Overview
- Description
- Contains documents acquired by Edward and Joseph Tenenbaum. Edward Tenenbaum (donor’s husband) was a 1st Lieutenant in the OSS and the US Army and author of the Buchenwald Report. He was the first American officer to enter the Buchenwald concentration camp at liberation and also participated in the liberation of Ohrdruf. His father, Joseph Tenenbaum, was one of the organizers of an early boycott in the United States against Nazi Germany.
- Credit Line
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Jeannette Tenenbaum
- Collection Creator
- Joseph L. Tenenbaum
- Biography
-
Joseph Leib Tenenbaum (1887-1961) was born on 22 May 1887 in Sasów, Poland, (now Sasiv, Ukraine). He had at least one brother, Samuel. During his years as a student, he became involved in the Hashahar student youth organization. He studied at the University of Vienna, graduating in 1911; and the University of Lviv, graduating in 1914 with a degree in medicine. He served as a military doctor with the rank of captain in the Austrian Army during World War I. in 1919, he was a delegate to the Paris Peace Conference.
Joseph immigrated to New York in 1920 and practiced medicine as an urologist. He was active in numerous Jewish organizations, and was the founder and chairman of the Joint Boycott Council of the American Jewish Congress (1933-1941), an organization that promoted the boycott of German materials in the U.S. As president of the American and World Federation of Polish Jews, Tenenbaum visited Poland after the war to bring aid to Jewish survivors. He was also an active member of several other organizations including the World Jewish Congress, the Workmen’s Circle, and the Zionist Organization of America.
Tenenbaum was also a prolific author. He authored numerous articles, essays, speeches, and books on medical topics, Jewish issues, and the Holocaust. Some of his books include The Riddle of Sex (1929), Races, Nations, and Jews (1934), Peace for Jews (1945), In Search of a Lost People (1948) and Race and Reich (1956). He had completed a manuscript on Jewish rescue operations during the Holocaust at the time of his death in 1961, but it was never published.
He was married to Otilia Jon (also spelled John), and they had three sons, Edward (1921-1975), Bertrand, and Robert. Joseph later married Sheila Schwartz. His son Edward served in the United States Army, and was the first American officer to enter the Buchenwald concentration camp after liberation. He co-authored the Preliminary Buchenwald Report (1945) with Egon Fleck.
Physical Details
- Extent
-
1 folder
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.
Keywords & Subjects
- Corporate Name
- Buchenwald (Concentration camp)
Administrative Notes
- Holder of Originals
-
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
- Legal Status
- Permanent Collection
- Provenance
- The collection was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2016 by Jeannette Tenenbaum, wife of Edward Tenenbaum and daughter-in-law of Joseph Tenenbaum.
- Record last modified:
- 2024-08-28 14:26:40
- This page:
- https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn559430
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Also in Edward and Joseph Tenenbaum collection
The collection consists of artifacts, books, booklets, clippings, documents, and propaganda materials relating to the experiences of Edward and Joseph Tenenbaum, before, during, and after World War II (1939-1945), during which Edward, a 1st Lieutenant in the OSS and the US Army, was the first American officer to enter Buchenwald concentration camp at liberation, a participant in the liberation of Ohrdruf, and author of the Buchenwald Report. His father, Joseph Tenenbaum, was one of the organizers of the early boycott against Nazi Germany.
Date: approximately 1933-approximately 1946
Winterhilfswerk des Deutschen Volkes Christmas fund raising pin
Object
Winterhilfswerk des Deutschen Volkes (Winter Relief Agency of the German People) Christmas pin issued to those who donated to the Nazi Party charity. It was acquired by Edward and Joseph Tenenbaum. Edward, a 1st Lieutenant in the OSS and the US Army during the Second World War (1939-1945), was the first American officer to enter Buchenwald concentration camp at liberation, a participant in the liberation of Ohrdruf, and author of the Buchenwald Report. His father, Joseph Tenenbaum, was one of the organizers of the early boycott against Nazi Germany.
Tag Der Arbeit commemorative pin
Object
Tag Der Arbeit pin issued to commemorate Labor Day, May 1, a holiday was established in 1933 by the Nazi government. It was acquired by Edward and Joseph Tenenbaum. Edward, a 1st Lieutenant in the OSS and the US Army during the Second World War (1939-1945), was the first American officer to enter Buchenwald concentration camp at liberation, a participant in the liberation of Ohrdruf, and author of the Buchenwald Report. His father, Joseph Tenenbaum, was one of the organizers of the early boycott against Nazi Germany.
Hitler Youth Saar Westmark Koblenz pin
Object
Hitler Youth Saar Westmark Koblenz tinnie acquired by Edward and Joseph Tenenbaum. Edward, a 1st Lieutenant in the OSS and the US Army during the Second World War (1939-1945), was the first American officer to enter Buchenwald concentration camp at liberation, a participant in the liberation of Ohrdruf, and author of the Buchenwald Report. His father, Joseph Tenenbaum, was one of the organizers of the early boycott against Nazi Germany.
Binoculars thrown at US soldier during concentration camp liberation
Object
Pair of binoculars thrown at Lt. Edward Tenenbaum during the liberation of Buchenwald concentration camp in April 1945. Edward served in the OSS and the US Army during the Second World War (1939-1945). He was the first American officer to enter Buchenwald at liberation, a participant in the liberation of Ohrdruf, and author of the Buchenwald Report.
DDAC car pennant with swastika acquired by Edward Tenenbaum
Object
DDAC [Der Deutsche Automobil-Club] car pennant for the Nazi era German Automobile Club acquired by Lt. Edward Tenenbaum during the war. Edward, a 1st Lieutenant in the OSS and the US Army during the Second World War (1939-1945), was the first American officer to enter Buchenwald concentration camp at liberation, a participant in the liberation of Ohrdruf, and author of the Buchenwald Report.
German Marksmanship aiguillette
Object
Silver colored German marksmanship aiguillette acquired by Lt. Edward Tenenbaum during the war. Edward, a 1st Lieutenant in the OSS and the US Army during the Second World War (1939-1945), was the first American officer to enter Buchenwald concentration camp at liberation, a participant in the liberation of Ohrdruf, and author of the Buchenwald Report.
Nazi flag acquired by a US soldier
Object
DDAC [Der Deutsche Automobil-Club] car pennant for the Nazi era German Automobile Club acquired by Lt. Edward Tenenbaum during the war. Edward, a 1st Lieutenant in the OSS and the US Army during the Second World War (1939-1945), was the first American officer to enter Buchenwald concentration camp at liberation, a participant in the liberation of Ohrdruf, and author of the Buchenwald Report.