us-005578-irn514781-irn521759
has or had some members with language: fra
has or had holder: us-005578
has or had identifier: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn514781-irn521759/alternateIDs/1
conditions of use: No restrictions on use
physical characteristics and technical requirements: Rectangular, nearly flat, black, likely linoleum, stamp die carved with the reverse image of 4 lines of French text within a raised border. The surface around the text is textured. Remnants of gray cardboard are adhered to the back.
has record set type: Item
conditions of access: No restrictions on access
title: Dental company stamp made to forge papers for the resistance
biographical history: Gilbert Leidervarger was born in 1915 in France. He married Suzanne Donoff. Suzanne was born in Paris, France, to a Jewish couple, Israel and Eva Kouklia Donoff. She had six siblings: Robert (1912-1944), Lina (1916-1978), David (1920-1944), Rosette (1921-1951), and two other sisters. Robert was married to Nelly Weyl (1911-1944). On May 10, 1940, Germany invaded France. In June, an armistice was signed and the north and west regions were placed under the control of a German military administration. The southern region was placed under the control of the Vichy Regime, which collaborated with the Germans, but was not occupied initially. Gilbert, his wife, and his wife’s six siblings may have lived in Paris at the time of the invasion. However, during the occupation, they lived in Vichy France near Moissac and Lyon. The entire family was involved in the Eclaireurs israélites de France (EIF, Jewish Scouts of France). The EIF, established in 1923 by Robert Gamzon, initially sought to attract youth toward Judaism and away from radical political movements. In the late 1930’s, the EIF cosponsored a program with Chomerim, a Zionist scouting group, and established an agricultural training school which prepared youth to immigrate to Palestine. After the outbreak of war in September 1939 when Germany invaded Poland, it established several children’s homes in southern France. After the German invasion of France in 1940, the EIF moved to Vichy France, while continuing to operate an illegal branch in Paris. In 1941, the EIF was forced to join the Union Generale Des Israelites De France (UGIF, Union of French Jews), established by the Vichy regime to consolidate all Jewish organizations. In 1941, Gilbert’s brother-in-law David voluntarily entered Gurs internment camp to help the inmates. He smuggled children out of the camp and hid them with families in the countryside. German forces began mass deportations of Jews in spring/summer 1942. In response, the EIF formed La Sixieme (The S…
results or resulted from: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn514781-irn521759/acquisitions/1
is or was included in: us-005578-irn514781
identifier: irn521759
has end date: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/dates/1944-12-31
archival history: The stamp was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1988 by Elaine Frank, the niece of Gilbert Leidervarger.
type: RecordSet
scope and content: Counterfeit unmounted hand stamp made by Gilbert Leidervarger in southern France between 1942 and 1944 to authenticate forged documents made by the French resistance. The stamp mark is for a dental instruments company in Beauvais, probably for forging work papers. Making rubber stamps was difficult because of the special materials and carving skills required. Erasing rubber was not really suitable; some forgers used linoleum or sliced and combined sections from purloined or discontinued stamps. After Germany invaded France on May 10, 1940, Gilbert, wife Suzanne Donoff, and Suzanne’s six siblings, Lina, Rosette, David, Robert, two other sisters, and Robert’s wife Nelly, became involved with Eclaireurs israélites de France (Jewish Scouts of France) and its clandestine branch, La Sixieme. They worked in southern France, governed by the Vichy regime, but occupied by German troops in November 1942. Gilbert made copies of official stamps to authenticate the false papers made by Robert. Lina, Rosette, and David were in Lyon, hiding children and providing false papers and ration cards. France was liberated late summer 1944. David, Robert, and Nelly were killed for their resistance activity.
record resource extent: overall: Height: 0.125 inches (0.318 cm) | Width: 1.625 inches (4.128 cm) | Depth: 1.125 inches (2.858 cm)
has beginning date: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/dates/1942-01-01