![Bronze Krzyz Zaslugi [Cross of Merit] awarded to a Polish midwife for postwar service 2005.260.4_a-b front](http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ci/AL18g_TGV0_xcOl_RV7oFlbkVHzIlg-CpRYmTyRFTEWDHZYwk21q2gvB3FEAnDMn9UYpS8Ohb8ol-X4)
Bronze Krzyz Zaslugi [Cross of Merit] awarded to a Polish midwife for postwar service 2005.260.4_a-b front
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, United States
Bronze medal with attached ribbon, molded box, and certificate presented to Anna Toronczyk in 1956 by the government of Poland for her exemplary service as a midwife. Anna was living in Lodz, Poland, when the Germans invaded in September 1939. She worked as a midwife in the hospital in the Jewish ghetto until September 1940, when she escaped to the Soviet Union. Her twin sister, Roza Herszenberg, assumed her position in the hospital. Anna was in the Soviet Union until 1946-47, when she was repatriated and able to return to Lodz to be with her family. Roza, her husband Calel, and daughter Salomea escaped the destruction of the ghetto by the Germans in spring 1944 by going into hiding, then obtaining jobs on the crew assigned to stay behind to salvage materials. Following the cleanup, they hid until the city was liberated by Soviet forces in January 1945.
Bronze medal with attached ribbon, molded box, and certificate presented to Anna Toronczyk in 1956 by the government of Poland for her exemplary service as a midwife. Anna was living in Lodz, Poland, when the Germans invaded in September 1939. She worked as a midwife in the hospital in the Jewish ghetto until September 1940, when she escaped to the Soviet Union. Her twin sister, Roza Herszenberg, assumed her position in the hospital. Anna was in the Soviet Union until 1946-47, when she was repatriated and able to return to Lodz to be with her family. Roza, her husband Calel, and daughter Salomea escaped the destruction of the ghetto by the Germans in spring 1944 by going into hiding, then obtaining jobs on the crew assigned to stay behind to salvage materials. Following the cleanup, they hid until the city was liberated by Soviet forces in January 1945.
- Title: Bronze Krzyz Zaslugi [Cross of Merit] awarded to a Polish midwife for postwar service 2005.260.4_a-b front
- Provenance: The medal with ribbon, box, and certificate were donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2005 by Dr. Salomea Kape, the niece of Anna Toronczyk., The medal with ribbon, box, and certificate were donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2005 by Dr. Salomea Kape, the niece of Anna Toronczyk.
- Subject Keywords: Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Poland--Łódź--Personal narratives. Jewish children in the Holocaust--Poland--Łódź--Biography. Jewish families--Poland--Łódź--Biography. Jews--Poland--Łódź--Biography. Midwives--Poland--Biography., Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Poland--Łódź--Personal narratives. Jewish children in the Holocaust--Poland--Łódź--Biography. Jewish families--Poland--Łódź--Biography. Jews--Poland--Łódź--Biography. Midwives--Poland--Biography.
- Type: Awards, Awards
- 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: These are temporary component designations that will be amended when numbering issues are clarified. a-b. Bronze cross pattée medal with a suspension ring and jump ring attached to a ribbon; a-b are not detachable. the a measuremenet above is overall for ribbon and medal. a. Metal cross pattee has ball tipped points and rays between the arms. There is a central circle bordered by an embossed laurel wreath with initials inside. The reverse is blank. b. Faded red ribbon with 2 white vertical stripes bear each side with red stripe on the outer edge. c. Rectangular, cardboard box lid covered with brown textured paper with a gold Polish eagle stamped on the top. The interior is white. d. Rectangular, cardboard box base with 2 inserts: the bottom has white cardboard that extends past the sides; the top insert is red velvet-like material concaved to the shape of the medal. The exterior bottom is gray. e. Rectangular, bi-fold, flat case, with a red plastic exterior and a stamped border. Stamped on the front is a gold Polish eagle. Inside is a piece of paper folded in half to create 4 pages. The 1st page has a black Polish eagle in the center and 2 red diagonal lines in the right corner. On the inside left and right pages is a thin black outline of a box with text within. The certificate is a preprinted form that has been completed. A red string is attached in the middle of binding to hold the paper., These are temporary component designations that will be amended when numbering issues are clarified. a-b. Bronze cross pattée medal with a suspension ring and jump ring attached to a ribbon; a-b are not detachable. the a measuremenet above is overall for ribbon and medal. a. Metal cross pattee has ball tipped points and rays between the arms. There is a central circle bordered by an embossed laurel wreath with initials inside. The reverse is blank. b. Faded red ribbon with 2 white vertical stripes bear each side with red stripe on the outer edge. c. Rectangular, cardboard box lid covered with brown textured paper with a gold Polish eagle stamped on the top. The interior is white. d. Rectangular, cardboard box base with 2 inserts: the bottom has white cardboard that extends past the sides; the top insert is red velvet-like material concaved to the shape of the medal. The exterior bottom is gray. e. Rectangular, bi-fold, flat case, with a red plastic exterior and a stamped border. Stamped on the front is a gold Polish eagle. Inside is a piece of paper folded in half to create 4 pages. The 1st page has a black Polish eagle in the center and 2 red diagonal lines in the right corner. On the inside left and right pages is a thin black outline of a box with text within. The certificate is a preprinted form that has been completed. A red string is attached in the middle of binding to hold the paper.
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