German military canteen with leather strap acquired by US soldier
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 8.750 inches (22.225 cm) | Width: 5.500 inches (13.97 cm) | Depth: 2.750 inches (6.985 cm)
Creator(s)
- Bernard B. Cohen (Subject)
- Heuel, Peter, Sagewerk (Manufacturer)
Biographical History
Bernard Baruch Cohen was born on June 22, 1920, in Philadelphia, PA, to Simon and Sarah Cohen. His Yiddish speaking parents had immigrated to the United States from Imperial Russia. Bernard was the second of four children. After completing high school, he worked in a restaurant, and then at Sam Gerson’s apparel shop. In 1941, he married Estelle Elias (1922-2008.). In December 1941, the United States entered World War II (1939-1945.) Bernard enlisted in the US Army, Warrant Officers Branch, on February 11, 1943, and entered active service on February 18, He served with the Third Army under General Patton in combat across Europe from late October 1944 - mid-July 1945. Bernard was honorably discharged from the military on November 1, 1945. He returned to Philadelphia. Bernard and Estelle had a son and a daughter. They owned and operated two maternity and baby shops, Dorebel's Maternity and Baby Shops in South Philadelphia and Mayfair. They were members of Adath Shalom synagogue and active in the wider Jewish community. Bernard, 63, passed away on August 23, 1983, in Philadelphia. In 1986, Estelle received the Israel Freedom Award from the State of Israel Women's Division. Estelle, 86, passed away on August 26, 2008.
Archival History
The canteen was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1985 by Estelle Cohen, the wife of Bernard B. Cohen.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Estelle Cohen
Funding Note: The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
Scope and Content
German military aluminum field canteen with leather carrying strap brought back from the war by Bernard B. Cohen, a soldier with the United States Third Army as it fought its way across Europe during the fall of 1944 through the end of the war in May 1945.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Oval, aluminum canteen with a convex front and flat center back. It has a cylindrical neck with a threaded, circular mouth and a ridged, black plastic, threaded screw cap with a red rubber gasket. A black painted cylindrical aluminum cup with a flared rim and 2 brackets (2.875 x 3 x 2.625 inch) is stored over the cap. It is held in place by a long, brown leather support harness inserted through the brackets and anchored to a short, fixed metal post in the cap top. The harness has a worn black finish and consists of 6 intersecting straps sewn together and fastened with 4 black painted, metal buckles with tines. Attached to the top by 2 side buckles is a worn, approximately 58.625 inch long shoulder strap with 12 punched holes. Sewn vertically to the back are 2 short straps: 1 secures a gray painted hook and the other attaches to the cap.
cap, front bracket, engraved : CFL 44 [C. Feldhaus, Aluminium-und Metallwerke, Lüdenscheid) cap, top, embossed : 44 (near semicircle with S logo) canteen, front, neck, engraved : CFL 43 canteen, back strap hook, engraved : M / SS / 43
Subjects
- Jewish soldiers--United States.
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Western Front.
- Souvenirs (Keepsakes)--Soldiers--United States.
- Soldiers--United States.
- World War, 1939-1945--Uniforms.
Genre
- Household Utensils
- Object