Silver hair brush used by a German Jewish woman while in hiding 2005.600.4 front
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, United States
Silver hair brush used by Ruth Fromm Abraham, while living in hiding in Berlin from 1943 to 1945. It may originally have belonged to her mother Frieda Fromm who was deported on July 24, 1942. It is part of a set with a clothes brush, 2005.600.3. Frieda and her husband Meyer moved from Allenstein to Berlin circa 1936 to be near their daughters. Since the Kristallnacht pogrom in November 1938, life for Jews in Berlin was precarious. Ruth married Walter Abraham in 1939. Walter's parents and grandparents were deported in October 1940. Frieda and Meyer were deported in July 1942 to Theresienstadt, and then on September 26, to Treblinka killing center. Ruth and Walter had a daughter Reha on January 19, 1943. and went into hiding near Berlin three days later. They survived for over 2 years with the help of a non-Jewish German woman, Maria Nickel. Maria provided food and gave them the identity papers issued to herself and her husband. Because Ruth could pass for an Aryan German, she and Walter moved often and lived separately some of this time. Reha remained with Ruth. The family returned to Berlin after it was liberated by the Soviet Army in early May 1945. They left for America in 1948.
Silver hair brush used by Ruth Fromm Abraham, while living in hiding in Berlin from 1943 to 1945. It may originally have belonged to her mother Frieda Fromm who was deported on July 24, 1942. It is part of a set with a clothes brush, 2005.600.3. Frieda and her husband Meyer moved from Allenstein to Berlin circa 1936 to be near their daughters. Since the Kristallnacht pogrom in November 1938, life for Jews in Berlin was precarious. Ruth married Walter Abraham in 1939. Walter's parents and grandparents were deported in October 1940. Frieda and Meyer were deported in July 1942 to Theresienstadt, and then on September 26, to Treblinka killing center. Ruth and Walter had a daughter Reha on January 19, 1943. and went into hiding near Berlin three days later. They survived for over 2 years with the help of a non-Jewish German woman, Maria Nickel. Maria provided food and gave them the identity papers issued to herself and her husband. Because Ruth could pass for an Aryan German, she and Walter moved often and lived separately some of this time. Reha remained with Ruth. The family returned to Berlin after it was liberated by the Soviet Army in early May 1945. They left for America in 1948.
Details
- Title: Silver hair brush used by a German Jewish woman while in hiding 2005.600.4 front
- Provenance: The hair brush was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2014 by Reha Abraham Sokolow, daughter of Ruth Abraham., The hair brush was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2014 by Reha Abraham Sokolow, daughter of Ruth Abraham.
- Subject Keywords: Hidden children (Holocaust)--Germany--Berlin--Biography. Holocaust survivors--New York--Biography. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Germany--Berlin--Personal narratives. Jewish children in the Holocaust--Germany--Berlin--Biography. Jews--Persecution--Germany--Berlin--Biography. Jews--Rescue--Germany--Biography. Righteous Gentiles in the Holocaust--Germany--Berlin--Biography., Hidden children (Holocaust)--Germany--Berlin--Biography. Holocaust survivors--New York--Biography. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Germany--Berlin--Personal narratives. Jewish children in the Holocaust--Germany--Berlin--Biography. Jews--Persecution--Germany--Berlin--Biography. Jews--Rescue--Germany--Biography. Righteous Gentiles in the Holocaust--Germany--Berlin--Biography.
- 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: Hairbrush with a flattened, cylindrical handle attached to a large, smooth, silver, brush head with incised edges. At the handle base are 2 small, stacked, caps, and at the top is a wide, convex cap that attaches to the joint, a 6 sided, angled band with a collar of 5 small balls, which attaches to the brush head. Set into the head is an offwhite, striated, likely plastic, base with white, now yellowed, bristles inserted in tufts. It has a stamped hallmark and worn maker's mark., Hairbrush with a flattened, cylindrical handle attached to a large, smooth, silver, brush head with incised edges. At the handle base are 2 small, stacked, caps, and at the top is a wide, convex cap that attaches to the joint, a 6 sided, angled band with a collar of 5 small balls, which attaches to the brush head. Set into the head is an offwhite, striated, likely plastic, base with white, now yellowed, bristles inserted in tufts. It has a stamped hallmark and worn maker's mark.
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