us-005578-irn521389-irn516703
biographical history: Schloma (Salomon) Dawidow Mentkewicz was born circa 1870 in Russia. He married Fradel (Frieda), who was born in approximately 1875 in Russia. They had one son David on March 18, 1895, in Czestochowa, Russia (Poland). The family immigrated in 1905, during the revolt against Czarist Russian oppression in the Kingdom of Poland, and settled in Vienna, Austria. They began calling themselves Salomon and Frieda. The couple ran a capmaking business out of their home. For a while, they specialized in making straw lined, green wool winter military caps with earflaps, buttons, and a visor. David married Regina Haar, who was born 1904 in Krakow. She moved into his parent’s apartment, and they both worked in the capmaking workshop, which now did piecework. Salomon’s first grandson, Edgar, was born on July 7, 1931, and his second, Robert, on January 18, 1934. The family was not well off. David was sentenced to prison for drawing unemployment from the government while earning money selling stoves. His sentence was postponed for two years because he had to provide for a family. Nazi Germany annexed Austria on March 13, 1938. Anti-Jewish policies were enacted that stripped Austrian Jews of their rights. The capmaking business declined and they could often not earn enough to buy enough food for the family. Regina got her family members in the United States to sign affidavits of support so that her family could obtain US visas. They were the last members of Regina’s family to leave Austria. Before they could receive permission to leave, David had to serve his postponed prison sentence. He was jailed for three weeks, and Regina supported the family by making and selling ladies hats. Salomon and Frieda were too elderly to leave. David, Regina, Edgar, and Robert traveled to Antwerp, Belgium, in early September 1938. Salomon became very ill shortly after they left, and was hospitalized until his death in early 1939. Frieda was deported by the Germans to Łódź Ghetto in Poland in 1941 or 19…
conditions of access: No restrictions on access
title: Large black painted fabric shears from the family capmaking business brought to the US by a Jewish refugee
conditions of use: No restrictions on use
type: RecordSet
physical characteristics and technical requirements: Large right-handed iron alloy fabric shears with 2 looped handles extend into wedge shaped 5 inch blades with flat outer edges, sharp inner edges, and pointed tips. The upper, thumb handle has a smaller, rounded loop and a wide thumb rest on the left. The lower, finger handle has an elongated loop, a wide finger rest at the top, and a small, flat extension along the bottom. A rounded triangular stop extends from the bottom of the thumb handle and hits the top of the finger handle when the scissors are closed. The 2 blades are connected at the center pivot point by a nut, bolt and cloth washer. Maker’s marks are stamped beside the bolt. The scissors are corroded and the handles have black paint remnants.
date: before 1938
is or was included in: us-005578-irn521389
scope and content: Large fabric scissors with a 5 inch blade brought with David Mentkewicz, when he, his wife Regina, and their sons, 7 year old Edgar and 4 year old Robert, left Nazi ruled Vienna, Austria, for the United States in September 1938. The scissors were used in the family capmaking business operated out of their home. David had helped his parents, Salomon and Frieda, with the work as soon as he was old enough. When he married, his wife Regina also worked making caps. At one point, they made wool caps for the military. But by the 1930s it was a piecework business, and did not bring in enough income to support the family. On March 13,1938, Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany. Anti-Jewish policies were enacted stripping Jews of their rights. The family capmaking business declined and they barely made enough to buy food. Regina was able to obtain visas and permissions to leave with the help of her family in the US. Salomon and his wife Frieda were too elderly to leave. David and his family left in September 1938, and eventually settled in New York. Many years later, they learned that soon after their departure, Salomon was hospitalized until his death in early 1939. Frieda was deported by the Germans to Łódź Ghetto in Poland in 1941 or 1942, and transported to Chelmno killing center in 1942.
has or had identifier: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn521389-irn516703/alternateIDs/1
archival history: The scissors were donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2004 by Robert Mentken.
has record set type: Item
identifier: irn516703
has or had holder: us-005578
results or resulted from: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn521389-irn516703/acquisitions/1
record resource extent: overall: Height: 11.625 inches (29.528 cm) | Width: 3.750 inches (9.525 cm) | Depth: 1.750 inches (4.445 cm)