Sign announcing store closings due to the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt acquired by a US soldier

Identifier
irn47878
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 2011.425.4
Level of Description
Item
Languages
  • English
Source
EHRI Partner

Extent and Medium

overall: Height: 8.500 inches (21.59 cm) | Width: 10.125 inches (25.718 cm)

Creator(s)

Biographical History

Alexander (Alex) Wurtz was born on March 27, 1916 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to a Jewish couple, Joseph (b. 1851) and Esther (b.1851) Schuchman Wurtz. He had two brothers, Benjamin (b.1911) and Martin (b. 1923), and two sisters, Sarah (b. 1920) and Clara (b. 1908). His parents and two oldest siblings emigrated from Russia in 1913. His father was a furrier and the family spoke Yiddish at home. Alex worked for the Pearl Garment Corporation in Camden NJ and in 1937 he married Dora Kaplan. Dora was born on September 30, 1917 in Philadelphia, to a Jewish couple, Jacob and Ida Wolf Kaplan. She had an older sister, Rose, who was born in November 1914 in Philadelphia. In 1935, Rose married Dr. J Benjamin Yasinow. Benjamin was born on July 12, 1908, in New York State to a Jewish couple, Philip (1885-1963) and Rosa (1890-1954 later Rose) Polisky Yasinow. He had a younger brother, Errand (b.1910, later Aaron). Benjamin’s parents emigrated from Russia in 1907; the family lived in Buffalo, New York before settling in Philadelphia. His father was a tin smith and later a sheet metal worker in the automobile industry. Benjamin was a dentist and he and Rose had two sons, Franklin and Stephen. On December 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. The following day the United States declared war on Japan, and on December 11, Germany declared war on the United States. On January 22, 1944, Alex was drafted into the United States Army and entered active service on February 12. He joined the 351st Infantry Regiment and fought in the Italian campaign. On May 7, 1945, Germany surrendered to the Allies. Alex and his unit were then assigned to peace keeping duties in northern Italy. Alex was discharged from the Army on February 8, 1946, and returned to Philadelphia. Dr. J. Benjamin Yasinow, aged 72, died on October 29, 1979 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Rose Yasinow, aged 85, died on February 21, 2000 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Alexander Wurtz, aged 85, died on March 1, 2002 in Palm Beach Florida.

Archival History

The poster was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2011 by Stephen K. Yasinow, the son of Dr. J. Benjamin and Rose Yasinow and nephew of Alexander Wurtz.

Acquisition

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Stephen K. Yasinow

Scope and Content

Store closing sign acquired by Dr. J Benjamin and Rose Yasinow in 1945 while their brother-in-law, Alexander Wurtz, was serving in Europe. Benjamin was a dentist in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941. On January 22, 1944 Alexander was drafted into the United States Army and entered active service on February 12. He joined the 351st Infantry Regiment and fought in the Italian campaign until the war ended in May 1945. He and his unit were then assigned to peace keeping duties in northern Italy. Alex was discharged from the Army on February 8, 1946 and returned to Philadelphia.

Conditions Governing Access

No restrictions on access

Conditions Governing Reproduction

No restrictions on use

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Off white cardstock sign with black printed text announcing store closures. Nine lines of black text are centered in the sign and lines 3, 6, and 7 are partially underlined in black. The Print area is surrounded by a thick, black border. The back has brown staining in the center of each edge that appears to be the remnants of mounting adhesive.

front, center, bottom, handwritten, pencil : 1945

People

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

Genre

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.