us-005578-irn47491-irn76821
type: RecordSet
archival history: The pillow sham was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2013 by Terez Gruenberger Mermelstein, the daughter of Roszi Gruenberger.
biographical history: Roszi (Roza) Gruenberger was born on September 18, 1893, in Brestovo, Czechoslovakia, to Ludvik and Zeni Neiman Gruenberger. Roszi was a shoe designer. She married Zsigmund Schonfeld, who was born in 1887 in Kisvarda, Hungary. The couple owned a specialty shoe shop in Budafok, Hungary, and hand made all the shoes. They had two daughters: Terez, born on June 5, 1921, in Mukacevo, Czechoslovakia (Mukacheve, Ukraine), and Miriam, born on February 26, 1923, in Budafok. In approximately 1928, Zsigmund died. Roza and her children moved back to Mukacevo to live with Roza’s parents. Roza supported the family by making shoes. They family was observant, honoring holidays and the weekly Shabbat. In 1938, Mukacevo and the surrounding area of Czechoslovakia was annexed by Hungary,and was now called Munkacs. The Hungarians were more antisemitic, but family life remained normal. Terez encouraged the family to adopt a child. Roza was no longer married and was not allowed to adopt, so Zeni adopted a Jewish orphan about age seven, Shmuel. Hungary had anti-Jewish laws similar to those of its ally, Nazi Germany. In June 1941, Hungary participated in the German invasion of the Soviet Union. After the Germans were forced to retreat from Stalingrad In early 1943, Hungary sought a separate peace with the Allies. In March 1944, Germany occupied Hungary. Jews in the countryside were gathered into regional holding centers as the Germans, with the now radically fascist Hungarian government, prepared for mass deportations. In April, a Jewish ghetto was formed in Munkacs. Roza and her family were ordered to move there. Before they left, they gave some of their family valuables to a Christian neighbor. They stayed in the ghetto for a week with a family friend, but then were marched to a brick factory. It was very crowded and many people died from the poor living conditions. In May, the family was sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau in cattle cars. Upon arrival on May 22, Terez and Miriam were separated fr…
physical characteristics and technical requirements: Hand sewn, large, nearly square, white cloth pillow sham with a band of scalloped trim with white satin stitched edges and a repeating pattern of dots and scrollwork sewn to the top, left, and right sides. The name Roszi is embroidered in white thread above a curling floral vine on the front top center. The bottom opening has a pocket seam with a reinforced, button placket closure with 3 Dorset thread buttons and 4 finished buttonholes, with thread remnants where the 4th button was attached. There are 3 lines stitched in black and red thread on the back placket exterior and 2 handwritten initials on the interior. The cloth is stained and has holes on the front. front, center top, embroidered, white thread : Rozsi interior, back top, handwritten, black ink : M ? / ?
conditions of access: No restrictions on access
conditions of use: No restrictions on use
date: approximately 1945 June
has or had holder: us-005578
has or had identifier: 1
has or had some members with language: ces
has record set type: Item
identifier: irn76821
is or was included in: us-005578-irn47491
record resource extent: overall: Height: 32.375 inches (82.233 cm) | Width: 36.750 inches (93.345 cm)
results or resulted from: 1
scope and content: Scallop edged pillow sham Embroidered pillowcase owned by Terez Gruenberger, that was recovered by her sister Miriam after the war. It was made by their mother Roszi and is embroidered Roszi. This and other family valuables were entrusted to a neighbor in Munkacs, Hungary (Mukecheve, Ukraine) before the family was deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau killing center. Terez lived with Roszi, Miriam, her maternal grandparents, Ludvik and Zeni Gruenberger, and her adopted brother, in Mukecheve when it was annexed by Hungary and renamed Munkacs. In March 1944, Germany occupied Hungary. In April, Terez and her family were moved into a Jewish ghetto. In May, they were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where 23 year old Terez and 21 year old Miriam were selected for labor. Their mother, grandparents, and adopted brother Shmuel were killed in the gas chambers. In November, Terez and Miriam were deported to Torgau slave labor camp in Germany. Terez was assigned prisoner number 46077 and Miriam number 46076. In April 1945, Terez and Miriam were liberated by British forces. In 1946, Terez married a fellow survivor, Jakob Mermelstein, and Miriam married Geza Rozner,a survivor from Munkacs. They lived in Gabersee displaced persons camp in Germany. Terez and Jakob emigrated to the US in 1948. Miriam and Geza went to Israel.
title: Cutwork pillow sham with scalloped trim and embroidered Roszi recovered postwar by a Hungarian Jewish woman