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Steffie Leyser's prayer book cover (EPH 3921)

Imperial War Museums

Imperial War Museums
London, United Kingdom

Steffie Carola Leyser brought this Chinese silk prayer book cover with her when she was evacuated from Germany to Britain on a Kindertransport in 1939. The cover was formerly her grandmother's and was for use with a prayer book that was also given to Stephanie.

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  • Title: Steffie Leyser's prayer book cover (EPH 3921)
  • Physical description: prayer book cover (27 x 17cm) made of Chinese cream silk with a cream cord edging. One edge is open and has begun to fray. One side of the cover is decorated with a landscape scene. It is surrounded by pink flowers and greenery.
  • Historical description: Stepanie Kester (née Stephie Carola Leyser) brought this prayer book cover in Chinese silk with her when she was evacuated from Austria on one of the Kindertransports in 1939. The cover was her grandmother's (Laura Sommerfield) and it was for the prayer book that she also received. (see DPB) She says of her parents: 'My father as most people in Chemnitz, was a manufacturer of knitted fabrics. I was very attached to both my mother and my father. They eventually came to the UK, but because of the circumstances, my father was very ill and died soon afterwards, he was 51 years old. My mother died only six years ago, in 1993, of old age. I was their only child.' EPH 3921 was previously on display: Fur das Kind Memorial, Liverpool Street Station
  • External link: View on Imperial War Museums' website
  • Associated place: AT & Chemnitz, Chemnitz, Saxony, Germany
Imperial War Museums

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