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Figurine of a man in folk costume playing an accordion brought to the US by a Jewish refugee from prewar Germany

Object | Accession Number: 2008.362.2
2008.362.2 front Figurine of a man in folk costume playing an accordion brought to the US by a Jewish refugee from prewar Germany Click to enlarge

Figurine that belonged to 23 year old Hans Rosenberg (later Reinhardt) when he emigrated from Germany to the United States in 1938 with his sisters, Ava and Gretl. His family decided that Hans and his sisters must leave Germany because of the dangerous anti-Jewish policies of the Nazi government. Hans and his sisters left Berlin in April 1938 for Cuba because they could not get US visas. They arrived safely in New York in May 1938.

Date
received:  1938 April
Geography
received: Berlin (Germany)
Classification
Decorative Arts
Category
Woodwork
Object Type
Wood-carved figurines (lcsh)
Credit Line
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Neal Lustig and Peter Lustig

About This Object

Physical Description
Small, carved wooden, or possibly plastic, painted figurine of a man in traditional German costume of brown pants, green jacket, and black hat. The figure is playing an accordion and stands upon a rectangular base with a cloth tag on the underside.
Dimensions
overall: Height: 6.250 inches (15.875 cm) | Width: 2.870 inches (7.29 cm) | Depth: 1.880 inches (4.775 cm)
Materials
overall : wood, paint, cloth, adhesive
Markings
underside of base, stamped on cloth tag in red ink : 941
Contributor
Subject: Hans Reinhardt
Biography
Hans Rosenberg was born to a Jewish family in 1915 in Germany. He had two sisters, Ava and Gretl. His uncle was Max Reinhardt, the famed theatrical director,and he spent his summers at his uncle's castle near Berlin. Hans later changed his name to Reinhardt. In 1938, because of the escalating persecution of Jews by the Nazi government, the family decided to send Hans and his sisters to the United States. Max's son, Gottfried, handled the travel arrangements. Hans and his sisters left Berlin in April 1938 for Cuba, because they could not get US visas. However, by May 1938, they arrived safely in New York. Hans married Gloria Lustig in 1968 and they raised her two sons together. Hans died, age 89, on November 4, 2004.

Keywords and Subjects

Administrative History

Legal Status
Permanent Collection
Provenance
The figurine was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2008 by Neal Lustig and Peter Lustig, the stepsons of Hans Reinhardt.

Rights and Restrictions

Conditions on Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions on Use
No restrictions on use

 
Record last modified: 2022-07-28 21:51:05
This page: https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn39675

Also in Hans Reinhardt collection

The collection consists of artifacts, correspondence, documents, and photographs relating to the experiences of Hans Rosenberg (Reinhardt) and his family in Germany and the United States before the Holocaust.

Date: 1938

Figurine of a man in folk costume playing a clarinet brought to the US by a Jewish refugee from prewar Germany

Figurine of a man in folk costume playing a clarinet brought to the US by a Jewish refugee from prewar Germany

Object

Figurine that belonged to 23 year old Hans Rosenberg (later Reinhardt) when he emigrated from Germany to the United States in 1938 with his sisters, Ava and Gretl. His family decided that Hans and his sisters must leave Germany because of the dangerous anti-Jewish policies of the Nazi government. Hans and his sisters left Berlin in April 1938 for Cuba because they could not get US visas. They arrived safely in New York in May 1938.

Neal and Peter Lustig papers

Document

Collection of documents, photographs, clippings and correspondence relating to the experiences of Hans Reinhardt (donors' step-father) and his family, including his uncle, director Max Reinhardt, during the Holocaust.

View All 3 Items in the Collection