Circular leather Star of David badge worn in the Kovno Ghetto
- Date
-
1941-1944
(use)
- Geography
-
use :
Kovno ghetto (historic);
Kaunas (Lithuania)
- Classification
-
Identifying Artifacts
- Category
-
Badges
- Object Type
-
Insignia (lcsh)
- Credit Line
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection
Insignia found in the Kovno ghetto by Ephraim Guttmann, an airport worker and burial society member. In June 1941, Germany invaded and occupied Lithuania and by August, they had forced the Jews in Kovno into a ghetto. In July 1944, as Soviet forces were approaching Kovno, the authorities deported the remaining Jews in the ghetto to Stutthof and Dachau concentration camps and then burned it down. Ephraim survived by hiding in the bunkers. When the Soviet Army liberated the city on August 1, 1944, he was the first to collect and gather items remaining in the ghetto, including drawings, armbands, and hundreds of paper ephemera items. The “A” in this insignia patch more than likely stands for ‘arbeitsamt’ or ‘labor office’. This insignia is typical of what was produced by the Kovno ghetto graphics office headed by designer Peter “Fritz” Gadiel. Since the Germans prohibited radios and newspapers, the alternative was posting announcements within the ghetto. Elchanan Elkes, the Ältestenrat Chairman, turned to Gadiel to establish the graphics office, the Paint and Sign Workshop. Initially, the workshop provided simple signs to communicate orders to the ghetto residents, but eventually employed more artists and workers to create a wide range of items including ghetto currency, work passes, insignia, armbands and documents.
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Record last modified: 2018-09-27 15:53:58
This page: https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn10080
Also in Kovno ghetto collection
The collection consists of artifacts, drawings, documents, and scrip relating to life in the Kovno (Kaunus) ghetto in Lithuania before and during the Holocaust.
Date: 1941
Insignia
Object
Drawing of a Jewish policeman from the Kovno ghetto
Object
Person depicted in drawing is either Alexander "Shmaya" or Boris Stupel. The two brothers were policemen in the Kovno Ghetto, and members of the Police Orchestra
Summons for delousing from the Kovno ghetto
Document
Summons for delousing from the Kovno ghetto. TRANSLATION: recto: "Name [last]__ First Name__/Work pass number__ Address__/You are expected to report on __1942 at __hours/in the discharge establishment at Block C., Varniu g. 32./for bathing. -- An absence is punishable by the police."
Pass from the Kovno ghetto
Object
Pass from the Kovno ghetto
Object
Pass from the Kovno ghetto
Object
Bakery receipt from the Kovno ghetto
Document
Contains a bakery receipt, on white paper; recto: printed in blue ink, "BAECKEREI/bei der/Reparatur- Werkstaette/Nr._/Quittung/Empfangen Kg._ Mehl/Zu bekommen Kg._ Brot/_1943"; lower right corner, inscription in pencil, "23"; verso: lower left corner, blue ink stamp Star of David encircled by letter "G"; lower right corner, inscription in pencil, "2."
Pass from the Kovno ghetto
Object
Permit
Object
Receipt for wood from the Kovno ghetto
Document
Contains a receipt, on brown paper; recto: upper edge and left side, blue ink stamp(s), "1 Bdl.Holz/Empf./A.P.No"; lower right, blue ink stamp, "JUEDISCHES GHETTO/ARBEITSAMT/VILIJAMPOLE"; verso: printed images and text in blue/green ink
Receipt from the Kovno ghetto
Document
Contains a receipt, on brown paper; recto: upper center edge, black ink stamp, "109"; upper center, blue ink stamp(s), "1/8 Mtr.Holz/Empf."; lower right corner, blue ink stamp, "JUEDISCHES GHETTO/ARBEITSAMT/VILIJAMPOLE"; verso: right edge, printed text in black ink. Artifact appears to be receipt for wood.
Summons from the Punishment Office of the Jewish Ghetto Police of Kovno ghetto
Document
Contains a summons from the Punishment Office of the Jewish Ghetto Police of Kovno ghetto, on white paper bearing printed text in blue ink; recto: "JUEDISCHE GHETTO POLIZEI/STRAFABTEILUNG/Nr.../An.../Str. Nr.../Vorladung./Sie werden hiermit ersucht, am... 1942/...Uhr in der Strafabteilung der J.G. Polizei, .../Str. Nr... in der ... Sache.../..als...zu erscheinen./SEKRETAER./Den ... 1942"; verso: lower left corner, blue ink stamp in form of Star of David encircled by letter "G."
Ticket
Object
Work permit
Object
Ink stamp impression
Document
White/brown paper; recto: upper left corner, blue/black ink stamp, "Leiter der Entlausungsanstalt"; inscription in pencil, "20"; center, inscription in red colored pencil, "[illegible]/VII/J[illegible]"
Receipt for the Paint and Sign Workshop in the Kovno ghetto
Document
Contains a receipt for the Paint and Sign Workshop in the Kovno ghetto, on white paper; recto; blue ink stamp, "MAL-UND ZEICHEN-WERKSTATT/EINGEGANGEN/den...1942/Nr...."; verso: lower left corner, blue ink stamp depicting Star of David encircled by letter "G."
Permit
Object
Delivery receipt from a Kovno ghetto workshop
Document
Contains a delivery receipt from a Kovno ghetto workshop, on white paper form; recto: black ink, upper left corner, logo in form of encircled Star of David with letters "GW" incorporated into star; heading beneath logo reads, "GHETTO-WERKSTAETTEN/VILIJAMPOLE"; upper right quadrant, title reads, "Ausgabeschein Nr...."; lower section of form composed of categories and lines printed in black ink.
Summons issued from the Jewish Ghetto Police in Kovno, Lithuania
Document
Contains a summons issued from the Jewish Ghetto Police in Kovno, Lithuania. Translation: recto: "JEWISH GHETTO POLICE/Number..../On....../Street Number.../Summons/You are hereby requested, on .... 1942/... O'clock, in.... the Jewish Ghetto Police,/....Street Number... to appear/and to report at ...../Vilijampole, the... 1942./Original received: ...."
Admission ticket to the Jewish Ghetto Police Building in Kovno, Lithuania
Document
Admission ticket to the Jewish Ghetto Police Building in Kovno, Lithuania. Translation: recto: "JEWISH/GHETTO POLICE/JGP/POLICE BUILDING/Row... Number.../ Admission Ticket/UHR."
Certificate from the Kovno Ghetto allowing the bearer to depart and return to the ghetto workshops at specified hours
Document
Certificate from the Kovno Ghetto allowing the bearer to depart and return to the ghetto workshops at specified hours. Translation: recto: "GHETTO-WORKSHOPS/VILIJAMPOLE/Certificate/Labor Identification Card Number ... is TODAY authorized to leave the workshops at ... O'clock and to return at ... O'clock./.../SECTION LEADER/THE ... 1943/Kovno-Wilnaer Publishers and Press."
Certificate from the Kovno ghetto
Document
Certificate from the Kovno ghetto allowing the bearer to drive a cart or truck out of the ghetto workshops. Translation: recto: "GHETTO-WORKSHOP/VILIJAMPOLE/CERTIFICATE/A WAGON-TRUCK WITH ... UNDER ACCOMPANYMENT OF .... PERSONS IS AUTHORIZED TO LEAVE THE GHETTO WORKSHOPS ON ... 1943./... MANAGEMENT/Kovno-Wilnaer Publishers and Press.."
Certificate from the Kovno ghetto
Document
Certificate from the Kovno ghetto allowing the bearer to carry specified items out of the ghetto workshops. Translation: recto: "GHETTO-WORKSHOPS/VILIJAMPOLE/CERTIFICATE/../is authorized, TODAY, to carry the following objects through the police barricades of the GHETTO-WORKSHOPS:/.../.../.../../MANAGEMENT/THE...1943/Kovno-Wilnaer Publishers and Press..."
Pass from the Kovno ghetto
Object
Permit
Object
Document from the Kovno Ghetto
Document
Containg a document from the Kovno Ghetto. Description: white/brown paper; recto: printed text in black ink and inscribed carbon imprints; verso: inscriptions in graphite.
Envelope
Object
Medical certificate from the Kovno Ghetto workshops
Document
Medical certificate from the Kovno Ghetto workshops. Translation: recto: "GHETTO WORKSHOPS/VILIJAMPOLE/OUTPATIENT CLINIC/Medical Certificate Number.../Labor Identification Number:.../Diagnosis:.../is from... until ...1943/inclusive, unable to work./.../DATE OF ISSUE/.../OUTPATIENT CLINIC DOCTOR/The medical certificate does not allow ANY leave from work; for example, it does not permit leaving the workplace; it serves ONLY AS the SUPPORTING DOCUMENT for the leave pass!"; verso: "UNIT * WORKSHOP/.../LABOR IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.../is to be allowed medical assistance in the OUTPATIENT CLINIC of the Ghetto Workshops./.../SECTION LEADER/The...1943."
Receipt for arrest from the Kovno ghetto
Document
Receipt for arrest from the Kovno ghetto. Translation: recto: "Receipt/Today, on ____ 1942___ o'clock, through the officer ____ the ghetto-dweller/in____ on the basis of the decision/warrant/order/Nr.____ was taken to the ghetto jail."
Identification certificate for Jewish manual laborers in the Kovno ghetto
Document
Contains a certificates issued on September 15, 1941 by SA Hauptsturmfuehrer Fritz Jordan, District Kommissar for Kovno. Five thousand certificates were issued to the Jewish Council for artisans, workers and eleven physicians. Those who bore such certificates were spared in early "actions" in the ghetto. Translation: recto: "IDENTIFICATION CERTIFICATE/FOR JEWISH MANUAL LABORERS/THE REGIONAL COMMISAR IN KOVNO-CITY i.t./[GEZ.?] JORDAN/SA-HAUPTSTURMFUEHRER [SA Chief Storm Leader -- eqivalent of Captain in Wehrmacht]."
Medical certificate from the Kovno ghetto
Document
Medical certificate from the Kovno ghetto. Translation: Recto: "GHETTO-WORKSHOPS/VILIJAMPOLE/AMBULATORY TREATMENT CENTER/Medical Certificate Nr. .../.../Labor Identification Nr.: .../Diagnosis: .../is from ... until ... 1943 inclusively, not able to work./.../DATE OF ISSUANCE/.../AMBULATORY TREATMENT CENTER DOCTOR/The Medical Certificate grants NO vacation, for example, it does not permit one to leave the workshops, it serves ONLY AS THE BASIS for obtaining a furlough pass!" Verso: ".../.../SECTION . WORKSHOP/..../WORK PERMIT Nr. .../is allowed to obtain medical assistance in the AMBULATORY TREATMENT CENTER of the Ghetto Workshops./../SECTION LEADER/The ... 1943/Kovno-Wilnaer [Vilna?] Publishers and Printers, Inc."
Medical certificate from the Kovno ghetto
Document
Medical certificate from the Kovno ghetto. Translation: recto: "Name..... Bd [?] Nr.../First Name... Age.../Address.../Date.../Nr.../Diagnosis:/Doctor [signature]/Nr.../Freed from labor service duty until .... 194[?]./DIRECTOR OF THE LABOR SERVICE."
Certificate from the Kovno ghetto
Document
Certificate from the Kovno ghetto identifying the bearer as being employed by a ghetto administrative department. Translation: recto: "Office of the Jewish Ghetto Community/Identification Card/Nr.111/It is hearby certified that .... is employed in the above mentioned office of the Jewish Ghetto Community as a .../Director of the Agency/Vilijampole, the ... 1942"; verso: "This identity card is valid until/Director of the Agency/Extended until .../..."
Document
Object
Permit
Object
Document
Object
Permit
Object
Scrip from the Kovno ghetto
Object
Receipt issued by the Kovno Ghetto Labor Department
Document
Contains a teceipt issued by the Kovno Ghetto Labor Department. Translation: recto: "JEWISH GHETTO/LABOR BUREAU/VILIJAMPOLE."
Receipt form issued by the labor insertion office of the Kovno ghetto
Document
Contains a receipt form issued by the City Brigades Unit of the labor insertion office of the Kovno ghetto.
Application form for work on a city labor brigade in the Kovno ghetto
Document
Application form for work on a city labor brigade in the Kovno ghetto. TRANSLATION: recto: "Application Nr.__ Date:/City Brigades Section/Column:__/Occupation/Name and First Name/Address/Labor Pass [Nr.]"
Permit allowing free movement in Kovno ghetto to assist Jews with moving to Vilijampole
Document
Permit allowing free movement in Kovno ghetto to assist Jews with moving to Vilijampole. Translation: recto: "Lithuanian City Commandant/Kaunas Commandant/1941 July 12/J. Bobelis/ Chairman"; verso: "Permission to move about to accomplish move of Jews from Kaunas to Vilijampole. No obstructions should be put in the carrier's way/Valid to 25 August 1941."
Temporary certificate for housing assignment issued in Kovno Ghetto
Document
Temporary certificate for housing assignment issued in Kovno Ghetto. The form is unused.; text reads "Einwohner-Nachweiseamt/ZEITWEILIGER AUSWEIS Nr./Familiename____/Vorname____/Name des Vaters____/Geburtsdatum bez. Alter_____/Dieser Ausweis is bis zum____1942 gultig/Leiter des Einwohner Nachweiseamtes/Vilijampole, den____1942."
Receipt for wood issued in the Kovno Ghetto
Document
Receipt for wood issued in the Kovno Ghetto. Text reads, "1/4 Mtr. Holz/Empf./A.P. Nr."; numbered: 491[?]; stamp: "Jüdisches Ghetto/ARBEITSAMT/Vilijampole."
Permit
Object
Permit
Object
Permit
Object
Permit, Lodz Ghetto
Object
Receipt issued by administrative department in the Kovno Ghetto
Document
Receipt issued by administrative department in the Kovno Ghetto. Text reads, "Sollliste [sic?] Nr.____/(Bei Zahlungen unbedingt angeben)"
Kovno ghetto police permit
Object
Kovno ghetto police permit
Object
Receipt for beer purchased in the Kovno Ghetto
Document
Receipt for beer purchased in the Kovno Ghetto. Text reads, "Quittung/___Flaschen Bier/___Kisten/erhalten./Dafür Rm____Bezahlt./Den____1944."
Work permit
Object
Delivery receipt from a Kovno ghetto workshop
Document
Delivery receipt from a Kovno ghetto workshop. Translation: recto: from top to bottom, "the....1943/GHETTO WORKSHOPS/VILIJAMPOLE/Delivery Receipt Number.../Delivered on.../Lt. Proposal (or appliction) Number..for.../(Item?) Number/Designation/Unit/Quantity/Fol. (?)/Delivered:.../Received:..."
Identification card
Object
Summons to appear in Jewish Ghetto Court in Kovno Ghetto
Document
Summons to appear in Jewish Ghetto Court in Kovno Ghetto. Text reads, "Zydu Geto Teismas/b. Nr./Saukimas/Tamsta esi Saukiamas stoti Teisme, Vytenio g. 8,/1942 m./Zydu Geto Teismo Sekretorium."
Coupon
Object
Work permit
Object
Permit
Object
Receipt to be issued by the Jewish Ghetto Police of the Kovno Ghetto
Document
Receipt to be issued by the Jewish Ghetto Police of the Kovno Ghetto. Text reads, ""JUDISCHE GHETTO-POLIZEI/___Revier Vilijampole, den____/Quittungs Nr._____/Name____ Vorname____ Vaters Name____/Alter____ Ausweis Nr.____/Wohnhaft____ Str. Nr.____/Empf. Dokum. ____/Diese Quittung gult fur die Dauer von 10 Tagen anstatt des/zur Berichtigung aufgegebenen Ausweises/Meldebeamter."
Receipt from jail in Kovno Ghetto
Document
Receipt from jail in Kovno Ghetto. Text reads, "Quiterrung/Heute den____1942___Uhr wurde/durch den B.../der/die Ghettoeinwohner/ta___/und Grust des Beschlusses/Vollstreckungsbefehles/Ver.../___Nr.___des___/___ im Ghetto-Arresthaus.../Der Wachhabende Beamte des Arresthauses."
Ticket
Object
Work permit
Object
Kovno ghetto department stamp impression for clinics
Object
Kovno Ghetto department stamp impression for clinics
Work permit
Object
Ticket
Object
Form
Object
