The set of Rorschach plates was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2018 by Joyce Cordi, the daughter of Leopold and Herta Stoer.
Dr. Leopold Stoer (Leo, 1907-2005) was born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary, to Alfred (1879-1942?) and Karoline (1881-1942) Kohn Stoer. Karoline was born in Pottendorf, Austria, to Lazar (?-1925) and Rosalie Breis Kohn. Lazar was a teamster, hauling freight with horse-drawn wagon. Karoline had seven siblings. Alfred was born in Vienna, and had three siblings. Alfred was a master decorator by trade. In 1905, Alfred and Karoline married. Leo had seven younger siblings: Juli (1908-1942?,) Grete (?-1942,) Hedi, who died of whooping cough as a child, Friedrich (Fritz, 1915-1942,) Erna (1918-1942,) Gertrude (Trude, 1919-1942?,) and Otto (1922-1942.) Leo’s maternal grandparents and an uncle lived across the street. In August 1914, World War I began, and Leo’s father, Alfred, was selected for service in March 1915. Alfred fought on the Italian front, and also became known for his culinary skills. This allowed him to send crates of food back home for his family. These packages became especially important as the war progressed and food became scarce. Following the end of the war, the Austro-Hungarian Empire fell, and the aristocracy lost much of their wealth. Many of them were Alfred’s clients, and he had to downsize his business due to their losses. After completing his compulsory schooling, Leo earned a scholarship in order to attend the Handelsakademy, where he studied French and English. He graduated in 1925, and worked briefly as an English correspondent before switching to the Phoenix Insurance Company, where he checked policy computations. Leo’s boss suggested he take an insurance mathematics course at the university, so he could earn a higher salary and help support his parents. Alfred’s business was still slow, and Juli and Grete worked as dressmakers to bring in money. At the end of 1928, Leo passed the university qualifying exams and registered for the 1929 spring semester. He had to continue working, so he did not have time to study medicine as intended, instead opting to pursue psychology and biology. In August 1932, Leo moved out of the family home so that he could have more space to work on his dissertation. Leo’s sister, Grete, married Josef Blau (1914-1941.) In 1935, there was a growing movement to support the German state under Adolf Hitler. Austrians began advocating for the Nazi party, and an increase in anti-Jewish policies. The Jewish leaders of Leo’s insurance company were accused of mismanagement and removed, and the company was renamed. Even long-standing Jewish employees were dismissed. Leo’s new boss liked his work, and kept him on for an additional year for a special project. In March 1935, Leo submitted his dissertation and it was approved, However, he still needed to pass the qualifying exams. In late 1935 or early 1936, Leo’s friend Richard Krochmalnik introduced him to kindergarten teacher, Herta Schwarzbart (1908-2007.) Not long after the two began dating, Herta and Leo both lost their jobs. Herta found a new position, and moved in with her mother and sister. Leo worked as tutor and studied for his exams. He passed, and was promoted during a ceremony in November 1937. On March 13, 1938, Austria was annexed into Germany, in what became known as the"Anschluss" The Germans quickly introduced anti-Jewish legislation. The annexation prompted Leo to apply for an immigration visa to the United States. There was no hope for employment, and life was getting very dangerous for Austrian Jews. Regardless of the conditions, Leo married Herta on March 27, 1938. Although the couple was newly married, they continued to live apart. Meanwhile, Herta also applied for a visa, and brought applications to both of their families as well. No one in his family could work, so Leo used some of his savings to try and help them. That summer, Leo secured his American visa and was able to obtain tickets for a ship from Cherbourg, France, with the help of a Jewish aid organization. Herta’s affidavit was not sufficient, and her application was set aside. Leo worried about leaving before he knew his family was safe, so he cashed in his government bonds and used the money to help them seek asylum in Belgium. Leo began his trip to the US, arriving in New York City on September 23, 1938. He secured affidavits so that Herta could join him, and eventually landed a job in a spool factory. His brother, Fritz, married Gertrude Weininger in Belgium. Later, his sister, Juli, wrote that their father had been arrested for entering Belgium illegally, and needed to prove he had money to be released. Leo sent them $50 to help. In February 1939, Herta arrived in New York. Both Herta and Leo had a difficult time adapting to life in New York. In late April 1939, they traveled by bus and moved to San Francisco, California. Initially, Leo worked as a consultant at a children’s psychological clinic, and Herta worked at a Jewish orphanage. Leo later analyzed new psychological hospital patients using the Rorschach ink blot test he had studied in Vienna. This brought in money, but there wasn’t enough reliable work in psychology. As a result, in late September 1939, Leo and Herta moved to Petaluma, California, where they secured a loan and began running a chicken farm. This seemed the fastest way to make money and prove to the American Consul in Antwerp, Belgium, that they could provide for their family members to immigrate, if permitted. Germany invaded Belgium in May 1940, obstructing Leopold’s remaining family members and Herta’s brother from leaving the nation. Following the invasion, German and Austrian refugees were treated as enemy aliens. In July 1941, all American consulates in German-occupied territory closed, cutting applicants off from the diplomats issuing visas. In August, Herta and Leo’s first child was born, and they were able to share the news with their families. Following Japan’s December 7 attack on Pearl Harbor, the US entered the war. This caused chicken prices to skyrocket, and in 1942, Leo and several Jewish chicken farmers in the area responded to demand by setting up a chicken cooperative, which Leo ran. Leo’s brother Otto was deported to Drancy transit camp in France, and his mother and several siblings were transported to Mechelen (Malines) transit camp in Belgium. In August 1942, several of Leo’s siblings were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau killing center in German-occupied Poland and murdered: Fritz and Erna on transport I from Mechelen, Grete and husband Josef on transport III from Mechelen, and Otto on transport 21, train 901-16 from Drancy. Leo’s mother, Karoline, was deported to Auschwitz on transport XI in late September and murdered. Leo’s father, Alfred, and sisters, Trude and Juli, were also in Belgium, and were likely deported and killed in 1942. Herta and Leo’s second child was born in July 1943. The war ended in May 1945, and the majority of Herta and Leo’s relatives still living in Europe had perished. Herta’s sister-in-law, Sidi, and nephew, Paul, had survived in hiding in Belgium, and joined Herta and Leo in California in 1948. In the late 1950s, Leo and Herta sold the chicken business and returned to their pre-war career paths. Leo returned to school, focused on clinical psychology, and interned at the Napa State Hospital before becoming a staff doctor there. Later, he opened his own practice and did some consulting. Herta attended college and studied French and German, which she later taught.
a. Rectangular, tan cardstock four-flap enclosure with rounded corners containing ten diagnostic ink blot plates printed on cardboard (b-k). Each side is a rectangular piece of cardboard that has been folded twice, once to create a side, and then again to create flaps that fold over the cards on the interior. The large flap on the left side forms the cover. The author and publication information are printed, in black ink, in German and English text within a rectangular box with a double line border on the front cover. The interior of the enclosure is gray and unmarked. The body is lightly stained from use, and stray pencil and pen marks on the front. Tthe lower spine is tearing along the folds with a hole on the right side, and the inner flaps are discolored. b. Thick, brown, rectangle of cardboard with tan, coated paper surfaces and an abstract inkblot printed on the front in black. The blot is symmetrical along a short, vertical, central axis, the left side mirroring the right. It has irregular edges with angled projections along the upper sides, a concave top edge, a pointed extension at the bottom center, and four small, triangular voids near the axis. There are several small splatters of ink printed along the outward curving edges of the lower sides. Overall, the ink is lightly shaded with several small, more heavily shaded patches at the top. On the back of the card, printed in black ink, is a Roman numeral in the top left corner, and the German and English publication and copyright information in the bottom left corner. The edges of the front and back are discolored, the back is scratched and worn with several ink stains, and the bottom left corner is bent. c. Thick, brown, rectangle of cardboard with tan, coated paper surfaces and an abstract inkblot printed on the front in black with red accents. The blot is symmetrical along a short, vertical, central axis, the left side mirroring the right. The blot is roughly circular, with irregular edges, and a flattened bottom. At the center is a large rounded triangular void with small protrusions above and below. Two small, red patches are centered at the top and bottom of the axis, and traces of red are visible underneath the black ink, where it is less heavily shaded. On the back of the card, printed in black ink, is a Roman numeral in the top left corner, and the German and English publication and copyright information in the bottom left corner. The edges of the front and back are discolored, the front has stray pencil marks and several small stains, and the back is stained with small brown spots. d. Thick, brown, rectangle of cardboard with tan, coated paper surfaces and an abstract inkblot printed on the front in black with red accents. The blot is symmetrical along a short, vertical, central axis, the left side mirroring the right. At the bottom of the axis, is a small, heavily shaded oblong shape with irregular edges and upper, angular extensions that widen into a T- shape with a rounded extension at the top. Beneath is a separate, narrow, rectangular black patch that angles down and in toward the axis. Small, irregular red patches are printed to the outside of the rounded extensions and centered on the axis, above the bottom center. On the back of the card, printed in black ink, is a Roman numeral in the top left corner, and the German and English publication and copyright information in the bottom left corner. The edges of the front and back are discolored, the front has several small, gray marks, and the back is stained throughout with small brown spots. e. Thick, brown, rectangle of cardboard with tan, coated paper surfaces and an abstract inkblot printed on the front in black. The blot is symmetrical along a short, vertical, central axis, the left side mirroring the right. It is a large, solid, roughly triangular shape with irregular edges and heavy shading along the axis, body, and side projections. The upper axis is capped by a low domed shape, and the top edge extends horizontally into right angle projections that encircle small oval-shaped voids. From the center of the axis, large L-shaped projections angle down and out, flanking the lower end and creating three small oblong voids between the two sections. On the back of the card, printed in black ink, is a Roman numeral in the top left corner, and the German and English publication and copyright information in the bottom left corner. The edges of the front and back are discolored, the front is stained with a brown mark, and the back is stained with small brown spots. f. Thick, brown, rectangle of cardboard with tan, coated paper surfaces and an abstract inkblot printed on the front in black. The blot is symmetrical along a short, vertical, central axis, the left side mirroring the right. It is a narrow, solid, inverted, wide V-shape with irregular edges, a long extension to either side of the axis, and short, narrow, V-shaped protrusions at the top and bottom of the axis. The axis is moderately shaded, while the extensions darken as they move outward and then lighten at the tapered the ends. On the back of the card, printed in black ink, is a Roman numeral in the top left corner, and the German and English publication and copyright information in the bottom left corner. The edges of the front and back are discolored, there are stray pen marks on the front, and the back is stained with small brown and orange-brown spots. g. Thick, brown, rectangle of cardboard with tan, coated paper surfaces and an abstract inkblot printed on the front in black. The blot is symmetrical along a short, vertical, central axis, the left side mirroring the right. It is a wide shape with a solid body, irregular edges, a smaller, feathered extension to either side of the thin, upper axis, and a long, narrow, horizontal projection on each side of the center. At the top of the blot, there are small, slender extensions angling up and out. The center of the blot tapers as it moves up the axis, and is notched at the bottom. Overall the shape is very lightly shaded, with a dark central axis and textured effect to the printing. On the back of the card, printed in black ink, is a Roman numeral in the top left corner, and the German and English publication and copyright information in the bottom left corner. The edges of the front and back are discolored, the front is stained with a brown mark, and the back is stained with small brown and gray spots. h. Thick, brown, rectangle of cardboard with tan, coated paper surfaces and an abstract inkblot printed on the front in black. The blot is symmetrical along a short, vertical, central axis, the left side mirroring the right. It is U-shaped with a solid, curved lower half and two upper sections that flank an open center and extend toward the card’s top. The square middle and upper sections have pointed projections on the outer top corners that extend to the sides and upward. Overall the shape is lightly shaded with heavy black coloring at the center of the bottom curve and along the inner edge of the upper sections. On the back of the card, printed in black ink, is a Roman numeral in the top left corner, and the German and English publication and copyright information in the bottom left corner. The edges of the front and back are discolored and the back is stained with small brown spots throughout. i. Thick, brown, rectangle of cardboard with tan, coated paper surfaces and an abstract inkblot printed on the front in multi-colored ink. The blot is symmetrical along a vertical, central axis, the left side mirroring the right. Extending from the top of the axis is a downward sloping, blue-gray triangle with a sloped, blue square beneath. On the lower half, there are oblong, pink patches along the axis, the rounded tops ending just below the squares above. The bottom of the pink areas merge with irregularly shaped, circular orange patches at the bottom of the axis. On the outer edges is a vertical, oblong pink shape that connects to the central shapes via horizontal projections. Overall, the shape is lightly shaded, with darker tones at merger points and along the central axis. On the back of the card, printed in black ink, is a Roman numeral in the top left corner, and the German and English publication and copyright information in the bottom left corner. The edges of the front and back are discolored, and the back is stained with small brown spots throughout. j. Thick, brown, rectangle of cardboard with tan, coated paper surfaces and an abstract inkblot printed on the front in multi-colored ink. The blot is symmetrical along a vertical, central axis, the left side mirroring the right. The upper half of the axis is faintly shaded by a light blue-green cloud. It is flanked by vertical, outward sloping, irregularly shaped orange areas that extend upward from the center of the axis. Flanking the mid-point of the axis are large, wide, irregularly shaped green patches with upward curving bottom edges and a projection at the top that merges with the orange areas. Beside the lower axis, the green patches barely merge with four circular, pink shapes arranged in a horizontal bar. Overall, the shape is lightly shaded, with darker tones at merger points and along the central axis. On the back of the card, printed in black ink, is a Roman numeral in the top left corner, and the German and English publication and copyright information in the bottom left corner. The edges of the front and back are discolored and there are gray smudges and small brown accretions throughout. k. Thick, brown, rectangle of cardboard with tan, coated paper surfaces and an abstract inkblot printed on the front in multi-colored ink. The blot is symmetrical along a vertical, central axis, the left side mirroring the right. The blot is broken into irregularly shaped patches arranged into three columns separated by two narrow, shaded red vertical shapes with wavy sides that angle in toward the axis they flank. Between these, arranged along the axis, is the central column of shapes. At the top is a triangular black patch with an elongated top above a free-floating, inverted orange V with oval tips and a horizontal blue bar with small extensions at the ends. Centered below is an inverted green V with long sides, which is flanked by small, oblong yellow patches with an orange dot inside. Along the outer edge of the red shapes are the other columns. At the top is a sloped, oblong green patch above a large blue splatter with projections around the circular center. Below the splatter are three oblong patches: a small flattened yellow triangle that overlaps with a brown patch above a vertical orange patch. Overall, the patches are vividly colored, and the red shapes are faintly shaded. On the back of the card, printed in black ink, is a Roman numeral in the top left corner, and the German and English publication and copyright information in the bottom left corner. The edges of the front and back are discolored and there are gray smudges and stray pencil marks on the front. a. front, top right, handwritten, pencil and ink : Na(p?)a
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a: Height: 9.750 inches (24.765 cm) | Width: 7.250 inches (18.415 cm) | Depth: 0.875 inches (2.223 cm) b: Height: 6.625 inches (16.828 cm) | Width: 9.625 inches (24.448 cm) c: Height: 6.625 inches (16.828 cm) | Width: 9.625 inches (24.448 cm) d: Height: 6.625 inches (16.828 cm) | Width: 9.625 inches (24.448 cm) e: Height: 6.625 inches (16.828 cm) | Width: 9.625 inches (24.448 cm) f: Height: 6.625 inches (16.828 cm) | Width: 9.625 inches (24.448 cm) g: Height: 6.625 inches (16.828 cm) | Width: 9.625 inches (24.448 cm) h: Height: 6.625 inches (16.828 cm) | Width: 9.625 inches (24.448 cm) i: Height: 6.625 inches (16.828 cm) | Width: 9.625 inches (24.448 cm) j: Height: 6.625 inches (16.828 cm) | Width: 9.625 inches (24.448 cm) k: Height: 6.625 inches (16.828 cm) | Width: 9.625 inches (24.448 cm)
Rorschach ink blot test cards like those used by Dr. Leopold (Leo) Stoer to test patients in the United States following his emigration from Vienna, Austria, in September 1938. While studying for his dissertation in psychology, Leo learned how to use the cards to diagnose patients, which was still a new practice in the US. Leo lived in Vienna with his parents, Alfred and Karoline, and seven younger siblings: Juli, Grete, Hedi, Fritz, Erna, Trude, and Otto. In 1915, Alfred, a master decorator by trade, was selected to fight in World War I (1914-1918). Leo’s sister Hedi, died from whooping cough. After Leo graduated from school, he worked at an insurance company and took some university courses. He passed the university entrance exams in 1928, and began his PhD program the following year. In early 1936, Leo began dating Herta Schwarzbart. In November 1937, Leo was promoted after passing qualifying exams. On March 13, 1938, Austria was annexed into Germany. Later that month, Leo and Herta married, but continued to live separately in Vienna. Leo immigrated to the US in September 1938, after helping his family flee to Belgium. Herta followed him in February 1939. In September, the couple moved to California, where they began running a chicken farm to raise money to help their families immigrate. As World War II progressed, Herta and Leo lost contact with most family members. Leo later learned that his entire family had been deported to concentration camps and killed in 1942. All but two of Herta’s family members had been deported to concentration camps and killed by 1943.
Set of 10 Rorschach plates with folded cardboard enclosure owned by a Jewish Austrian refugee