Copper travel clock within a brown leather case used by an imprisoned Jewish family

Jas̆a Altarac papers

Document

The Jaša Altarac papers consist of biographical materials, correspondence, Mermer-Oniks business records, photographic materials, and a newspaper documenting the Altarac family in Belgrade; their Holocaust itinerary of flight, imprisonment, deportation, and hiding through Skopje, Pristina, Kavaja, Kamza, and Tirana; and Mayer Altarac’s marble business Mermer-Oniks. Biographical materials include identification papers, travel permissions, labor documents, and false identification papers documenting Mayer, Mimi, and Jaša Altarac in Belgrade, Skopje, Pristina, Kavaja, and Tirana. This series also includes the notebook the Altarac family used to record the signatures of Italian police in Kavaja proving that the family reported to the police station daily. Correspondence includes Red Cross inquiries from Mimi Altarac seeking information about Frieda and Andrija Barta and about Esther, Ana, and Leon Finci as well as two letters from Albert Altarac, Mayer Altarac's brother, to Gavro Navon and Mario Altarac in Pristina. This series also includes postwar receipts for money sent to Palomba Finci, Hajima Altarac, and Joska Herman in Vareš-Majdan, Mostar, and Sarajevo. Mermer-Oniks records include prewar building documents, commercial correspondence, letterhead, and tax payments as well as postwar surveys of quarries documenting Mayer Altarac’s marble and granite business. Mayer was one of the most prominent architects in prewar Belgrade. He discovered several sources of marble and other stone in Yugoslavia and used the stone from his quarries in his architectural projects. Photographic materials include loose family photographs and pages from a family photo album documenting the Altarac family in Belgrade, Sarajevo, Pristina, Kavaja, Kamza, and Tirana, as well as vacation photos from Bled, Makarska, Planica, Postojna, and Split. Photographs include the Altarac family while imprisoned in Pristina and while living at the “red house” in Kavaja, Jasa Altarac’s class portrait from Kavaja where he attended school under a false Muslim identify, and photographs of the family during hiding in Kamza and Tirana. This series also includes two photographs of Jaša Altarac’s wife, Enica Frances, and her family from Skopje. They were rescued during the war by Dr. Tode and Lala Hadjimitkov, taken to Tirana, and went into hiding. Albanians Zonda and Hamdi Kasapi later helped them escape arrest and hid them in the remote village of Zaliheri. The newspaper is the May 9, 1945 issue of Borba, the Yugoslav communist party organ.

Plaque from the home of a Jewish family who fled German occupied Belgrade

Object

Plaque that originally hung on the outside of seven year old Jasa Altarac's family home in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (later Serbia), before he and his parents Mayer and Mimi fled to Skopje, Macedonia, in September 1941 following the German invasion in April. Yugoslavia had been dismembered by the Axis Alliance and Skopje was now controlled by Bulgaria. A month later, Mayer encountered a man from Kosovo who recognized him as Jewish and the Altarac family fled that night to Pristina, which was under Italian control. There as a large Jewish refugee population there, as the Italians did not regularly deport Jews to the German run concentration camps. In December 1941, the Jewish refugees in Pristina were ordered to move into a transit camp at the main prison. In March 1942, German authorities demanded the deportation of fifty-one Jews to German territory; Jasa's maternal aunt Frida Barta, her husband, and daughter were on the list. The Italians complied and they were all murdered. In September 1943, the Italian military commander informed the Jewish families that Italy had surrendered to the Allies and their troops were withdrawing from Pristina. Assuming the Germans would soon occupy the region, Jasa's family took a taxi to Tirana, Albania. His mother sold hand knit sweaters and one of her customers, Ganimet Toptani, learning that she was Jewish, offered to help them. Her husband, Atif Toptani, took the family to an estate outside of town. In August 1944, a German unit came to search the estate for weapons, as someone had shot at the soldiers. Atif showed them they had no weapons. They were not arrested but they were ordered to move back to Tirana. That September, Tirana was liberated by the partisans. The family returned to Belgrade. In December 1948, the family immigrated to Israel.

Handkerchief with the Albanian 2-headed eagle owned by a Jewish boy who fled German occupied Belgrade

Object

White handkerchief emblazoned with a two-headed eagle, the symbol of Albania, owned by Jasa Altarac. Seven year old Jasa and his parents, Mayer and Mimi, fled Belgrade, Yugoslavia (later Serbia), for Skopje, Macedonia, in September 1941 following the German invasion in April. Yugoslavia was dismembered by the Axis Alliance and Skopje was now controlled by Bulgaria. A month later, Mayer encountered a man from Kosovo who recognized him as Jewish and the Altarac family fled that night to Pristina, which was under Italian control. There as a large Jewish refugee population there, as the Italians did not regularly deport Jews to the German run concentration camps. In December 1941, the Jewish refugees in Pristina were ordered to move into a transit camp at the main prison. In March 1942, German authorities demanded the deportation of fifty-one Jews to German territory; Jasa's maternal aunt Frida Barta, her husband, and daughter were on the list. The Italians complied and they were all murdered. In September 1943, the Italian military commander informed the Jewish families that Italy had surrendered to the Allies and their troops were withdrawing from Pristina. Assuming the Germans would soon occupy the region, Jasa's family took a taxi to Tirana, Albania. His mother sold hand knit sweaters and one of her customers, Ganimet Toptani, learning that she was Jewish, offered to help them. Her husband, Atif Toptani, took the family to an estate outside of town. In August 1944, a German unit came to search the estate for weapons, as someone had shot at the soldiers. Atif showed them they had no weapons. They were not arrested but they were ordered to move back to Tirana. That September, Tirana was liberated by the partisans. The family returned to Belgrade. In December 1948, the family immigrated to Israel.

Slide rule used by a Jewish architect who fled Nazi occupied Belgrade

Object

Slide rule used by Mayer Altarac in his stonework/home design business in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (later Serbia) before fleeing with his wife Mimi and seven year old son Jasa in September 1941 following the German occupation in April. They went to Skopje, Macedonia, then under Bulgarian control, as Yugoslavia had been dismembered by the Axis Alliance. A month later, Mayer encountered a man from Kosovo who recognized him as Jewish and the Altarac family fled that night to Pristina, which was under Italian control. There as a large Jewish refugee population there, as the Italians did not regularly deport Jews to the German run concentration camps. In December 1941, the Jewish refugees in Pristina were ordered to move into a transit camp at the main prison. In March 1942, German authorities demanded the deportation of fifty-one Jews to German territory; Jasa's maternal aunt Frida Barta, her husband, and daughter were on the list. The Italians complied and they were all murdered. In September 1943, the Italian military commander informed the Jewish families that Italy had surrendered to the Allies and their troops were withdrawing from Pristina. Assuming the Germans would soon occupy the region, Jasa's family took a taxi to Tirana, Albania. His mother sold hand knit sweaters and one of her customers, Ganimet Toptani, learning that she was Jewish, offered to help them. Her husband, Atif Toptani, took the family to an estate outside of town. In August 1944, a German unit came to search the estate for weapons, as someone had shot at the soldiers. Atif showed them they had no weapons. They were not arrested but they were ordered to move back to Tirana. That September, Tirana was liberated by the partisans. The family returned to Belgrade. In December 1948, the family immigrated to Israel.

Eyeglasses and case used by a Jewish man who fled Nazi occupied Belgrade with his family

Object

Eyeglasses and case used by Mayer Altarac, or his father, in his stonework/construction business in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (later Serbia) before fleeing with his wife Mimi and seven year old son Jasa in September 1941 following the German occupation in April. They went to Skopje, Macedonia, then under Bulgarian control, as Yugoslavia had been dismembered by the Axis Alliance. A month later, Mayer encountered a man from Kosovo who recognized him as Jewish and the Altarac family fled that night to Pristina, which was under Italian control. There as a large Jewish refugee population there, as the Italians did not regularly deport Jews to the German run concentration camps. In December 1941, the Jewish refugees in Pristina were ordered to move into a transit camp at the main prison. In March 1942, German authorities demanded the deportation of fifty-one Jews to German territory; Jasa's maternal aunt Frida Barta, her husband, and daughter were on the list. The Italians complied and they were all murdered. In September 1943, the Italian military commander informed the Jewish families that Italy had surrendered to the Allies and their troops were withdrawing from Pristina. Assuming the Germans would soon occupy the region, Jasa's family took a taxi to Tirana, Albania. His mother sold hand knit sweaters and one of her customers, Ganimet Toptani, learning that she was Jewish, offered to help them. Her husband, Atif Toptani, took the family to an estate outside of town. In August 1944, a German unit came to search the estate for weapons, as someone had shot at the soldiers. Atif showed them they had no weapons. They were not arrested but they were ordered to move back to Tirana. That September, Tirana was liberated by the partisans. The family returned to Belgrade. In December 1948, the family immigrated to Israel.

Drafting kit used by a Jewish architect who fled Nazi occupied Belgrade

Object

Drafting kit used by Mayer Altarac in his stonework/home design business in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (later Serbia) before fleeing with his wife Mimi and seven year old son Jasa in September 1941 following the German occupation in April. They went to Skopje, Macedonia, then under Bulgarian control, as Yugoslavia had been dismembered by the Axis Alliance. A month later, Mayer encountered a man from Kosovo who recognized him as Jewish and the Altarac family fled that night to Pristina, which was under Italian control. There as a large Jewish refugee population there, as the Italians did not regularly deport Jews to the German run concentration camps. In December 1941, the Jewish refugees in Pristina were ordered to move into a transit camp at the main prison. In March 1942, German authorities demanded the deportation of fifty-one Jews to German territory; Jasa's maternal aunt Frida Barta, her husband, and daughter were on the list. The Italians complied and they were all murdered. In September 1943, the Italian military commander informed the Jewish families that Italy had surrendered to the Allies and their troops were withdrawing from Pristina. Assuming the Germans would soon occupy the region, Jasa's family took a taxi to Tirana, Albania. His mother sold hand knit sweaters and one of her customers, Ganimet Toptani, learning that she was Jewish, offered to help them. Her husband, Atif Toptani, took the family to an estate outside of town. In August 1944, a German unit came to search the estate for weapons, as someone had shot at the soldiers. Atif showed them they had no weapons. They were not arrested but they were ordered to move back to Tirana. That September, Tirana was liberated by the partisans. The family returned to Belgrade. In December 1948, the family immigrated to Israel.

Pink embroidered dress once worn by a young girl killed in a bombing raid

Object

Pink dress with embroidery worn by four year old Lela Altarac, who was killed on April 14, 1941, in a German bombing raid on Sarajevo, Yugoslavia (later Bosnia and Hercegovina.) Seven year old Jasa and his parents Mayer and Mimi fled Belgrade, Yugoslavia (later Serbia), for Skopje, Macedonia, in September 1941 following the German invasion in April. Yugoslavia had been dismembered by the Axis Alliance and Skopje was now controlled by Bulgaria. A month later, Mayer encountered a man from Kosovo who recognized him as Jewish and the Altarac family fled that night to Pristina, which was under Italian control. There as a large Jewish refugee population there, as the Italians did not regularly deport Jews to the German run concentration camps. In December 1941, the Jewish refugees in Pristina were ordered to move into a transit camp at the main prison. In March 1942, German authorities demanded the deportation of fifty-one Jews to German territory; Jasa's maternal aunt Frida Barta, her husband, and daughter were on the list. The Italians complied and they were all murdered. In September 1943, the Italian military commander informed the Jewish families that Italy had surrendered to the Allies and their troops were withdrawing from Pristina. Assuming the Germans would soon occupy the region, Jasa's family took a taxi to Tirana, Albania. His mother sold hand knit sweaters and one of her customers, Ganimet Toptani, learning that she was Jewish, offered to help them. Her husband, Atif Toptani, took the family to an estate outside of town. In August 1944, a German unit came to search the estate for weapons, as someone had shot at the soldiers. Atif showed them they had no weapons. They were not arrested but they were ordered to move back to Tirana. That September, Tirana was liberated by the partisans. The family returned to Belgrade. In December 1948, the family immigrated to Israel.

Purse carried by a Jewish woman who fled German occupied Belgrade with her family

Object

Purse used by Mimi Altarac to hold all the family documents during World War II. Seven year old Jasa and his parents Mayer and Mimi fled Belgrade, Yugoslavia (later Serbia), for Skopje, Macedonia, in September 1941 following the German invasion in April. Yugoslavia had been dismembered by the Axis Alliance and Skopje was now controlled by Bulgaria. A month later, Mayer encountered a man from Kosovo who recognized him as Jewish and the Altarac family fled that night to Pristina, which was under Italian control. There as a large Jewish refugee population there, as the Italians did not regularly deport Jews to the German run concentration camps. In December 1941, the Jewish refugees in Pristina were ordered to move into a transit camp at the main prison. In March 1942, German authorities demanded the deportation of fifty-one Jews to German territory; Jasa's maternal aunt Frida Barta, her husband, and daughter were on the list. The Italians complied and they were all murdered. In September 1943, the Italian military commander informed the Jewish families that Italy had surrendered to the Allies and their troops were withdrawing from Pristina. Assuming the Germans would soon occupy the region, Jasa's family took a taxi to Tirana, Albania. His mother sold hand knit sweaters and one of her customers, Ganimet Toptani, learning that she was Jewish, offered to help them. Her husband, Atif Toptani, took the family to an estate outside of town. In August 1944, a German unit came to search the estate for weapons, as someone had shot at the soldiers. Atif showed them they had no weapons. They were not arrested but they were ordered to move back to Tirana. That September, Tirana was liberated by the partisans. The family returned to Belgrade. In December 1948, the family immigrated to Israel.

Pelikan fountain pen used by a Jewish man who fled German occupied Belgrade with his family

Object

Fountain pen used by Mayer Altarac in his stonework/home design business in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (later Serbia) before fleeing with his wife Mimi and seven year old son Jasa in September 1941 following the German occupation in April. They went to Skopje, Macedonia, then under Bulgarian control, as Yugoslavia had been dismembered by the Axis Alliance. A month later, Mayer encountered a man from Kosovo who recognized him as Jewish and the Altarac family fled that night to Pristina, which was under Italian control. There as a large Jewish refugee population there, as the Italians did not regularly deport Jews to the German run concentration camps. In December 1941, the Jewish refugees in Pristina were ordered to move into a transit camp at the main prison. In March 1942, German authorities demanded the deportation of fifty-one Jews to German territory; Jasa's maternal aunt Frida Barta, her husband, and daughter were on the list. The Italians complied and they were all murdered. In September 1943, the Italian military commander informed the Jewish families that Italy has surrendered to the Allies and their troops were withdrawing from Pristina. Assuming the Germans would soon occupy the region, Jasa's family took a taxi to Tirana, Albania. His mother sold hand knit sweaters and one of her customers, Ganimet Toptani, learning that she was Jewish, offered to help them. Her husband, Atif Toptani, took the family to an estate outside of town. In August 1944, a German unit came to search the estate for weapons, as someone had shot at the soldiers. Atif showed them they had no weapons. They were not arrested but they were ordered to move back to Tirana. That September, Tirana was liberated by the partisans. The family returned to Belgrade. In December 1948, the family immigrated to Israel.

Drafting tool

Object