Ilona Winograd papers

Collection consisting of three identification cards, one letter, and three photographs documenting the experiences of the Winograd family in Łódź during the time period surrounding the Holocaust. The collection includes pre-war identification issued to Bella Winograd (donor's mother) that was hidden during the war; Red Cross letter inquiring about the family, work card issued to Bella Winograd in the Łódź ghetto, post-war identificationcard issued to Bella Winograd, and war time photographs of Ilona Winograd. The Winograds were separated in October 1944 after they were taken to Koenigswusterhausen near Berlin. Bella Winograd and Ilona were sent to Ravensbrück and Marek Winograd (donor's father) was sent to Oranienburg. They reunited after liberation and returned to Łódź to search for their family.

Identification tag that exempted a Jewish child from deportation

Object

Identification tag that protected two and half year old Ilona Winograd from deportation in the Łódź ghetto. In 1941, Ilona and her parents, Bella and Marek, were imprisoned in the ghetto after the 1939 German occupation of Poland. From September 5-12, 1942, the Germans conducted a mass deportation, targeting hospital patients, the elderly, and children; over 12,000 people were deported to Chelmno extermination camp. Ilona was not included in the round-up because she was the child of an essential Jewish Council employee; her father was in charge of ghetto housing. During the Aktion, each exempted child was issued a round, wooden tag with their name and required to wear it around their neck. The children were hidden in the hospital on Lagiewnicka Street until the Aktion ended. When the ghetto was liquidated in October 1944, Ilona and her mother were sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp and her father was sent to Oranienburg. They were reunited when the war ended in May 1945. They walked back to Łódź and searched unsuccessfully for relatives. They left for Sweden in 1946 because of postwar antisemitism.

Prisoner badge with a yellow bar over a red triangle and 14354 worn by a female inmate

Object

Prisoner identification patch owned by Ilona Winograd and believed to be the one worn by her mother Bella when they were imprisoned in Ravensbrück concentration camp from October 1944-May 1945. Germany occupied Poland in September 1939. Her parents Bella and Marek lived in Łódź and were imprisoned in the ghetto where Ilona was born in 1940. On September 5-12, 1942, the Germans conducted a mass deportation, targeting hospital patients, the elderly, and children; over 12,000 people were deported to Chelmno killing center. Ilona was not included in the round-up because she was the child of an essential Jewish Council employee; her father was in charge of ghetto housing. With other children, Ilona was hidden in a hospital until the Aktion ended. When the ghetto was liquidated in October 1944, Ilona and her mother were sent to Ravensbrück and her father was sent to Oranienburg. They were reunited when the war ended in May 1945. They walked back to Łódź and searched unsuccessfully for relatives. They left for Sweden in 1946 because of postwar antisemitism.

Łódź (Litzmannstadt) ghetto 10 mark coin owned by a former child internee

Object

10 mark coin token issued in Łódź Ghetto owned by Ilona Winograd who was born in the ghetto in 1940. Ilona's parents Bella and Marek were forced into the ghetto after the September 1939 German invasion of Poland. From September 5-12, 1942, the Germans conducted a mass deportation, targeting hospital patients, the elderly, and children; over 12,000 people were deported to Chelmno killing center. Ilona was not included in the round-up because she was the child of an essential Jewish Council employee; her father was in charge of ghetto housing. When the ghetto was liquidated in October 1944, Ilona and her mother were sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp and her father was sent to Oranienburg. They were reunited when the war ended in May 1945. They walked back to Łódź and searched unsuccessfully for relatives. They left for Sweden in 1946 because of postwar antisemitism.