By May 1945 six million European Jews had been murdered by the Nazis and their allies. Much of Europe lay in ruins. Allied soldiers confronting the concentration camps for the first time found -amidst the scattered mounds of corpses and ash-“survivors” suffering from disease and starvation, many of whom would perish in the forthcoming days and months. Homeless and unable -or unwilling- to be repatriated to their countries of origin, many were housed in Displaced Persons camps throughout the Allied zones of occupation. These DP camps, often former military or even concentration camps, were themselves overcrowded, and just as often the Jews had to share space with their very persecutors. Many Jews attempted to emigrate to Palestine despite stringent quotas on immigration imposed by the British government attempting to mollify the Arabs. As a consequence, many emigrated “illegally” with the assistance of the Jewish Brigade and Haganah, through the underground Bricha Movement. A 1947 a United Nations resolution to partition Palestine between Jews and Arabs was to be rejected by the Arabs. Britain would end its mandate and withdraw from Palestine in May 1948. Israel established its provisional government in the same month, giving Jews their own homeland and unrestricted immigration. President Truman himself loosened restrictions on quotas of displaced persons, and approximately 28,000 Jews were able to immigrate to the US. The Nuremberg trials were a consequence of Allied efforts to take legal action against Germany as a criminal state. The first tribunal consisted of eight judges, drawn from each of the Allied countries. Twenty-one former Nazi leaders stood trial. The Tribunal enshrined for the first time in jurisprudence and international law the concept of “genocide”, as well as a typology of war crimes to be utilized by the United Nations. In the ensuing years many courts- both international and domestic-would conduct trials of accused war criminals.
This collection features passports, visas and other documents of diplomats and others who saved Jews, including Friedrich Born, Frank Foley, Feng Shan Ho, Vlademar Langlet, Carl Lutz, Monsignor Angelo Rota, Andrey Szeptycki, Angel Sanz-Briz, Chiune Sugihara, Raoul Wallenberg,Carl Ivan Danielsson and Jan Zwartendijk. Also noteworthy is an assemblage of ephemera—photos, covers, letters, etc.- from the Bergen-Belsen (D.P. Hohne) Displaced Persons Camp (1946-1948); and covers from organizations such as the AJDC , IRO and UNRRA, established to provide aid and assistance to Jewish refugees.
--Michael D. Bulmash, K1966
Browse the Bulmash Family Holocaust Collection.
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Letter from Mavis Batey
2014.1.239
Front: A note written in blue ink on white paper in English.Back: The letter continues. Includes a signature.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: A letter written by Mavis Batey, one of the leading code breakers at Bletchley Park in World War II, and crucial to the success of D-Day. Along with Dilly Knox and Margaret Rock, she was instrumental in breaking the Enigma cipher used by the German secret service, the Abwehr. Bletchley Park was a mansion 50 miles northwest of London, and was the top secret wartime home of Government Communications Headquarters, or "Station X." Mrs. Batey's husband Keith Batey also worked at Bletchley.
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First Day Cover: Celebration of Hiram (Harry) Bingham IV
2012.1.119
White envelope with photographs of and text about Hiram (Harry) Bingham IV.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: US First Day Cover commemorating Harry Bingham, Vice Consul in Marseilles, who worked with Varian Fry and others to provide visa and travel documents to Jews attempting to escape Vichy France.
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Postcard Commemorating Death of Zelea Codreanu
2014.1.279
Front: A sepia photograph of Romanian men in the street.Back: White postcard with black printed postcard lines. Includes writing in blue ink as well as purple and blue postage stamps, as well as two black hand stamps.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Romanian postcard commemorating the 70th anniversary of the death of Iron Guard leader Zelea Codrenau, and his exile in Spain. Overprint on stamp of Iron Guard symbol with a picture of party members marching.
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"As long as you remember us we are alive" Israel Holocaust Commemorative Stamps
2016.1.17
Full sheet of six columns of stamps, three with black background and gold heart with 'Jude' at center, three with blue and white flag of Israel with Star of David at center. At left are larger images of stamps.
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Young Judea Certificate of Membership
2015.2.209
Front: A red card with a black printed border and black text. Includes a title in white against a black background with a white emblem including the Star of David in middle, typewritten information, and a printed signature.Back: Printed black text in English.
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First Day Cover: Israeli commemoration of Holocaust martyrs and heroes
2012.1.113
White envelope with orange photograph of buildings on fire, and a grey stamp with a shirtless man among ruins.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Israeli First Day Cover commemorating Holocaust martyrs and heros.
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Korczak Forest Label
2012.1.151
Yellow Star of David labeled "Jude" with Hebrew text.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Donations from these labels were dedicated to the Korczak Forest in Israel.
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Korczak Forest Label
2012.1.152
Red and orange label with illustration of a man carrying a child with children trailing behind him.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Donations from these labels were dedicated to the Korczak Forest in Israel.
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Polish Stamp Commemorating the Liberation of Lodz
2012.1.420a
Stamp with illustration of a monument with a statue of a man on top. Titled, "Poczta Polska."
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Polish stamp commemorating the liberation of Lodz in 1945.
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Polish Stamp Commemorating the Liberation of Warsaw
2012.1.420b
Stamp with red illustration of a man holding a flag and a woman. Titled, "Poczta Polska."
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Polish stamp commemorating the liberation of Warsaw in 1945.
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Polish Stamp Commemorating the Liberation of Lodz
2012.1.420c
Stamp with blue illustration of smokestacks. Titled, "Poczta Polska."
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Polish stamp commemorating the liberation of Lodz in 1945.
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Polish Stamp Commemorating Majdanek Death Camp
2012.1.420d
Stamp with green illustration of a skeleton in Nazi uniform pouring gas on a compound of buildlings.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Majdanek Death Camp stamp issued by Poland in 1946 commemorating the atrocities that took place there. Stamp depicts death in skeletal form of a Third Reich Nazi pouring Zyklon B into gas chambers.
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Jewish National Fund Israel Lives Ticket
2012.1.454
White ticket with blue text titled, "Israel Lives!" Includes an illustration of trees and dessert.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Israel KKL/JNF Holocaust Memorial Day 1980s.
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Memorial Book in Yiddish
2012.1.550
A black hardcover book with a title in gold Hebrew. Interior includes text in Hebrew and black and white photographs.
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Commemorative poster of the Forest for Martyred Children of the Holocaust
2012.1.573
A colorful poster showing a forest on one side and shadowy children on the other, as well as a candle in the foreground. Includes text in Spanish and Hebrew.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:Commemorating the 1.5 million children murdered by Nazis in World War II. Spanish and Hebrew.