Star of David badge with a yellow star on a black circle worn by a Jewish Romanian woman
Extent and Medium
overall: | Diameter: 2.750 inches (6.985 cm)
Creator(s)
- Angela Starc (Subject)
- Simona Nistor-Vianu (Subject)
Biographical History
Angela Weissmann was born in 1920 in Piatra Neamt, Romania, to Nisan and Feiga Sigler Weissmann. Nisen was a World War I veteran. Angela had two siblings, Simona, born in 1923, and Berhard, (? - 1993.) The family was Orthodox and the children were taught Hebrew. They lived in the Hangu region, the birthplace of her father and his two brothers. The family harvested fir trees. In November 1940, Romania, under the rule of the fascist General Antonescu, joined the Axis Alliance. The government enacted strict anti-Jewish policies and encouraged the violent persecution of Jews in the already deeply antisemitic country. Angela Starc, age 83, died on May 21, 2003.
Simona Weissmann, was born in Piatra Neamt, Romania, on October 14, 1923, to Feiga (Fani) Sigler and Nisen David Weissmann, a veteran of World War I (1914-1918). They were an observant Jewish family and Simona and her two siblings, Angela, (1992-2003) and Berhard (d. 1993), were taught Hebrew. They lived in the Hangu region where her father and his two brothers were born. The family harvested fir trees. In November 1940, Romania, under the rule of the right wing General Ion Antonescu, joined the Axis Alliance. The regime immediately established restrictive anti-Jewish measures and encouraged the violent persecution of Jews in the already deeply antisemitic country. In 1944, Simona married Dr. Carl Iancovici; she has since remarried twice. Simona Nistor-Vianu is an artist and critic.
Archival History
The Star of David badge was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2009 by Simona Nistor-Vianu, the sister of Angela Starc.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Simona Nistor-Vianu
Scope and Content
Circular cloth Star of David patch that 21 year old Angela Weissmann was forced to wear in Piatra Neamt, Romania, ca. 1941-1945. In November 1940, the fascist government of General Antonescu joined the Axis Alliance. They immediately put in place policies to persecute Jews, such as the requirement that Jews wear a Jewish star badge on their clothing at all times. The antisemitic regime also supported increasingly violent attacks and pogroms against the Jewish population.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Two overlapping yellow cloth triangles sewn together with black thread to create a 6-pointed Star of David badge which is sewn onto circular cardboard covered with black cloth.
Subjects
- Jews--Persecutions--Romania.
- Jewish families--Romania.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Romania--Personal narratives.
Genre
- Identifying Artifacts
- Object