The Holocaust (1933-45) refers to Nazi Germany’s deliberate, progressive persecution and systematic murder of the Jews of Europe. Nazi anti-Semitism superseded traditional Judeo-Christian religious conflict by uniting a racial ideology with social Darwinism: the Jew is seen as subhuman, a disease threatening the body politic, and the cause of Germany’s problems—its economic woes, its defeat in World War I, its cultural degeneracy—and thus must be eradicated. As soon as Hitler came to power in 1933, the Nazis commenced the organized persecution of the Jews. Jewish books were burned and businesses boycotted. Jews were excluded from professions, public life, and from the arts. The Nuremberg laws of 1935 identified and defined a Jew based on immutable racial characteristics and lineage, less so his religion. Jews were stripped of their civil rights as German citizens. More than 120 decrees and ordinances were enacted subsequent to the Nuremberg laws. In 1938, Kristallnacht occurred, the planned pogrom that led to the destruction of synagogues, mass arrests, and the looting of Jewish businesses. Jews were murdered, and many more were interned in concentration camps that had been established for political prisoners. Jewish property was registered, confiscated, and ultimately arianized. Life in Nazi Germany was sufficiently intolerable that more than to 200,000 Jews emigrated. Hitler’s goal of making Germany “Judenrein” was proving successful.
With the Nazi’s ascension to power, other groups were imperiled as well, vulnerable to discriminatory treatment, persecution and death; for example, the Roma and Sinti, the developmentally and physically disabled, homosexuals, and political and social "undesirables". Slavic people were considered Untermenschen, fit only for servitude in the new and expanded Reich. During this period of time, in direct contravention of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was also secretly building its military and preparing for an eventual war. Yet it was the Nazi’s growing confidence and skill in pruning the Aryan tree of its undesirables that allowed it to perfect the technical apparatus for carrying out mass murder on an industrial scale, with its ultimate goal the “final solution to the Jewish question”.
This collection features numerous examples of identification documents for Jews used during the Third Reich; a selection of mail covers and Francotyp cards which record the mail history of Jewish-owned companies or corporate entities both before and subsequent to arianization during the era of the Third Reich; Julius Streicher anti-Semitic literature, posters from der Sturmer; and a general selection of anti-Semitic literature and postcards--Michael D. Bulmash, K1966
Browse the Bulmash Family Holocaust Collection.
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"und die Rechte soll night wissen was die Linke tut" [The Right Shall Not Know What the Left Hand Is Doing] Postcard
2014.1.23
Front: An anti-semitic illustration of a short, bald man in a suit carrying a cross in his right hand while accepting money in his left from a figure labeled "Jüdisch-Französischen? Kapital" [French Jew? Capital]. Back: Blank postcard lines.
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I.G. Farben Liquidation 200 Reichmarks Bond
2015.2.30
Front: Green paper with textured green background. Title in green writing over black background. Beneath the title is a rectangle with an ornate green border, 200 written in every corner. On either side are two portraits of men. On the left are Liebio and Wohler, on the left are Kekule and Hofmann. A signature on either side. The bottom has four coupons for varying amounts.
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German Anti-Semitic Postcard
2014.1.19
Front: A color drawing of a Jewish man selling contraband goods while three officers detain him.Back: Blank green postcarte lines with a penciled "Judaika!" in the upper right.
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German Anti-Semitic Postcard
2014.1.21
Front: A black and white illustration of three Jewish men playing music and singing to various laughing animals and children. [Howling Wolf]Back: Black printed postcard lines.
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Russian Anti-Nazi Propaganda Flier
2012.1.63
Front: An illustration of a skeleton in a Nazi uniform pointing to a wall of death certificates titled, "Hier ist der Platz für Dich! Du wirst der Nächste sein!"Back: Text in German titled, "Deutscher Soldat!"
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: A piece of Russian anti-Nazi propaganda. A skeleton in an SS uniform shows the police on the mortuary wall -- here's your place! you're next! A piece of Soviet produced anti-German/anti-Nazi propaganda leaflet to be dropped or shot over the lines to demoralize the German troops. The back contains a pass in German and Russian guaranteeing the bearer to safely pass through the lines and be taken to a happy captivity and a full belly.
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"Reisepass" (Passport) for Gertrude Katzenstein
2012.1.95a
Dark green cover with Nazi eagle, titled "Deutsches Reich Reisepass." Interior includes biographical information about and a black and white photo of Gertrude Katzenstein.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Gertrude Katzenstein emigrated from Bremen, Germany and changed her name to Gerdy Kaston in 1944. This Reisepass has a "J" stamped on the first page. Items relating to Gertrude Katzenstein: 2012.1.38ab, 2012.1.39, 2012.1.40, 2012.1.94, 2012.1.95ab, 2012.1.566
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Scheuer's Doppel-Ritter
2019.2.7
Yellow stamp with ridged edges showing image of an old woman and young girl.
[Related item: 2019.2.6]
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Scheuer's stamp from chicory coffee factory in Nuremberg- Fuerth founded by Georg Joseph Ignatz Scheuer.