Dobiecki family papers
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Overview
- Description
- The collection documents Barech and Golda Dobiecki and their daughter Bella’s experiences as they emigrated from Essen, Germany on the MS St. Louis 1939, their disembarkation in England, their immigration to Brazil, and their eventual immigration to the United States. The collection also documents the earlier immigrations of the Dobiecki’s daughters Hella to Brazil and the United States, and Bronia to the United States. Included are identification papers, restitution papers, immigration and travel documents, letters from the Jewish Refugees Committee while they were in England, correspondence, and photographs. The photographs include a photo album made of their passage on the MS St. Louis in 1939, and one documenting their trip from Brazil to the United States in 1943.
- Date
-
inclusive:
1922-1977
- Credit Line
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Rhonda Mlodinoff
- Collection Creator
- Dobiecki family
- Biography
-
Barech (1886-1966; later known as Bernard Dubia) was married to Golda (1891-1954; née Bleiman). They lived in Łódź, where they had three daughters, Helena (1914-1992, known as Hella); Bronia (b. 1916; later Bronia Netzky); and Bella (1924-1988; later Bella Mlodinoff). The family later moved to Essen, Germany.
Hella married Hans Meyer (1905-1944) and they immigrated to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1937. They divorced by 1942. Bronia immigrated to the United States in 1938, and settled in Chicago. In 1938, Barech, Golda, and Bella began planning to flee Nazi Germany. They booked passage on the MS. St. Louis with the intention of immigrating to the United States from Cuba. After passengers were not allowed to disembark in Cuba, the Dobiecki’s disembarked in England. They stayed there for approximately 6 months, and then immigrated to Brazil in 1940 to be with Hella. In 1942, Bella went to visit Bronia in Chicago, and while she was there her visa quota number came up, so she remained there. In 1943, Hella and her parents immigrated to the United States, settling in Los Angeles, California.
Physical Details
- Language
- German English Portuguese Polish Spanish
- Genre/Form
- Photographs. Photograph albums. Correspondence.
- Extent
-
1 box
1 oversize folder
2 book enclosure
- System of Arrangement
- The collection is arranged as four series: Series 1: Biographical materials, 1922-1977; Series 2: Emigration and Immigration papers, 1938-1943; Series 3: Correspondence, 1935-1962; Series 4: Photographs, 1936-1945
Rights & Restrictions
- Conditions on Access
- There are no known restrictions on access to this material.
- Conditions on Use
- Material(s) in this collection may be protected by copyright and/or related rights. You do not require further permission from the Museum to use this material. The user is solely responsible for making a determination as to if and how the material may be used.
- Copyright Holder
- Ms. Rhonda Mlodinoff
Keywords & Subjects
- Topical Term
- Jewish families--Germany. Refugees, Jewish--England--London. Refugees, Jewish--Brazil. Emigration and immigration--Brazil--1940-1950. Emigration and immigration--United States. Restitution and indemnification claims (1933-)--Germany.
- Geographic Name
- Essen (Germany) Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) England.
- Personal Name
- Dobiecki, Barech, 1886-1966. Dobiecki, Golda, 1891-1954. Dobiecki, Bella, 1924-1988. Dobiecki, Hella, 1914-1992. Dobiecki, Bronia, 1916-
- Corporate Name
- St. Louis (Ship)
Administrative Notes
- Holder of Originals
-
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
- Legal Status
- Permanent Collection
- Provenance
- The Dobiecki family papers were donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum by Rhonda Mlodinoff in 2007. Rhonda is the daughter of Bella Dobiecki.
- Record last modified:
- 2023-02-24 13:35:58
- This page:
- http://collections.ushmm.org/search/bookmarks/irn34264
Additional Resources
Download & Licensing
In-Person Research
- Available for Research
- Plan a Research Visit
-
Request in Shapell Center Reading Room
Bowie, MD
