us-005578-irn518638-irn37014
type: RecordSet
archival history: The set of badges was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2007 by Aldo Scaglione, the husband of Jeanne Daman Scaglione.
biographical history: Jeanne Daman (later Scaglione, 1918-1986) was born in Letchworth, England, to Roman Catholic parents, Léon-Pierre Daman and Célestine-Hortense Daman (née Bouckenville), who had been evacuated from Belgium before the German invasion during World War I (1914-1918). The family returned to Belgium shortly after Jeanne’s birth. She had a younger sister, Yvonne-Odile (later Broadhurst, 1921-?). Léon-Pierre became a custodian at a school, and the family lived on the grounds there. Jeanne attended public school and spoke French, Flemish, German, and English. She was awarded her diploma on July 15, 1936. She became a kindergarten teacher, and worked as a teacher’s aide in public schools while she studied for her teaching certificate, awarded in 1940. In May 1940, Germany invaded and occupied Belgium. They instituted anti-Jewish laws and regulations, and new classroom curriculum was designed to spread their propaganda. Jeanne refused to teach the new curriculum, and resigned from teaching. She found work as a secretary in a factory, which manufactured steel saw blades. The school where Jeanne’s father worked was turned into an armament depot. Jeanne and her family continued to live on the grounds in very close proximity to the six German soldiers billeted there. In late November 1941, German authorities decreed that all Jews must be registered, and began banning Jewish children from classrooms. In 1942, as the expulsion of Jewish children from classrooms increased, Jeanne was contacted by Felicia Perelman (Fela, 1909-1991), a leading figure in Jewish relief efforts. Fela knew that the Belgian government was required to ensure education for all children, and went to government officials to secure funds, support, and qualified personnel for the continued instruction of Jewish children in separate schools. She invited Jeanne to join the staff of Nos Petits, a Jewish kindergarten, where Jeanne took a very active role. Soon, 23-year-old Jeanne became headmistress of the school. In…
physical characteristics and technical requirements: Rectangular piece of golden-yellow cloth with three, evenly spaced, 6-pointed Stars of David printed on the front. The star outlines are formed by two black triangles, printed to overlap one another. The letter J is printed in the center of each star in a font resembling Hebrew. The irregularly cut edges of the cloth are unfinished and frayed, and it was likely cut from a larger sheet or roll of cloth printed with similar stars.
conditions of access: No restrictions on access
conditions of use: No restrictions on use
date: 1942 May 27
has or had holder: us-005578
has or had identifier: 1
has or had subject: 004310
has record set type: Item
identifier: irn37014
is or was included in: us-005578-irn518638
record resource extent: overall: Height: 5.000 inches (12.7 cm) | Width: 12.000 inches (30.48 cm)
results or resulted from: 1
scope and content: Uncut set of factory-printed Star of David badges acquired by Jeanne Daman, following their issue by German authorities in occupied Belgium on May 27, 1942. Jeanne was a Roman Catholic kindergarten teacher living with her family in Brussels, Belgium, when Germany invaded in May 1940. Jeanne resigned from her position following the introduction of anti-Jewish curriculum. In late November 1941, authorities began banning Jewish children from classrooms, creating a need for Jewish schools. In 1942, Jeanne joined the staff of a Jewish kindergarten, Nos Petits, at Fela Perelman’s request. In summer 1942, authorities began deporting Belgian Jews to forced labor and concentration camps. As Jeanne saw children suddenly go absent from school or become orphaned due to deportations, she began finding them hiding places. Increased danger of deportation led to the school closing, and Jeanne and Fela focused their efforts on securing hiding places for all of the children at the school. Once they were all placed, Jeanne continued her rescue efforts by expanding her endeavors to include adults, as well as working closely with Jewish and Belgian resistance groups. Jeanne coordinated attacks on collaborators that had denounced CDJ activists to the Gestapo, and worked with the counter-occupation movement to secure a German weapons depot for their use. In February 1945, Belgium was liberated, and Germany surrendered in May 1945. After the war, Jeanne worked to reunite families, help care for camp survivors, and eventually raise funds for the United Jewish Appeal in the United States.
title: Sheet of three uncut, factory-printed Star of David badges printed with a J acquired by a Belgian Catholic rescuer