Ellen Fass Zilka papers
Documents and photographs concerning the experiences of the Ellen Fass (donor), who was sent from Germany to the United Kingdom with her brother Gerd [later known as Gerald Freeman] as part of the Kindertransport in 1939. Included is correspondence written by her parents who did not survive, dated 1939-1940, and by others. Also included is a collection of documents illustrating the experiences of Marie Goerlich (donor’s distant relative) who survived the Theresienstadt concentration camp.
- Date
-
inclusive:
1920-1991
- Genre/Form
-
Letters.
Photographs.
- Extent
-
5 folders
- Credit Line
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Ellen Zilka
-
Record last modified: 2023-02-24 13:43:48
This page: https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn88144
Also in Ellen Fass Zilka family collection
The collection consists of a belt, blanket, bracelet, card game, case, set of garters, handkerchief, spoon, 2 towels, documents, and photographs relating to the experiences of Ellen Ruth Fass before the Holocaust in Germany, during the Holocaust in England, and after the Holocaust in the United States, and an armband, Star of David badge, and documents relating to Marie Goerlich, Ellen’s great aunt, who was interned in Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp.
Date: 1920-1991
Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp scrip, 2 kronen note, acquired by an inmate
Object
Scrip, valued at 2 (zwei) kronen likely acquired by Marie Goerlich who was imprisoned in Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp in German occupied Czechoslovakia from March 18, 1943, to May 9, 1945. Inmates were not allowed to have currency and the SS ordered the Jewish Council to design scrip for use only in the camp. Produced in 7 denominations: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, it was issued to create a false appearance of normalcy in the camp. There was nothing to obtain with the scrip. Marie later gave the scrip to her great niece, Ellen Ruth Fass, who was sent from Berlin to England on a Kindertransport in July 1939. Marie was Jewish but married a Christian man and celebrated Christian holidays. After the Nuremberg Laws were passed in Germany in 1935, Marie was defined as Jewish because she had four Jewish grandparents. On March 18, 1943, Marie was deported to Theresienstadt, where she was liberated on May 9, 1945, by Soviet forces. She returned home to Germany.
Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp scrip, 5 kronen note, acquired by an inmate
Object
Scrip, valued at 5 [funf] kronen likely acquired by Marie Goerlich who was imprisoned in Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp in German occupied Czechoslovakia from March 18, 1943, to May 9, 1945. Inmates were not allowed to have currency and the SS ordered the Jewish Council to design scrip for use only in the camp. Produced in 7 denominations: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, it was issued to create a false appearance of normalcy in the camp. There was nothing to obtain with the scrip. Marie later gave the scrip to her great niece, Ellen Ruth Fass, who was sent from Berlin to England on a Kindertransport in July 1939. Marie was Jewish but married a Christian man and celebrated Christian holidays. After the Nuremberg Laws were passed in Germany in 1935, Marie was defined as Jewish because she had four Jewish grandparents. On March 18, 1943, Marie was deported to Theresienstadt, where she was liberated on May 9, 1945, by Soviet forces. She returned home to Germany.
Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp scrip, 50 kronen note, acquired by an inmate
Object
Scrip, valued at 50 [funfzig] kronen likely acquired by Marie Goerlich who was imprisoned in Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp in German occupied Czechoslovakia from March 18, 1943, to May 9, 1945. Inmates were not allowed to have currency and the SS ordered the Jewish Council to design scrip for use only in the camp. Produced in 7 denominations: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, it was issued to create a false appearance of normalcy in the camp. There was nothing to obtain with the scrip. Marie later gave the scrip to her great niece, Ellen Ruth Fass, who was sent from Berlin to England on a Kindertransport in July 1939. Marie was Jewish but married a Christian man and celebrated Christian holidays. After the Nuremberg Laws were passed in Germany in 1935, Marie was defined as Jewish because she had four Jewish grandparents. On March 18, 1943, Marie was deported to Theresienstadt, where she was liberated on May 9, 1945, by Soviet forces. She returned home to Germany.
Silver serving spoon with modern poliert pattern carried by a Kindertransport refugee
Object
Silver serving spoon brought by 10 year old Ellen Ruth Fass from Berlin, Germany, to Edge, England, on a Kindertransport on July 25, 1939. The spoon has a design called modern poliert. After Hitler assumed power in Germany in 1933, Jews were subjected to increasingly punitive restrictions. During Kristallnacht on November 10, 1938, Ellen’s father Georg was arrested and sent to Sachenhausen concentration camp. After his release in December, he and Ellen’s mother, Nanette, tried to immigrate to the United States or South America, but could not get visas. They arranged for Ellen and her brother Gerhard, 5, to be sent to England in summer 1939. Ellen lived in Edge with Kate Richmond and Gerhard lived in Derby with Charles and Esther Freeman. Ellen’s parents were deported to Kaunas, Lithuania on November 17, 1941, and were killed at the Ninth Fort on November 25. Ellen’s maternal grandparents, Eduard and Dorothea Simon, were deported to Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp in June 1942, then to Treblinka killing center in September. Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945. In May 1946, Ellen immigrated to the United States.
Deutsches Land boxed card deck carried by a Kindertransport refugee
Object
Deutsches Land [German Country] boxed quartet card game taken with Ellen Fass, 10, in 1939 when she and her brother Gerhard, 5, left Germany on a July 1939 Kindertransport to Great Britain. After Hitler assumed power in 1933, Jews suffered under increasingly punitive restrictions. During Kristallnacht on November 10, 1938, Ellen’s father Georg was arrested and sent to Sachenhausen concentration camp. After his release in December, he and Ellen’s mother, Nanette, tried to immigrate to the United States or South America, but could not get visas. They arranged for Ellen and her brother to be sent to England. Ellen lived in Edge with Kate Richmond and Gerhard in Derby with Charles and Esther Freeman. Ellen’s parents were deported to Kaunas (Kovno) in German occupied Lithuania, on November 17, 1941, and killed at the Ninth Fort on November 25. Ellen’s maternal grandparents, Eduard and Dorothea Simon, were deported to Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp in June 1942, then to Treblinka killing center in September. In May 1946, Ellen immigrated to the United States.
Plastic amber bead bracelet worn by a Kindertransport refugee
Object
Amber bracelet brought by 10 year old Ellen Ruth Fass from Berlin, Germany, to England, on a Kindertransport on July 25, 1939. Ellen got the bracelet on a Baltic vacation in about 1935. After Hitler assumed power in Germany in 1933, Jews were subject to increasingly punitive restrictions. During Kristallnacht on November 10, 1938, Ellen’s father Georg was arrested and sent to Sachenhausen concentration camp. After his release in December, he and Ellen’s mother, Nanette, tried to immigrate to the United States or South America, but could not get visas. They arranged for Ellen and her brother Gerhard, 5, to be sent to England in summer 1939. Ellen lived in Edge with Kate Richmond and Gerhard lived in Derby with Charles and Esther Freeman. Ellen’s parents were deported to Kaunas, Lithuania, on November 17, 1941, and killed at the Ninth Fort on November 25. Ellen’s maternal grandparents, Eduard and Dorothea Simon, were deported to Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp in June 1942, then to Treblinka killing center in September. Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945. In May 1946, Ellen immigrated to the United States.
Blue and green plaid belt for a school uniform worn by a Kindertransport refugee
Object
Blue and green plaid cloth belt worn by Ellen Ruth Fass in school in England where she was sent there from Berlin, Germany, in July 1939. Ellen received the belt as part of her school uniform in Edge, England. After Hitler assumed power in 1933, Jews were subject to increasingly punitive restrictions. During Kristallnacht on November 10, 1938, Ellen’s father Georg was arrested and sent to Sachenhausen concentration camp. After his release in December, he and Ellen’s mother, Nanette, tried to immigrate to the United States or South America, but could not get visas. They arranged for Ellen, 10, and her brother Gerhard, 5, to be sent to England in summer 1939. Ellen lived in Edge with Kate Richmond and Gerhard lived in Derby with Charles and Esther Freeman. Ellen’s parents were deported to Kaunas, Lithuania, on November 17, 1941, and killed at the Ninth Fort on November 25. Ellen’s maternal grandparents, Eduard and Dorothea Simon, were deported to Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp in June 1942, then to Treblinka killing center in September. Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945. In May 1946, Ellen immigrated to the United States.
Pink ribbon garter owned by a Kindertransport refugee
Object
Pink ribbon garter owned by Ellen Ruth Fass, who was sent from Berlin, Germany, to Edge, England, on a Kindertransport on July 25, 1939. After Hitler assumed power in 1933, Jews were subject to increasingly punitive restrictions. During Kristallnacht on November 10, 1938, Ellen’s father Georg was arrested and sent to Sachenhausen concentration camp. After his release in December, he and Ellen’s mother, Nanette, tried to immigrate to the United States or South America, but could not get visas. They arranged for Ellen, 10 and her brother Gerhard, 5, to be sent to England in summer 1939. Ellen lived in Edge with Kate Richmond and Gerhard lived in Derby with Charles and Esther Freeman. Ellen’s parents were deported to Kaunas, Lithuania on November 17, 1941, and killed at the Ninth Fort on November 25. Ellen’s maternal grandparents, Eduard and Dorothea Simon, were deported to Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp in June 1942, then to Treblinka killing center in September. Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945. In May 1946, Ellen immigrated to the United States.
Pink ribbon garter owned by a Kindertransport refugee
Object
Pink ribbon garter owned by Ellen Ruth Fass, who was sent from Berlin, Germany, to Edge, England, on a Kindertransport on July 25, 1939. After Hitler assumed power in 1933, Jews were subject to increasingly punitive restrictions. During Kristallnacht on November 10, 1938, Ellen’s father Georg was arrested and sent to Sachenhausen concentration camp. After his release in December, he and Ellen’s mother, Nanette, tried to immigrate to the United States or South America, but could not get visas. They arranged for Ellen, 10 and her brother Gerhard, 5, to be sent to England in summer 1939. Ellen lived in Edge with Kate Richmond and Gerhard lived in Derby with Charles and Esther Freeman. Ellen’s parents were deported to Kaunas, Lithuania on November 17, 1941, and killed at the Ninth Fort on November 25. Ellen’s maternal grandparents, Eduard and Dorothea Simon, were deported to Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp in June 1942, then to Treblinka killing center in September. Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945. In May 1946, Ellen immigrated to the United States.
White blanket with purple border used by a Kindertransport refugee
Object
White and purple blanket brought by 10 year old Ellen Ruth Fass from Berlin, Germany, to Edge, England, on a Kindertransport on July 25, 1939. Before Ellen left, her mother Nanette sewed a name tag into each of her belongings. The blanket is also embroidered with Nanette’s initials. After Hitler assumed power in 1933, Jews were subject to increasingly punitive restrictions. During Kristallnacht on November 10, 1938, Ellen’s father Georg was arrested and sent to Sachenhausen concentration camp. After his release in December, he and Nanette tried to immigrate to the United States or South America, but could not get visas. They arranged for Ellen and her brother Gerhard, 5, to be sent to England in summer 1939. Ellen lived in Edge with Kate Richmond and Gerhard lived in Derby with Charles and Esther Freeman. Ellen’s parents were deported to Kaunas, Lithuania, on November 17, 1941, and killed at the Ninth Fort on November 25. Ellen’s maternal grandparents, Eduard and Dorothea Simon, were deported to Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp in June 1942, then to Treblinka killing center in September. Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945. In May 1946, Ellen immigrated to the United States.
Blue striped white damask handkerchief used by a Kindertransport refugee
Object
White and blue handkerchief brought by 10 year old Ellen Ruth Fass from Berlin, Germany, to Edge, England, on a Kindertransport on July 25, 1939. After Hitler assumed power in 1933, Jews were subject to increasingly punitive restrictions. During Kristallnacht on November 10, 1938, Ellen’s father Georg was arrested and sent to Sachenhausen concentration camp. After his release in December, he and Nanette tried to immigrate to the United States or South America, but could not get visas. They arranged for Ellen and her brother Gerhard, 5, to be sent to England in summer 1939. Ellen lived in Edge with Kate Richmond and Gerhard lived in Derby with Charles and Esther Freeman. Ellen’s parents were deported to Kaunas, Lithuania, on November 17, 1941, and killed at the Ninth Fort on November 25. Ellen’s maternal grandparents, Eduard and Dorothea Simon, were deported to Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp in June 1942, then to Treblinka killing center in September. Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945. In May 1946, Ellen immigrated to the United States.
White tea towel with yellow stripes used by a Kindertransport refugee
Object
White and yellow tea towel brought by 10 year old Ellen Ruth Fass from Berlin, Germany, to Edge, England, on a Kindertransport on July 25, 1939. After Hitler assumed power in 1933, Jews were subject to increasingly punitive restrictions. During Kristallnacht on November 10, 1938, Ellen’s father Georg was arrested and sent to Sachenhausen concentration camp. After his release in December, he and Nanette tried to immigrate to the United States or South America, but could not get visas. They arranged for Ellen and her brother Gerhard, 5, to be sent to England in summer 1939. Ellen lived in Edge with Kate Richmond and Gerhard lived in Derby with Charles and Esther Freeman. Ellen’s parents were deported to Kaunas, Lithuania, on November 17, 1941, and killed at the Ninth Fort on November 25. Ellen’s maternal grandparents, Eduard and Dorothea Simon, were deported to Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp in June 1942, then to Treblinka killing center in September. Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945. In May 1946, Ellen immigrated to the United States.
White tea towel with green stripes used by a Kindertransport refugee
Object
White and green tea towel brought by 10 year old Ellen Ruth Fass from Berlin, Germany, to Edge, England, on a Kindertransport on July 25, 1939. Before Ellen left, her mother Nanette sewed a name tag into each of her belongings. After Hitler assumed power in 1933, Jews were subject to increasingly punitive restrictions. During Kristallnacht on November 10, 1938, Ellen’s father Georg was arrested and sent to Sachenhausen concentration camp. After his release in December, he and Nanette tried to immigrate to the United States or South America, but could not get visas. They arranged for Ellen and her brother Gerhard, 5, to be sent to England in summer 1939. Ellen lived in Edge with Kate Richmond and Gerhard lived in Derby with Charles and Esther Freeman. Ellen’s parents were deported to Kaunas, Lithuania, on November 17, 1941, and killed at the Ninth Fort on November 25. Ellen’s maternal grandparents, Eduard and Dorothea Simon, were deported to Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp in June 1942, then to Treblinka killing center in September. Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945. In May 1946, Ellen immigrated to the United States.
Theresienstadt armband worn by a Jewish inmate
Object
Theresienstadt armband worn by Marie Goerlich who was imprisoned in Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp in German occupied Czechoslovakia from March 18, 1943, to May 9, 1945. The armband is stamped with a medical symbol and text for the local government of Theresienstadt ghetto. Marie later gave the armband to her great niece, Ellen Ruth Fass, who was sent from Berlin to England on a Kindertransport in July 1939. Marie was Jewish but married a Christian man and celebrated Christian holidays. After the Nuremberg Laws were passed in Germany in 1935, Marie was defined as Jewish because she had four Jewish grandparents. On March 18, 1943, Marie was deported from Berlin to Theresienstadt. On May 9, 1945, she was liberated in Theresienstadt by Soviet forces. She returned home to Germany.
Brown alligator leather holder used by Kindertransport refugee
Object
Brown alligator patterned leather case brought by 10 year old Ellen Ruth Fass from Berlin, Germany, to Edge, England, on a Kindertransport on July 25, 1939. After Hitler assumed power in in 1933, Jews were subject to increasingly punitive restrictions. During Kristallnacht on November 10, 1938, Ellen’s father Georg was arrested and sent to Sachenhausen concentration camp. After his release in December, he and Nanette tried to immigrate to the United States or South America, but could not get visas. They arranged for Ellen and her brother Gerhard, 5, to be sent to England in summer 1939. Ellen lived in Edge with Kate Richmond and Gerhard lived in Derby with Charles and Esther Freeman. Ellen’s parents were deported to Kaunas, Lithuania, on November 17, 1941, and killed at the Ninth Fort on November 25. Ellen’s maternal grandparents, Eduard and Dorothea Simon, were deported to the Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp in June 1942, then to Treblinka killing center in September. Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945. In May 1946, Ellen immigrated to the United States.
Unused Star of David badge owned by a German Jewish woman
Object
Uncut Star of David badge printed with Jude for Jew, likely owned by Marie Goerlich, who was deported from Caputh,Germany, to Theresienstadt ghetto-labor camp on March 18, 1943. On September 9, 1941, German Jews were required to wear these badges to humiliate and separate them from the general public. Marie later gave the badge to her great niece, Ellen Ruth Fass, who was sent from Berlin to England on a Kindertransport in July 1939. Marie was Jewish but married a Christian man and celebrated Christian holidays. After the Nuremberg Laws were passed in Germany in 1935, Marie was defined as Jewish because she had four Jewish grandparents. On March 18, 1943, Marie was deported from Berlin to Theresienstadt. On May 9, 1945, she was liberated in Theresienstadt by Soviet forces. She returned home to Germany.
