AEG electric motor put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
- Date
-
1943-1944 September 11
(use)
- Geography
-
use :
hiding place;
Wawer (Poland)
- Classification
-
Tools and Equipment
- Category
-
Electrical equipment
- Object Type
-
Electric motors (lcsh)
- Credit Line
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Jadwiga Petri
AEG electric motor placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
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Record last modified: 2018-01-11 14:25:58
This page: https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn6791
Also in Stefan Petri collection
The collection consists of a workbench and over forty tooks, machines, and machine parts, relating to the experiences of Stefan Petri, who with his wife Janina concealed a Jewish family, Kaufman, Ela, and their sons Marek and Jerzy Szapiro, in a hiding place he built in his home in Wawer, a suburb of Warsaw, Poland, from fall 1942 - September 1944.
Date: 1942-1944 September 11
Transmitter hardware from the hiding place of a Jewish family
Object
Transmitter hardware kept in the cellar where Stefan Petri hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marian were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944.
Wehrmacht M1931 mess tin from the hiding place of a Jewish family
Object
Wehrmacht M1931 mess tin missing the lid placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944.
Slug pressing iron from hiding place of a Jewish family
Object
Pressing iron with a slug iron heating element inside placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944.
Padlock from the hiding place of a Jewish family
Object
Large padlock placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944.
Pipe cutter from hiding place of a Jewish family
Object
Pipe cutter placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944.
11 millimeter pipe cutter from hiding place of a Jewish family
Object
11 mm pipe cutter placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944.
13.5 millimeter pipe cutter from hiding place of a Jewish family
Object
13.5 mm pipe cutter placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944.
Workbench used to conceal the hiding place of a Jewish family
Object
Large wooden workbench that concealed the moveable floorboards concealing the entrance to a hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home for Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, whom he hid from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marian were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Telephone receiver put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Telephone receiver placed on the large wooden workbench that concealed the entrance to a hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home for Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, whom he hid from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marian were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Wooden box put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Wooden box placed on the large wooden workbench that concealed the entrance to a hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home for Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, whom he hid from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marian were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Toothed gear put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Gear wit sprockets placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marian were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Sprocketed gear put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Toothed gear placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marian were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Two coils of electric conduit put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Two partial coils of electric conduit wire placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marian were Polish Catholics living in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Cast metal collar put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Cast metal collar placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Electric grinder put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Electric grinder placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Air compressor put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Air compressor placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
AEG motor put on workbench used to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
AEG electric motor placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Generator put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Generator placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Motor vehicle gasoline pump put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Motor vehicle gasoline pump placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Coiled electric cable put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Coiled electric cable placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Engine put on workbench used to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Engine placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Battery charger put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Battery charger placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Heating pump put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Heating pump placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Gas mask placed on workbench used to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Gas mask placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Generator put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Generator placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Siemens generator put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Siemens generator placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Lantern put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Lantern placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Wooden box put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Wooden box with metal repair parts placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.friend, Irena Wroblewski, Petri sheltered the Szapiro family in his basement for two years, from the fall of 1942 until September 11, 1944. When German police searched the house, the Szapiros hid in a small, underground crawlspace beneath the bench.
Mandrel placed on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Mandrel placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Flywheel put on workbench to conceal hiding place of a Jewish family
Object
Flywheel placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Key plate placed on a workbench used to conceal the hiding place of a Jewish family
Object
Lock key plate placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Light bulb shield put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Light bulb shield placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Lid put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Metal lid placed on the workbench that concealed the hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Electric conductor put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Porcelain electric conductor placed on the workbench that concealed teh hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home where he hid Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Electric plug put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Electric plug placed on the large wooden workbench that concealed the entrance to a hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home for Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, whom he hid from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Electric switch put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Electric switch placed on the large wooden workbench that concealed the entrance to a hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home for Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, whom he hid from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Electric circuit-breaker put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Porcelain circuit breaker placed on the large wooden workbench that concealed the entrance to a hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home for Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, whom he hid from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Fan flywheel put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Fan flywheel placed on the large wooden workbench that concealed the entrance to a hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home for Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, whom he hid from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Clamp put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Clamp placed on the large wooden workbench that concealed the entrance to a hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home for Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, whom he hid from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Machine part put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Machine part placed on the large wooden workbench that concealed the entrance to a hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home for Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, whom he hid from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Wooden buffalo put on workbench to conceal hiding place of Jewish family
Object
Wooden bison toy placed on the large wooden workbench that concealed the entrance to a hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home for Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, whom he hid from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.
Trap door to the hiding place of a Jewish family
Object
Moveable floorboards that formed a trap door over the dugout hiding place built by Stefan Petri in his home for Dr. Kaufman Szapiro, wife Ela, and adult sons Jerzy and Marek, whom he hid from fall 1942-September 1944. Stefan, wife Janina, and teenage son Marek were Polish Catholics who lived in Wawer, near Warsaw. On September 1, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The German occupation regime brutally subjugated the Polish people and persecuted Jews. During the invasion, Stefan built a hiding place in his basement laundry room concealed by a cabinet. In summer-fall 1942, the Germans deported nearly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka killing center. Stefan learned of the Szapiro's escape. He knew them before the war and felt obligated to save them. He hid them in his home. Neighbors reported him to the Gestapo. He was beaten and the home searched twice with dogs. The hidden space was not discovered, but in 1943, Stefan dug out a second space below it. The dugout was accessed through a trap door under the workbench which was piled with machine and tools to cover make it unnoticeable. Jadwiga, a local shopkeeper, helped supply food for the hidden family. The Szapiro's lived hidden for two years inside Stefan's home, until liberation by the Soviet Army on September 11, 1944. This item is on display in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition, A Place to Hide - segment: 3.22.bench.