Square, brown burlap covered trunk used postwar by a young German Jewish refugee 2003.242.3 back
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, United States
Brown cloth covered trunk used by 16 year old Dorit Isaacsohn and her mother Gertrud during their November 1949 emigration from Berlin, Germany, to the United States. By the late 1930’s, Dorit’s parents had lost their livelihood because of the anti-Semitic policies of the Nazi regime. Dorit, age 6, was sent to Brussels on a Kindertransport in 1939. Germany invaded Belgium in May 1940 and Dorit was returned to her parents in Berlin in 1941. On February 27, 1943, Dorit and her family had to separate to go into hiding. Dorit stayed with a family friend, a cousin, and her father Julius in Berlin. In fall 1943, Dorit left Berlin to live with her mother at a farm in Wilkersdorf. Shortly after, her father was betrayed by his nephew Rolf and deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau on October 23, where he was killed. Dorit and her mother traveled around eastern Germany until January 1945, when they were liberated by Soviet forces in Wilkersdorf.
Brown cloth covered trunk used by 16 year old Dorit Isaacsohn and her mother Gertrud during their November 1949 emigration from Berlin, Germany, to the United States. By the late 1930’s, Dorit’s parents had lost their livelihood because of the anti-Semitic policies of the Nazi regime. Dorit, age 6, was sent to Brussels on a Kindertransport in 1939. Germany invaded Belgium in May 1940 and Dorit was returned to her parents in Berlin in 1941. On February 27, 1943, Dorit and her family had to separate to go into hiding. Dorit stayed with a family friend, a cousin, and her father Julius in Berlin. In fall 1943, Dorit left Berlin to live with her mother at a farm in Wilkersdorf. Shortly after, her father was betrayed by his nephew Rolf and deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau on October 23, where he was killed. Dorit and her mother traveled around eastern Germany until January 1945, when they were liberated by Soviet forces in Wilkersdorf.
- Title: Square, brown burlap covered trunk used postwar by a young German Jewish refugee 2003.242.3 back
- Location: Germany--Emigration and immigration--History--20th century. United States--Emigration and immigration--History--20th century., Germany--Emigration and immigration--History--20th century. United States--Emigration and immigration--History--20th century.
- Provenance: The trunk was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2003 by Dorit Isaacsohn., The trunk was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2003 by Dorit Isaacsohn.
- Subject Keywords: Hidden children (Holocaust)--Germany--Berlin--Biography. Holocaust survivors--United States--Biography. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Germany--Berlin--Personal narratives. Jewish children in the Holocaust--Germany--Berlin--Biography. Jewish refugees--United States--Biography. Jews--Persecution--Germany--Biography., Hidden children (Holocaust)--Germany--Berlin--Biography. Holocaust survivors--United States--Biography. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Germany--Berlin--Personal narratives. Jewish children in the Holocaust--Germany--Berlin--Biography. Jewish refugees--United States--Biography. Jews--Persecution--Germany--Biography.
- Type: Containers, Containers
- 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: Very well used, squarish, fiberboard trunk with a wooden frame, covered with treated, brown painted burlap with large, painted metal studs around the lid sides. Dark brown leather bumpers are nailed to the front lid edge corners and leather stripping is sewn around the rounded, side edges of the lid and base. Two sets of riveted, wooden ribs with paint remnants and beveled ends extend around the lid and base, with leather brackets nailed at intervals across the ribs. A decorative black line is painted along each side of the ribs. An interior cloth hinge connects the lid and base, and a leather panel covers the exterior back joint, but is separating along the center. On the front is a hasp lock and lock plate, with a brown painted drawbolt to the left and right. The left and right base sides have dark brown leather strap handles inserted under metal brackets with 1 end riveted to the trunk and a metal end stopper on the other; the right handle is detached. The interior is lined with light brown cloth. There is a collapsible divider that extends from the right base side to create a storage compartment. There are 2 cloth belts with buckles on the left side. Cloth covered metal shelf support brackets are in each corner. An orange crisscrossed cloth ribbon is tacked onto the inner lid to form a pocket. Painted on each exterior side is a large red circle surrounded by a green ring. There is a leather store label, an identifying inscription on the lid, several labels, and a hanging tag. Detatched handle: partial, right side, rectangular, dark brown leather handle made from 2 pieces of sewn leather, with jagged ends where it was torn from trunk. (1.000 x 6.375 x .250), Very well used, squarish, fiberboard trunk with a wooden frame, covered with treated, brown painted burlap with large, painted metal studs around the lid sides. Dark brown leather bumpers are nailed to the front lid edge corners and leather stripping is sewn around the rounded, side edges of the lid and base. Two sets of riveted, wooden ribs with paint remnants and beveled ends extend around the lid and base, with leather brackets nailed at intervals across the ribs. A decorative black line is painted along each side of the ribs. An interior cloth hinge connects the lid and base, and a leather panel covers the exterior back joint, but is separating along the center. On the front is a hasp lock and lock plate, with a brown painted drawbolt to the left and right. The left and right base sides have dark brown leather strap handles inserted under metal brackets with 1 end riveted to the trunk and a metal end stopper on the other; the right handle is detached. The interior is lined with light brown cloth. There is a collapsible divider that extends from the right base side to create a storage compartment. There are 2 cloth belts with buckles on the left side. Cloth covered metal shelf support brackets are in each corner. An orange crisscrossed cloth ribbon is tacked onto the inner lid to form a pocket. Painted on each exterior side is a large red circle surrounded by a green ring. There is a leather store label, an identifying inscription on the lid, several labels, and a hanging tag. Detatched handle: partial, right side, rectangular, dark brown leather handle made from 2 pieces of sewn leather, with jagged ends where it was torn from trunk. (1.000 x 6.375 x .250)
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