us-005578-irn521722-irn515151
title: Black Vulcanfiber suitcase used by a Dutch Jewish family while in hiding
conditions of access: No restrictions on access
is or was included in: us-005578-irn521722
has or had some members with language: deu
has or had holder: us-005578
identifier: irn515151
has or had identifier: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn521722-irn515151/alternateIDs/1
has or had some members with language: eng
results or resulted from: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn521722-irn515151/acquisitions/1
history: Elisabeth Blind was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in 1932, to Cornelius Blind and Schoontje Visser. Schoontje was born on December 2, 1909, to Benjamin Visser, born on August 28, 1875, in Amsterdam, and Henriette Brilleslyper, born on June 21, 1880, in Friedland. Schoontje had six siblings: Levi, born on June 29, 1907, Jacob, born on November 16, 1913, Sara, Betsy, Max, and Josef, who was born on December 2, 1909 and died before the war. Cornelius and Schoontje divorced in the late 1930s. Germany occupied the Netherlands on May 10, 1940. Schoontje obtained false identity papers for herself and Elisabeth and they went into hiding. With the help of the Dutch underground, in particular Willem Schalbroeck, they were moved from place to place. They kept a small suitcase that was always packed to take to the cellar during bombing raids. At one point, Elisabeth and Schoontje hid with the Mooi family. They also lived on Burmenstraat which had bunkers at the end of the street where the Germans held Jews until trucks came to take them away. One day, Elisabeth was sent to get milk. As she walked to the store, a Dutch neighbor suspected of being a German sympathizer and who often listened to German music, followed her and asked the owner why he let in a Jew. The owner knew Elisabeth was Jewish, but told the woman that she was not. The woman dragged Elisabeth out by the hair. Elisabeth often searched through rubbish to fill a wagon with potato peels, and then would walk for hours in her wooden shoes to trade the peels to farmers for food and milk. Schoontje’s sister, Betsy Swaab, her husband Sam, and children, Jacob and Henriette, lived nearby. Elisabeth would bike to her house to get some sugar. In spring 1943, she saw a crowd watching Germans collect Jews for deportation. Elisabeth snuck near and watched as her Aunt Betsy and her thirteen year old cousin, Henriette, were arrested. Henriette carried a pillowcase with her belongings over her shoulder. She hurried home to tell …
type: RecordSet
record resource extent: overall: Height: 6.125 inches (15.558 cm) | Width: 19.250 inches (48.895 cm) | Depth: 13.500 inches (34.29 cm)
scope and content: Small black suitcase used by 8 year old Elisabeth Blind and her mother, Schoontje Visser, when they lived in hiding in Amsterdam from approximately 1941-1945. The Netherlands was occupied by Germany on May 10, 1940. Schoontje obtained false identification papers and, with the help of Willem Schalbroeck, a resistance member, she and Elisabeth hid in various locations. The suitcase was always packed in case they had to go to a cellar during bombing raids. In May 1945, Amsterdam was liberated by Canadian forces. Schoontje’s entire family was killed in Auschwitz death camp.
physical characterisitics and technical requirements: Small, rectangular, black Vulcanfiber suitcase with topstitched, reinforced side edging. There are black painted, silver colored metal corner bumpers and black painted metal trim on the lid edge. The lid attaches to the base by 2 engraved hinges. On the front are 2 hasp locks and keyplates, corroded, possibly brass, a black leather covered metal handle attached by D rings, and silver colored metal edge clamps visible when open. Silver colored metal feet are riveted to the back of the lid, base corners, and underside. The left and right base sides have embossed text. The interior is lined with stained, torn, light brown, patterned paper. Wood supports reinforce the lid and base edges. A black faux leather lid stay is nailed to the right lid support, but has torn off the base support. The lid interior has a red manufacturer's stamp with Dutch and German text. On the exterior lid is a handwritten white paper address label taped on and covered in plastic; on the sides are a custom sticker and a label remnant; on the base front behind the handle is an metal Dutch airlines plate with English text. A partially torn luggage tag is tied to the handle. There are marks overall of frequent use, paint is worn off, and the lid is slightly warped. lid, exterior, on white paper, handwritten, blue ink : S. ScHALBROECK / 84. B MANSFIELD. / BOCA. RATON. (WEST) / cens. VILL. / E FLORIDA 33434 [E is scratched out] base, exterior front, metal plate, black ink : ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINES / KLM logo / KONINKLIJKE LUCHTVAART MIJ.N.V. [ROYAL AIR] base, exterior, left side, on sticker, red and black ink : UNITED STATES / CUSTOMS SERVICE / INSPECTED / (?)GGAGE / 68 base, exterior, handle, luggage tag, front, purple ink : 0419 / 70538 / REV 5-75 / Printed in U.S.A. base, exterior, handle, luggage tag, reverse, red ink : F (?) lid, interior, stamped, red ink : (?) EN LEDERWARENFABRIKEN / Lejan / AMSTERDAM / MADE IN HOLLAND [LEATHER FACTORIES]
history: The suitcase was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2004 by Elisabeth and Maurits Munichman.
has or had some members with language: nld
date: approximately 1941-1945
conditions of use: No restrictions on use
has record set type: Item