David and Louise Schneider papers
Extent and Medium
folders
12
Creator(s)
- David Schneider
- Louise Schneider
Biographical History
David “Deszo” Schneider was born in Budapest, Hungary on January 14, 1907. David was trained as a tailor and was living in Belgium at the time of Nazi invasion. In 1943 he was sent to Camp de Gurs but managed to escape after only six months of detention. After his escape, David assisted the French underground by making uniforms. David married Louise Roth in Antwerp, Belgium on May 28, 1946 and had a son, Robert Schneider, the following year in 1947. The family immigrated to the United States in 1956 on the SS Mauritania and was naturalized in New York before moving to Miami Beach, Florida.
Louise Schneider (née Roth) was born in Felsoviznice, Hungary on December 20, 1907. Also in Belgium at the time of Nazi occupation, Louise evaded capture by hiding in an attic at the home of Edmond Mélice’s parents in Mons-lez-Liège, Belgium. From 1942 until her liberation, Louise stayed in a small chamber under the roof of the house and was supplied food by friends. Louise married David Schneider in Antwerp, Belgium on May 28, 1946 and had a son, Robert Schneider, the following year in 1947. The family immigrated to the United States in 1956 on the SS Mauritania and was naturalized in New York before moving to Miami Beach, Florida.
Archival History
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Robert Schneider
Funding Note: The cataloging of this collection has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
The David and Louise Schneider papers were donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1986 by their son, Robert Schneider. Part of the collection was separated and given the accession 1995. A.392 but has since been reunified under accession number 1986.28.1.
Scope and Content
The David and Louise Schneider papers contain documents and correspondence relating to David “Deszo” Schneider and his wife Louise Schneider (née Roth). Both in Belgium at the time of Nazi occupation, David spent 6 months in Camp de Gurs before escaping in 1943 while Louise hid in an attic in Mons-lez-Liège, Belgium to evade capture from 1942 until her liberation.. Included in the collection are correspondence with family, identification cards, photographs, and paperwork related to restitution from the German government. The David and Louise Schneider papers primarily consist of correspondence to Louise’s siblings between 1941 and 1944 and paperwork documenting the couple’s restitution claims against the German government between 1957 and 1985. Also included is a letter sent to David while in Camp de Gurs in 1943 from the Hungarian Embassy requesting his citizenship certificate and Belgian identification cards for both David and Louise issued in 1955 and 1956, respectively. One photograph of Louise’s sister, Böszi, and one photograph of Louise’s grandfather, Marcus, and sisters Ella and Rachel are also included in this collection.
System of Arrangement
The David and Louise Schneider papers are arranged as a single series.
People
- Roth, Rachel.
- Schneider, Lili.
- Schneider, Lujza.
- Roth, Bözsi.
- Roth, Marcus.
- Schneider, Deszo.
- Roth, Ella.
- Mélice, Edmond.
- Schneider, David.
- Schneider, Louise Roth.
Corporate Bodies
Subjects
- Holocaust survivors--United States.
- United States--Emigration and immigration--History--20th century.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) – Belgium.
- World War, 1939-1945 – Underground movements – France.
- Antwerp (Belgium).
- Hiding places – Belgium.
- Tailors--Hungary.
- Jews – Belgium.
- Budapest (Hungary).
- Berehove (Ukraine).
Genre
- Postcards.
- Photographs.
- Identification cards.
- Letters.
- Document