Medal awarded to a Jewish nurse to honor her caring service to refugee children during the war 2007.212.3_a front
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, United States
Medal presented to Menia Awret-Back in recognition of her work as a nurse for Jewish refugee children during World War II in Brussels, Belgium. Once Belgium was occupied by the Germans in May 1940, Jewish nurses had to wear an armband with a blue cross in place of the usual red cross armband. In addition, Jewish children and expectant mothers were not allowed to be treated in existing facilities. The organizations Menia worked for from 1938 through the postwar period, the L'Ouevre Nationale de L'Enfance [National Children's Aid] and the Belgium Red Cross, established and staffed treatment centers for their care. Menia held a Russian passport, thus was at risk of deportation by German authorities. However, the charitable agencies for which she worked successfully requested that she be allowed to remain because of the importance of her work. The Swedish Consulate in Brussels wrote letters stating that she was a holder of a valid Russian passport and that they were placing her under their protection.
Medal presented to Menia Awret-Back in recognition of her work as a nurse for Jewish refugee children during World War II in Brussels, Belgium. Once Belgium was occupied by the Germans in May 1940, Jewish nurses had to wear an armband with a blue cross in place of the usual red cross armband. In addition, Jewish children and expectant mothers were not allowed to be treated in existing facilities. The organizations Menia worked for from 1938 through the postwar period, the L'Ouevre Nationale de L'Enfance [National Children's Aid] and the Belgium Red Cross, established and staffed treatment centers for their care. Menia held a Russian passport, thus was at risk of deportation by German authorities. However, the charitable agencies for which she worked successfully requested that she be allowed to remain because of the importance of her work. The Swedish Consulate in Brussels wrote letters stating that she was a holder of a valid Russian passport and that they were placing her under their protection.
- Title: Medal awarded to a Jewish nurse to honor her caring service to refugee children during the war 2007.212.3_a front
- Provenance: The medallion was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2007 by Serge Back, the son of Menia Arwet-Back., The medallion was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2007 by Serge Back, the son of Menia Arwet-Back.
- Subject Keywords: Jewish children--Medical care--Belgium. Jewish nurses--Belgium--Biography. Jewish women in the Holocaust--Belgium--Biography. Nurses--Belgium--Biography. World War, 1939-1945--Civilian relief--Belgium. World War, 1939-1945--War work--Red Cross., Jewish children--Medical care--Belgium. Jewish nurses--Belgium--Biography. Jewish women in the Holocaust--Belgium--Biography. Nurses--Belgium--Biography. World War, 1939-1945--Civilian relief--Belgium. World War, 1939-1945--War work--Red Cross.
- 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: a. Silver colored oval medallion with a laurel wreath; inside the wreath is a red enamel cross with a gold colored crowned lion within a circle. Two decorative bars extend frm the top of the medal to support an ornate crown suspension to attach the ribbon. A rectangular white ribbon with 2 vertical narrow red stripes is attached to a silver colored suspension ring which passes through a tab on the top of the crown. The top of the ribbon is sewn over a bar with 2 stick pins in the back. b. Rectangular white paper box base covered with brown paper. The interior is padded with white tissue paper with a safety pin attached. c. Rectangular white paper box lid covered with brown paper with a detachable base (b). The interior top is stamped with manufacturer information., a. Silver colored oval medallion with a laurel wreath; inside the wreath is a red enamel cross with a gold colored crowned lion within a circle. Two decorative bars extend frm the top of the medal to support an ornate crown suspension to attach the ribbon. A rectangular white ribbon with 2 vertical narrow red stripes is attached to a silver colored suspension ring which passes through a tab on the top of the crown. The top of the ribbon is sewn over a bar with 2 stick pins in the back. b. Rectangular white paper box base covered with brown paper. The interior is padded with white tissue paper with a safety pin attached. c. Rectangular white paper box lid covered with brown paper with a detachable base (b). The interior top is stamped with manufacturer information.
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