Gillette razor blade, cover and wrapper featuring King C. Gillette brought to Shanghai by an Austrian Jewish refugee 2010.240.20_a front
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, United States
Razor blade, cover and wrapper brought by Viktor Stummer to Shanghai, China, when he fled there from Vienna, Austria, circa December 1938, following his release from Dachau concentration camp. He was imprisoned during Kristallnacht that November 9-10 and released after his sister secured him a ticket to Shanghai. He lived in the Hongkew ghetto and worked as a welder. Shanghai was liberated by the US Army on September 3, 1945. In 1949, Viktor emigrated to Canada and the next year he moved to the US where he married a fellow Shanghai refugee, Gerda Harpuder. They met in Hongkew in 1941 when Gerda asked Viktor to repair a candlestick. Gerda escaped Berlin, Germany, in early 1939 with her husband, Hans, and children, Ursula, age 14, and Ralf, age 4. Hans died of malnutrition in October 1945. Gerda and her family emigrated to the US in March 1947.
Razor blade, cover and wrapper brought by Viktor Stummer to Shanghai, China, when he fled there from Vienna, Austria, circa December 1938, following his release from Dachau concentration camp. He was imprisoned during Kristallnacht that November 9-10 and released after his sister secured him a ticket to Shanghai. He lived in the Hongkew ghetto and worked as a welder. Shanghai was liberated by the US Army on September 3, 1945. In 1949, Viktor emigrated to Canada and the next year he moved to the US where he married a fellow Shanghai refugee, Gerda Harpuder. They met in Hongkew in 1941 when Gerda asked Viktor to repair a candlestick. Gerda escaped Berlin, Germany, in early 1939 with her husband, Hans, and children, Ursula, age 14, and Ralf, age 4. Hans died of malnutrition in October 1945. Gerda and her family emigrated to the US in March 1947.
- Title: Gillette razor blade, cover and wrapper featuring King C. Gillette brought to Shanghai by an Austrian Jewish refugee 2010.240.20_a front
- Provenance: The razor blade, cover and wrapper were donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2010 by Yvonne Harpuder, the widow of Ralph Harpuder., The razor blade, cover and wrapper were donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2010 by Yvonne Harpuder, the widow of Ralph Harpuder.
- Subject Keywords: Holocaust survivors--United States--Biography. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Austria--Vienna--Personal narratives, Jewish. Jewish refugees--China--Shanghai--Biography. Jews, Austrian--China--Shanghai--Biography. World War, 1939-1945--Refugees--China--Shanghai., Holocaust survivors--United States--Biography. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Austria--Vienna--Personal narratives, Jewish. Jewish refugees--China--Shanghai--Biography. Jews, Austrian--China--Shanghai--Biography. World War, 1939-1945--Refugees--China--Shanghai.
- 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: a. Rectangular black colored double edged steel razor blade with notched silver colored edges. There is a geometric cut out in the center to attach it to the razor. The front is stamped with the Gillette logo and manufacturing information, with patent information on the reverse. b. Rectangular, thin, offwhite transparent paper that folds inward to enclose the razor (a.) It is printed with a repeating pattern of the Gillette logo, an elongated white diamond with Gillette struck through by an arrow. c. Rectangular, blue paper wrapper that folds inward to form a cover for (a-b.) The front has a rectangle outlined with a dark blue double border; within is a portrait of King Gillette, a man with short, black hair, a black mustache, a white collared shirt, a jacket, and a tie. Above the image is English text and below is a printed signature and English text. The edges have narrow black stripes and patent information in English and Spanish., a. Rectangular black colored double edged steel razor blade with notched silver colored edges. There is a geometric cut out in the center to attach it to the razor. The front is stamped with the Gillette logo and manufacturing information, with patent information on the reverse. b. Rectangular, thin, offwhite transparent paper that folds inward to enclose the razor (a.) It is printed with a repeating pattern of the Gillette logo, an elongated white diamond with Gillette struck through by an arrow. c. Rectangular, blue paper wrapper that folds inward to form a cover for (a-b.) The front has a rectangle outlined with a dark blue double border; within is a portrait of King Gillette, a man with short, black hair, a black mustache, a white collared shirt, a jacket, and a tie. Above the image is English text and below is a printed signature and English text. The edges have narrow black stripes and patent information in English and Spanish.
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