Spielman and Hudes families papers

Collection of documents, correspondence, photographs, copy prints and clippings that document the experiences of Alexander Spielman; his wife Helen Hudes Spielman; their children Bernhard, Nathan, Hanna (donor), and Edith; and their experiences in the Netherlands, France, and the United States before, during, and after World War II. Helen, Nathan, and Hanna had American citizenship. In October 1942, the family was denounced by the Maastrihct town mayor and deported from their home to Westerbork. They were separated from Alexander, who was sent to perform forced labor. Helen and the children were then sent to Libenau and then to the Vittel internment camp in France, where they were liberated by the US Army in September 1944. Helen, Edith and Hanna can all be seen in newsreel outtakes documenting the liberation of the camp and being entertained by Army Medic Eldon Nicholas playing with "Kiki," the monkey puppet (see RG-60.2062 and 2009.203.2). The family was reunited with Alexander in Vittel before going to the La Bourboule DP camp. They sailed to the US on board the USS Barry, a hospital ship for wounded soldiers, arriving in Boston on December 23, 1944.