Clip-on Daimon battery operated German flashlight acquired by a British officer
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 4.875 inches (12.383 cm) | Width: 2.625 inches (6.668 cm) | Depth: 1.250 inches (3.175 cm)
Creator(s)
- D. P. Grehan (Original owner)
- Daimon Electrical Factory Schmidt & co. (Manufacturer)
Biographical History
D.P. Grehan was born in Ireland. As an adult, he joined the Royal Irish Fusiliers, one of three Irish units in the British Army, and served in World War II (1939-1945). In March 1947, Lieutenant Grehan was stationed on the island of Cyprus, which was ruled by the British under a United Nations mandate. He served as a commanding officer at H.Q. 1, overseeing internees at the British detention camp at Caraolos. The majority of the internees held at the camp were Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, many of whom were captured while trying to immigrate to Palestine illegally. On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was established and, within six months, all of the internees on Cyprus were transported to the Jewish homeland. Lt. Grehan’s service in Cyprus concluded when the camp was closed in 1948.
Archival History
The flashlight was acquired by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2003.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection
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 battery operated flashlight given to or found by Lt. D.P. Grehan, Royal Irish Fusiliers, British Army, who served as a commanding officer in the Karaolos detention camp in Cyprus from March 1947 to June 1948. This type of hanging flashlight was manufactured during the 1930s-40s by the German company Daimon, and was often used by the German military. The internees were Ma'apilim, illegal immigrants, most Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, captured while trying to reach Eretz Israel without permission from the British. Great Britain controlled Palestine under a United Nations mandate and enforced very restrictive immigration policies. The huge number of postwar displaced persons led the British to set up the camps in 1946 as a deterrent. Ships attempting to bring unauthorized refugees were stopped by the British Navy and the passengers were interned on Cyprus. On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was established. Within six months, most of the refugees interned on Cyprus were welcomed into the Jewish homeland.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Well used, small, rectangular, black painted, silver colored metal flashlight with a flat, circular piece of clear glass set into a raised rim on the front. Beneath the glass is a small, clear glass, incandescent lightbulb, screwed into a reflective, silver colored metal bowl. Along the front left side is a continuous hinge. Centered on the right side is a perpendicular, hinged latch, which releases to lift the front and open the flashlight. On the back is a wire hanging loop. At the top of the base is a rectangular knob. The interior has a battery mount on the back, a brown cardboard rectangle connected to a thin, angled metal bracket that extends from the bottom of the knob.
Subjects
- Holocaust survivors--Cyprus.
- Refugee camps--Cyprus.
- Prisoners as artists--Cyprus.
- Jewish refugees--Cyprus.
- Soldiers--Great Britain--Biography.
- Great Britain--Emigration and immigration--Government policy--History--20th century.
- Palestine--Emigration and immigration.
- Military camps--Cyprus.
- Jews--Cyprus--History--20th century.
Genre
- Object
- Furnishings and Furniture