The camera and accessories were donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2012 by Dr. Terry Kopansky, the son of Ralph Kopansky.
Ralph Morris Kopansky was born on May 23, 1912, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was the second of three children born to Sam and Ida Goseman Kopansky. His parents and older sister, Esther (later Fisher), were born in Russia and immigrated to the United States. Sam worked as a clothing dyer. In 1924, Ralph’s younger sister Lillian died. Ralph graduated from high school and went on to receive degrees from the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota College of Law. While attending law school, Ralph worked as a part time general investigator for Carlton Investigative Agency and served in the US Army Reserve. In July 1940, Ralph married Alice Whitver (1914 – 1981). After receiving training, Ralph became an Immigration Patrol Inspector in Ogdensburg, New York. On September 22, 1941, Ralph enlisted for active duty in the Army. On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, and a few days later America entered World War II. In 1943, Ralph was selected for training at Army intelligence school in Chicago, Illinois. As a Captain, he was assigned to the U.S. Army Headquarters XIII Corps, 9th Army, where he served as an Assistant Intelligence Officer. In 1944, Ralph’s Corps was deployed to England for additional training and his and Alice’s first son was born. The Corps fought in France, and by mid-January 1945, had crossed the Siegfried Line and advanced into Germany. On April 4, Ralph’s Corps was with the 4th Armored and the 89th Infantry Divisions, Third Army, when they liberated Ohrdruf concentration camp, a subcamp of Buchenwald and the first concentration camp liberated by US troops. The majority of the inhabitants were dead and many of the remains were badly charred. On orders from higher-up, the guards had “exhumed and burned 1,606 murdered victims in six days in an attempt to destroy the evidence” before evacuating the camp in advance of the arrival of US Army forces. Many other prisoners, too weak or sick to be evacuated, were shot by members of the SS before the US Army arrived. Ralph, part of an inspection tour of the camp, was photographed viewing"the charred remains of burned prisoners shortly after capture of the area.” On May 7, Germany surrendered. Ralph received a Bronze Star and numerous letters of commendation for meritorious service. In January 1946, he was released from active duty as a Major, the Military Intelligence Chief of the XIII Corps, and returned to the Army Reserve. In January 1947, the couple’s second son was born. Later that year, Ralph began a successful career with the US Atomic Energy Commission. First serving as the Chief of Police in Los Alamos, New Mexico, and in the late 1950’s, becoming a Branch Manager in Clarksville, Tennessee. Ralph was an active member of several police associations, the American Legion, Lions Club, the PTA, and served as a board member for several additional groups. In 1962, he retired from the Army Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel. In 1973, he retired and settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Ralph, 66, died on July 1, 1978, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
a. Rollfilm camera in rectangular, black leatherette covered aluminum casing with rounded ends and black painted, nickel plated brass top and bottom plates. Screwed to the front center is a removable, circular metal lens mount with a manually adjustable telescoping tube within a sloped focusing ring with a triangular lever and release button set into a flat, distance scale ring. In the tube is a convex, clear glass lens within a narrow brass ring with an indicator tab surrounded by a flat aperture ring with a raised, knurled rim. On top, at each end, is a knurled knob with an engraved arrow: on the left, the film advance with an automatic exposure counter ring, and on the right, the film rewinding knob. Between them are a film reverse lever, a shutter release button, a shutter-speed dial, a flat bracket with the base of a cylinder lodged on top, and a tapered, rectangular viewfinder with clear glass ends. At the top of each end is an arched strap attachment lug. On the bottom left, a large, thick disc is screwed into the threaded tripod mount. On the bottom right, a flat, twisting lock releases the base plate, which has an engraved film loading diagram on the interior. The interior body is hollow, with a flat support plate beneath film advance rods, a removable black metal spool to the left, and a fixed post to the right. The serial number has been scratched off the top plate. b. Circular, shiny silver colored metal camera lens cap for Leica camera (a). It has a flat top, rounded edge, straight sides, and worn, black cloth on the underside. c. Rectangular, dark brown fitted leather case with rounded ends for a Leica camera (a). The base has a U shaped cut-out on the front, a snap stud on the back, and an approximately 35 inch long strap with a buckle inserted through loops on the ends and bottom. A tripod mount hole is on the bottom left. Sewn to the front, bottom edge is a full height, rectangular flap with a raised circular piece of leather at the center. The flap extends into a lid with a brown painted snap socket on a leather tab at the back. The exterior case is decorated with pressed lines. The cardboard reinforced interior is partially lined with worn, light brown cloth.
No restrictions on access
No restrictions on use
1932 October-1939, approximately 1945-1945
a: Height: 3.125 inches (7.938 cm) | Width: 5.625 inches (14.287 cm) | Depth: 1.875 inches (4.763 cm) b: Height: 0.375 inches (0.953 cm) | Diameter: 1.625 inches (4.128 cm) c: Height: 3.375 inches (8.573 cm) | Width: 6.000 inches (15.24 cm) | Depth: 2.250 inches (5.715 cm)
Leica Standard model E camera used by Captain Ralph M. Kopansky during his service as a US soldier in Europe from 1944 – 1945. This rollfilm camera was designed as a basic, but high quality model upgrade from the earlier, very popular Leica I. On September 22, 1941, Ralph, an Army reservist, enlisted for active duty. Following Japan’s December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States entered World War II. In 1943, he received intelligence training and was assigned to the XIII Corps as an Assistant Intelligence Officer. In 1944, Ralph’s Corps was deployed to Europe. The Corps trained in England, and fought in France, before advancing into Germany, in January 1945. On April 4, the XIII Corps was with the 4th Armored and the 89th Infantry Divisions when they liberated Ohrdruf concentration camp. During an inspection tour of the camp, Ralph was photographed viewing the charred remains of the prisoners, a camera, likely this Leica, around his neck. The photograph, 74589, is part of the Museum’s collection. On May 7, 1945, Germany surrendered.
Leica Standard model E camera used by US soldier and liberator