Today, April 12, 2018 is also the 27th of Nisan 5778 and Yom HaShoah. In honor of the day, I am sharing an artifact brought back by my father, Alfred Kleinfeld, who served in the US Army during WW2. He was in North Africa and then in Europe. His name is inscribed in the Van Cortlandt Jewish Center’s Memorial Hall.
Among the things that we have from him are a Yellow Star of David, with “Juif” on it, and the envelope in which he put it. The envelope bears his writing in pencil. It says: “This is a reminder of how cruel a nation of people can be to another. Let us keep it so we too can remember – when the time comes.” “Show it around.”
Below are photos of the Star and of the envelope. There are two of the envelope, one with the contrast enhanced to enable you to read his thoughts directly. With what he said, I do not need to add any additional comments.
Jack Kleinfeld
A Star of David badge marked 'Juif,' used during the Holocaust.
This image shows a yellow Star of David badge with the word 'Juif' written on it. Such badges were used during the Holocaust to identify Jewish individuals. This artifact serves as a poignant reminder of the discrimination and persecution faced by Jews during World War II.
An old envelope featuring a 6 cent airmail stamp and faded cursive handwriting
This image shows a vintage envelope with cursive writing on the front, highlighting historical postal communication. It includes a U.S. 6 cent airmail stamp, indicating its past use for airmail purposes and providing a glimpse into mid-20th-century mail services.
A vintage air mail envelope featuring handwritten notes and a 6 cents postage mark
This image showcases an old air mail envelope with a 6 cents postage stamp. The envelope is marked by handwritten notes, suggesting correspondence or personal reflections. The envelope's aged appearance offers a glimpse into historical communication methods.
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My son, Andrew, shared with me a post he put on Facebook. It was his request for photos of the artifacts that prompted my post. Here is his:
Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah). I wanted to share something I found a little while back while looking through a box of my grandfather Alfred Kleinfeld’s (OBM) keepsakes from when he served with the U.S. Army during World War 2.
Amidst photos and postcards was this envelope. I strained to read my grandfather’s handwritten notes, slowly making out the text. I felt myself being overcome as I gradually realized what would be inside.
The envelope reads: “This is a reminder of how cruel a nation of people can be to another. Let us keep it so we too can remember when the time comes. Show it around.”
I thought about how my maternal grandmother (Helen Braun, OBM) was likely suffering in Auschwitz, across the continent, at the very same time as my paternal grandfather was preserving this marker. We are unfortunately left with more inanimate reminders like this piece of cloth than human reminders like my grandmother and many other survivors. A survey released today found that forty-one percent of Americans don’t know what Auschwitz was. We must remember. Show it around.
