us-005578-irn60648-irn5986
type: RecordSet
archival history: The needlepoint was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1992 by Yaffa Eliach.
biographical history: Yaffa Sonenson was born on May 31, 1936, to Shalom Ben-Shemesh (Moshe) and Zipporah Katz Sonenson in Eisiskes, Poland (Lithuania). Her older brother, Yitzhak Uri, was born in 1932. Yaffa's maternal grandparents, Yitzhak Uri and Alte Rahel-Yehudit Katz, were professional photographers. Alte also owned a bakery, was a pharmacist , and served as director of the school education committee. Eisikes was occupied by German troops on June 23, 1941, two days after Germany launched a surprise attack on the Soviet Union. The Jewish residents were harassed and humiliated by the soldiers. Moshe, who was a member of the volunteer fire department, was ordered to hose down his brother with the fire hose or he would be shot. A few days later, attack dogs were set upon members of the Jewish council, including Moshe. About the same time, Zipporah gave birth to another boy; the brit milah was held in secret. The Jewish council was told to organize men for forced labor units. Then, a few days later, Jewish residents were told to surrender all their valuables. The Germans announced that Jews had permission to hold High Holiday services. Moshe was suspicious and wanted the family to flee, but his mother-in-law, Alte, refused. Moshe sent Yitzhak and Yaffa to live with Zozia Aliszkewicz, their Polish housekeeper. On the eve of the Jewish New Year, Lithuanian collaborators began rounding up Jews. They were held in the main synagogue and two adjoining buildings. Four days later, on September 25-26, 1941, the Lithuanians joined with German Einstazgruppe (mobile killing units) and began systematically killing all the Jews. Alte was among the murdered. After the shooting stopped, a peasant boy came to Zozia's house to fetch the children and bring them to their father who had fled. Once they met their father, they had to continue walking to a safer hiding place, passing the bodies of murdered friends lying in the snow. They went to Vassiliosk and stayed with a former business acquaintance. That n…
physical characteristics and technical requirements: Rectangular needlepoint with 3 tulips embroidered in red and green thread on a white cloth background in a light wood frame.
conditions of access: No restrictions on access
conditions of use: No restrictions on use
date: before 1941 September
has or had holder: us-005578
has or had identifier: 1
has record set type: Item
identifier: irn5986
is or was included in: us-005578-irn60648
record resource extent: overall: Height: 10.750 inches (27.305 cm) | Width: 7.875 inches (20.003 cm) | Depth: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm)
results or resulted from: 1
scope and content: Framed needlepoint tulips made in prewar Ejszyszki (Eisiskes) Poland (now Lithuania). Jews had lived in Eisiskes for over 900 years. Prewar Eisiskes, circa 1939, had approximately 3500 Jews, the majority of the population. The town was occupied by German troops on June 23, 1941, days after the surprise invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany. The German authorities issued a proclamation in September that gave Jewish residents permission to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Just before the holiday, Lithuanian collaborators rounded up the Jewish residents and detained them in the synagogue and two adjoining buildings. They were joined by 1000 Jews from neighboring villages. On September 25-26, 1941, the Lithuanians and German mobile killing units began the systematic slaughter of the captives; only 29 escaped the massacre.
title: Framed needlepoint tulips made prewar in the Eisiskes shtetl