us-005578-irn514705-irn514755
type: RecordSet
archival history: The portfolio was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1988 by Louis J. Walinsky.
biographical history: Louis Joseph Walinsky was born on April 19, 1908, in London, England, to a Jewish couple, Joseph (Ossip) and Rosa (Rose) Newman Walinsky. Louis had two sisters: Anna (1906-1997), and Emma (1921-2006). Louis’ mother Rosa (ca. 1885-1953) was born in Russia and was a poet and artist. His father Ossip (1886-1973) was born Joseph Melechinsky in Grodno, Lithuania. He was a labor leader and a Socialist. He was arrested for his political activity in 1904 but escaped to London. Ossip immigrated to New York in 1914. He moved to Toronto for work and was joined by Louis, Rosa, and Anna. The family settled in New York City in 1915. Louis attended Cornell University and received a degree in economics in 1929. He taught high school economics in New York. In 1932, he studied at the University of Berlin. In January 1933, Hitler came into power in Germany. Louis left Germany that March because of rising anti-Semitism. He resumed teaching in New York. In August 1933, Louis wrote the anti-Nazi play “Heil Hitler.” It was published in 1936 and banned in Nazi Germany by Heinrich Himmler in June 1937. Louis married Michele Benson (1912-2003). The couple had a son, Adam, born in 1937, but later divorced. Following the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States entered World War II. In 1943, Louis left his teaching job for a position at the War Production Board in Washington, DC. He worked for the program committee in the pulp and paper area and later became head of the Research and Analysis group. From 1944 to 1945, he was the executive secretary of the Combined Pulp and Paper Commission of the Combined Raw Materials Board. The war in Europe ended on May 7, 1945, with the surrender of Germany, and in Asia on September 2, 1945, with the surrender of Japan. Louis then worked for the Civilian Production Administration. In 1947, Louis began working for the American ORT Federation. ORT was an aid organization that since 1880 had assisted impoverished or persecuted Jews by instru…
physical characteristics and technical requirements: Rectangular, black leather covered fiberboard portfolio with a zipper closure on the front and sides, rounded corners, and accordion side folds. The interior is lined with offwhite cloth and, on each side, is a full width, stiff, offwhite cloth pocket with black imitation leather top trim. One pocket has black center stitching to form 2 pockets. The other pocket is inscribed with 3 lines of Yiddish. interior, handwritten, black ink : Yiddish text [Dos meshubakh freint Walinski. Di matanah fun the O.R.T. School in Belzen. / Our excellent friend Walinsky. This gift is from the ORT school in Belzen]
conditions of access: No restrictions on access
conditions of use: No restrictions on use
has beginning date: 1947-01-01
has end date: 1947-12-31
has or had holder: us-005578
has or had identifier: 1
has or had some members with language: yid
has record set type: Item
identifier: irn514755
is or was included in: us-005578-irn514705
record resource extent: overall: Height: 10.375 inches (26.353 cm) | Width: 15.125 inches (38.418 cm) | Depth: 1.000 inches (2.54 cm)
results or resulted from: 1
scope and content: Black leather portfolio inscribed as a gift for Louis J. Walinsky, Director of ORT vocational training schools in displaced persons camps in Europe in 1947. It was made in Belsen displaced persons camp in the US occupation zone in Germany. After the war, ORT opened vocational training schools in dp camps, the first in Landsberg in August. The schools trained Holocaust survivors in practical skills such as metalworking, carpentry, dress making, and mechanics, so they could establish new lives after they immigrated. Louis, a teacher and economist, began working for American ORT Federation in 1947. He was sent to Europe to work for World ORT and became the Director of ORT schools. Louis became Secretary-General for ORT in 1948, and returned to the US in 1949.
title: Black leather case presented to the Director, ORT vocational schools, DP camps