Brown burlap covered trunk used postwar by a young German Jewish refugee 2003.242.2 front
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, United States
Brown burlap covered plywood 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 burlap covered plywood 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: Brown burlap covered trunk used postwar by a young German Jewish refugee 2003.242.2 front
- 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: Heavily used, large, rectangular, plywood trunk with a wooden frame covered in treated, brown painted, burlap, with the lid attached by 2 brown painted continuous hinges. It has 3 sets of riveted, wooden ribs with beveled ends around the lid and base, with adjacent, parallel black painted lines. There are metal bumpers on the rounded, top lid corners and metal plates on the corner edges. On the lid front are 2 hasp locks for keyhole lock plates riveted to the base. The left and right base sides have dark brown leather strap handles inserted under brackets with 1 end riveted to the trunk and a metal end stopper on the other. There are 4 metal foot studs on each side. The interior is lined with brown and offwhite patterned paper, possibly a replacement. There is a folding lid stay in the back left corner and metal shelf brackets in each corner. Exterior hardware is brass colored metal; interior hardware is silver colored. Identifying information is painted on the top. The right handle is broken and there are repaired holes., Heavily used, large, rectangular, plywood trunk with a wooden frame covered in treated, brown painted, burlap, with the lid attached by 2 brown painted continuous hinges. It has 3 sets of riveted, wooden ribs with beveled ends around the lid and base, with adjacent, parallel black painted lines. There are metal bumpers on the rounded, top lid corners and metal plates on the corner edges. On the lid front are 2 hasp locks for keyhole lock plates riveted to the base. The left and right base sides have dark brown leather strap handles inserted under brackets with 1 end riveted to the trunk and a metal end stopper on the other. There are 4 metal foot studs on each side. The interior is lined with brown and offwhite patterned paper, possibly a replacement. There is a folding lid stay in the back left corner and metal shelf brackets in each corner. Exterior hardware is brass colored metal; interior hardware is silver colored. Identifying information is painted on the top. The right handle is broken and there are repaired holes.
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