us-005578-irn514287-irn522858
type: RecordSet
archival history: The wallet was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2003 by Myriam Abramowicz, the daughter of Lea Abramowicz.
biographical history: Lea Mescherowsky was born on March 1, 1906, in Aleksandriia, Russia (now Oleksandriia, Ukraine), to a Jewish couple, Hersh Tzvi (Gregor) and Tauba (1885-1968) Mescherowsky. Lea had four siblings: Shura (1909-1997), Sasha Alexander, Bernard (1914-1985), and Arnold. Lea’s father Gregor designed agricultural equipment and had a business in Odessa. In 1917, the Russian Revolution began. In 1921, Lea and her family illegally fled because of the pogroms. They went to Zoppot, Germany (Sopot, Poland), then to Danzig (Gdansk, Poland). There was a large community of Jewish Russian refugees in Danzig. The family was able to have a normal life and attend synagogue. In January 1933, Hitler came to power in Germany. Gdansk was formerly part of Prussia and still very influenced by German politics and culture. Antisemitism increased and life became difficult for the Mescherowsky family. Lea experienced bad treatement for being Jewish. In 1934, Lea left Danzig and lived briefly in Berlin, where she worked in a bank. She then moved to Brussels, Belgium. In 1935, Lea’s father Gregor died of a heart attack. Lea’s sister Shura came to live with her in Brussels. In 1936, Lea’s mother, Tauba, and brother, Bernard, also moved to Brussels. Lea’s brother Sasha and his wife emigrated to Palestine. In 1936, Lea met Mendel Abramowicz, who was born on March 3, 1903, in Łódź, Poland. He had three siblings: Lena, Golda, and Henri. Mendel had immigrated to Palestine in the 1920’s, but returned after a short time. He then moved to Belgium and trained as a cantor, but worked in the diamond and fur trade. His family owned a kosher restaurant in Ostend. Lea and Mendel married in 1937. That same year, Lea’s brother Arnold died in an accident. In 1938, Lea and Mendel had a daughter, Jenny Ita, who died of pneumonia when she was six weeks old. After Germany invaded Poland in September 1939, Tauba, Shura, and Bernard went to France. On May 10, 1940, Germany invaded Belgium. In May 1942, it was decreed that…
physical characteristics and technical requirements: Well used, rectangular, black leather bi-fold wallet reinforced with cardboard and has dark blue cloth lining. One interior side has 1 large pocket, with 2 open sides and 2 sides sewn into the seam. The other side has 3 slot pockets: 2 smaller leather pockets sewn on th front of a full size pocket with a cloth interior and leather top.
conditions of access: No restrictions on access
conditions of use: No restrictions on use
has beginning date: 1942-01-01
has end date: 1944-12-31
has or had holder: us-005578
has or had identifier: 1
has record set type: Item
identifier: irn522858
is or was included in: us-005578-irn514287
record resource extent: overall: Height: 6.000 inches (15.24 cm) | Width: 4.250 inches (10.795 cm) | Depth: 0.375 inches (0.953 cm)
results or resulted from: 1
scope and content: Black leather wallet used by Lea Abramowicz and her husband Mendel while the couple lived in hiding in German occupied Belgium from September 1942 to September 1944. Lea and Mendel were living in Brussels when Germany invaded on May 10, 1940. After the Germans began large scale deportations of Jews in September 1942, they went into hiding under the false surname Abeloos. One month later, Lea had a son, Georges, who was hidden separately. Lea and Mendel stayed in their apartment for a year and a half, then moved to the outskirts of Brussels, assisted by Oskar and Nana Ruyts. Lea eventually had to take Georges into hiding with them because he was teething and cried at night and those hiding him feared discovery. They had to move two more times as the crying made neighbors suspicious. Lea, Mendel, and Georges were liberated by American forces on September 3, 1944.
title: Black leather bi-fold wallet used by a Jewish family in hiding