Pillow sham with floral and geometric design and Hedwig Sanders Neu's initials that survived Kristallnacht

The pillow sham was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2018 by Nancy Shanes, the goddaughter of Beatrice Neu Melov. 

Pillow sham with floral and geometric design and Hedwig Sanders Neu's initials that survived Kristallnacht 

overall: Height: 30.000 inches (76.2 cm) | Width: 31.000 inches (78.74 cm) 

White, decorative pillow sham that survived Kristallnacht and was brought with Richard and Hedwig Sanders Neu when they immigrated to the United States with their daughter, Beatrice (later Melov) in late 1938. The hand towel was originally part of Hedwig’s trousseau, and among the possessions that the Neu family packed in preparation for their emigration from Partenheim, Germany, in late 1938. Before they departed for the United States, they were staying with Beatrice’s grandmother, whose home was ransacked by the German authorities during Kristallnacht, November 9-10. Hedwig, Beatrice, and her grandmother hid in the garden, while Richard hid elsewhere. Many of the packed possessions were badly damaged during the attack. After several days in hiding, Richard returned once it seemed safe to do so. 

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Rectangular, off-white, cloth pillow sham with a satin-stitched, floral and geometric, patterned band near the edge and embroidered initials just above center. The repeating pattern consists of flowers with a leafy sprig, a diagonal line of three dots, a chevron, and an inverted chevron in varied alternating sets. The pillowcase has an opening along the bottom, which is fastened by a four-button placket with dorset buttons and corresponding buttonholes. front, above center, embroidered, white thread : HS [Hedwig Sanders]