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Leonard Greenblatt papers

Document | Accession Number: 2013.318.1

Collection of materials documenting the experiences of 1st Lt. Leonard Greenblatt (donor's father) of the 504 Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division US Army, including photographs he took in the Woebbelin concentration camp shortly after its liberation, in May 1945. The photographs depict corpses piled in a building, a U.S. soldier standing near them, and German civilians from the nearby town who were forced to dig graves and bury the corpses. File also contains a letter written by Greenblatt to his girlfriend (later wife), Betty Mae Bender, of Miami, Florida, dated 6 May 1945, and describing what he experienced at the day that he took these photos. Collection also contains a copy print of his unit.

Date
1945 May 06  (creation)
Language
English
Extent
1 letter.
1 copy print.
11 photographs.
Extent
1 folder
Credit Line
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Marilyn D. Greenblatt
Expand all

About This Document

Document Creator
Leonard Greenblatt
Biography
Leonard Greenblatt (1917-2008) was born in Vineland, New Jersey, to a Morris and Ida Lipman Greenblatt. When he was 10 years old, his father, who was a Russian Jewish immigrant, died, and his family later moved to Miami, where he eventually completed college and worked as an accountant. In November 1941 he enrolled in the U.S. Army, and after the United States entered the war, he was assigned to the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division in the spring of 1942. He first saw active duty in the Mediterranean Theater, and subsequently took part in Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge. On 2 May 1945, the 82nd Airborne Division liberated the Wöbbelin concentration camp, and Greenblatt subsequently visited the camp. Following the end of the war, Greenblatt remained in Germany with the 82nd, until he was honorably discharged at the rank of first lieutenant in November 1945. He returned to Miami and married Betty Mae Bender, and had two children. He died in Pineville, North Carolina in November 2008.

Keywords and Subjects

Administrative History

Legal Status
Permanent Collection
Provenance
Created or acquired by 1st Lt. Leonard Greenblatt (donor's father) during his service with the 504 Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division US Army during WWII. Donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2013 by Marilyn D. Greenblatt.

Rights and Restrictions

Conditions on Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions on Use
Restrictions on use
 
Record last modified: 2018-02-06 14:31:34
This page: https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn77259

Also in Leonard Greenblatt collection

The collection consists of a silk escape map, a letter, and photographs relating to the experiences of Leonard Greenblatt as a soldier in the United States Army in Germany during World War II.

Date: 1945 May

Two-sided silk escape map of Western Europe carried by a US soldier

Two-sided silk escape map of Western Europe carried by a US soldier

Object

British made topographical silk escape map of Western Europe carried by First Lieutenant Leonard Greenblatt during his service as a US soldier in Germany in May 1945. The British issued this type of map to help soldiers find their way to safety if caught behind enemy lines. Silk maps were used because they were durable, easy to conceal, and made no noise. Leonard, age 23, enlisted in November 1941. He deployed with his unit, the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, in April 1943 to French Morocco. Leonard was a platoon leader and participated in eight campaigns as the 504th advanced into Germany. On April 6, 1945, the unit crossed the Rhine near Hitsdorf, Germany, as a diversionary tactic to mislead the Germans for which it was awarded a Presidential citation. Leonard also was awarded a Bronze Star for his actions at Anzio. On May 2, the 82nd Airborne liberated Wobbelin concentration camp. Leonard visited Wobbelin, took photographs, and wrote a letter home about the atrocities he witnessed. On May 7, 1945, Germany surrendered. The 82nd Airborne was placed on occupation duty in Berlin. Leonard returned to the US in September and was discharged in November.

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