier 2003.149.42_a-b front
- Provenance: The camera filters, lens, and case were donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2003 by Howard S. Sichel and Linda Strohmenger, the children of Rudolph Daniel Sichel., The camera filters, lens, and case were donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2003 by Howard S. Sichel and Linda Strohmenger, the children of Rudolph Daniel Sichel.
- Subject Keywords: German American soldiers--United States--Biography. Jewish refugees--United States--Biography. Jewish soldiers--United States--Biography. Soldiers--United States--Biography. World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps--Liberation--Personal narratives. World War, 1939-1945--Military intelligence--United States--Personal narratives. World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American., German American soldiers--United States--Biography. Jewish refugees--United States--Biography. Jewish soldiers--United States--Biography. Soldiers--United States--Biography. World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps--Liberation--Personal narratives. World War, 1939-1945--Military intelligence--United States--Personal narratives. World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American.
- Type: Audiovisual and Photographic Materials, Audiovisual and Photographic Materials
- Rights: Permanent Collection, Permanent Collection
- External Link: See the full record at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, See the full record at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
- Medium: a. Rectangular, stained, stiff, shiny brown leather filter case with a top flap and a snap closure. The interior is light brown, unfinished leather. The case bulges from the use of a panel insert (b). b. Rectangular, worn, stiff, shiny brown leather insert that slides into a camera filter case (a). Two narrow leather strips attached midway on each side have 3 loops to hold a circular camera filter or lens. c. Flat, pale yellow, circular glass filter, now slightly clouded, mounted in a silver colored metal ring. The top half is painted black with a smooth flat face, smooth sides, and a ridged edge. The smaller bottom half is threaded on both sides. The glass is slightly clouded. d. Flat, red, circular glass filter mounted in a silver colored metal ring. The top half is painted black with a smooth flat face, smooth sides, and a ridged edge. The smaller bottom half is threaded on both sides. The glass is very clouded. e. Clear, circular, convex glass lens mounted in a silver colored metal ring. The top half is painted black with a narrow ridged rim and smooth interior and exterior faces. On top of the lens is a flat, grooved, black metal ring. The smaller bottom half is threaded on both sides. f. Flat, yellow, circular glass filter mounted in a silver colored metal ring. The top half is painted black with a smooth flat face almost flush with the glass, smooth sides, and a ridged edge. The smaller bottom half is threaded on both sides. The glass is clouded. g. Flat, blue, circular glass filter mounted in a silver colored metal ring. The top half is painted black with a smooth flat face, smooth sides, and a ridged edge. The smaller bottom half is threaded on both sides., a. Rectangular, stained, stiff, shiny brown leather filter case with a top flap and a snap closure. The interior is light brown, unfinished leather. The case bulges from the use of a panel insert (b). b. Rectangular, worn, stiff, shiny brown leather insert that slides into a camera filter case (a). Two narrow leather strips attached midway on each side have 3 loops to hold a circular camera filter or lens. c. Flat, pale yellow, circular glass filter, now slightly clouded, mounted in a silver colored metal ring. The top half is painted black with a smooth flat face, smooth sides, and a ridged edge. The smaller bottom half is threaded on both sides. The glass is slightly clouded. d. Flat, red, circular glass filter mounted in a silver colored metal ring. The top half is painted black with a smooth flat face, smooth sides, and a ridged edge. The smaller bottom half is threaded on both sides. The glass is very clouded. e. Clear, circular, convex glass lens mounted in a silver colored metal ring. The top half is painted black with a narrow ridged rim and smooth interior and exterior faces. On top of the lens is a flat, grooved, black metal ring. The smaller bottom half is threaded on both sides. f. Flat, yellow, circular glass filter mounted in a silver colored metal ring. The top half is painted black with a smooth flat face almost flush with the glass, smooth sides, and a ridged edge. The smaller bottom half is threaded on both sides. The glass is clouded. g. Flat, blue, circular glass filter mounted in a silver colored metal ring. The top half is painted black with a smooth flat face, smooth sides, and a ridged edge. The smaller bottom half is threaded on both sides.
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