Engraved silver cigarette case used by a Polish Jewish refugee in Russia 2009.352.2 back
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, United States
Cigarette case that belonged to Alfred Majzner, a Jewish engineer, who, following the 1939 invasion of Poland by Germany, fled to the Russian-occupied sector to the east. He was assigned living quarters for his family in Bialystock, Poland, on July 25, 1940. Soon after his wife and family arrived the Russians deported the Jewish inhabitants further west. Alfred died in Kazakhstan in 1942. His second wife and widow, Bronislawa, had the case decorated around 1944 with her initials, BM, and the names of their daughter, Lucia, his children from his first marriage, Dita and Todek, and her deceased, first husband, Fredek. Bronislawa and Lucia returned to Poland when the war ended in 1945 and successfully sued for the return of Alfred's property which had been confiscated during the occupation.
Cigarette case that belonged to Alfred Majzner, a Jewish engineer, who, following the 1939 invasion of Poland by Germany, fled to the Russian-occupied sector to the east. He was assigned living quarters for his family in Bialystock, Poland, on July 25, 1940. Soon after his wife and family arrived the Russians deported the Jewish inhabitants further west. Alfred died in Kazakhstan in 1942. His second wife and widow, Bronislawa, had the case decorated around 1944 with her initials, BM, and the names of their daughter, Lucia, his children from his first marriage, Dita and Todek, and her deceased, first husband, Fredek. Bronislawa and Lucia returned to Poland when the war ended in 1945 and successfully sued for the return of Alfred's property which had been confiscated during the occupation.
Details
- Title: Engraved silver cigarette case used by a Polish Jewish refugee in Russia 2009.352.2 back
- Location: Poland--History--Occupation, 1939-1945., Poland--History--Occupation, 1939-1945.
- Provenance: The cigarette case was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2009 by Margareta Kligert, the granddaughter of Alfred and Bronislawa Majzner., The cigarette case was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2009 by Margareta Kligert, the granddaughter of Alfred and Bronislawa Majzner.
- Subject Keywords: Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Poland--Personal narratives. Jews--Persecutions--Soviet Union. Jewish families--Poland--Biography. Jewish refugees--Russia--Biography. World War, 1939-1945--Refugees--Russia., Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Poland--Personal narratives. Jews--Persecutions--Soviet Union. Jewish families--Poland--Biography. Jewish refugees--Russia--Biography. World War, 1939-1945--Refugees--Russia.
- Type: Personal Equipment and Supplies, Personal Equipment and Supplies
- 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: Silver, hinged cigarette case with gold colored detailing and beveled edges. The upper surface has 6 inscriptions attached to the case in gold colored metal; the flat surface is decorated with vertical lines and the border has a wavy line design. The left side of the face has a push button protruding from the center edge. The flat part of the underside is decorated with 3 gold colored bands, a center band with an engraved floral design, and 2 plain bands. The border has a floral lattice design. The interior is lined with gold colored metal. There are 3 small, illegible, maker's marks on either side of the case., Silver, hinged cigarette case with gold colored detailing and beveled edges. The upper surface has 6 inscriptions attached to the case in gold colored metal; the flat surface is decorated with vertical lines and the border has a wavy line design. The left side of the face has a push button protruding from the center edge. The flat part of the underside is decorated with 3 gold colored bands, a center band with an engraved floral design, and 2 plain bands. The border has a floral lattice design. The interior is lined with gold colored metal. There are 3 small, illegible, maker's marks on either side of the case.
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