Upright domed traveling wardrobe trunk used by an Austrian Jewish family

Gertrude Bieder was born on January 23, 1929, in Vienna, Austria, to Isidor (Cham Isak) and Fanny (Feiga) Wilde Bieder. Both of her parents were born to Jewish families in Golwice, Poland: Isidor in 1894 and Fanny in 1904. The couple married in Vienna, Austria, on July 6, 1924, where Isidor owned a successful retail business. Gertrude had an older sister, Frieda, who was born on September 11, 1925. When Nazi Germany annexed Austria on March 13, 1938, Germans looted the family’s apartment and took their money, car, and other possessions. Anti-Jewish laws were passed and soon Isidor’s business was confiscated. During Kristallnacht on November 10, Isidor was arrested and severely beaten. Fanny was forced to scrub the streets. The family's apartment was sealed and they never returned there. Isidor was released with the condition that he and his family soon leave Austria. The family received a permit to leave Vienna on January 16, 1939, after Isidor paid an expensive Jewish emigration tax. They travelled to Genoa, Italy, where they boarded the SS Esperia, arriving in Haifa, Palestine, on January 26. They lived in a room in a Jewish refugee resettlement center for several weeks; for the remaining months, they moved around the city. On November 20, 1939, the family sailed on the SS Andreas-Dorus for Piraeus, Greece. They transferred to the TSS Neas-Hellas and arrived in New York City on December 18. The family settled in Cleveland, Ohio. Gertrude married David Meisner and had two children. Her father passed away, age 83, in 1971. Her mother died, age 71, in 1975. Gertrude passed away, age 83, on February 26, 2012.

Isidor Bieder was born on October 1, 1894, in Gorlice, Poland into a Jewish family. He had five siblings: Sahra, Malka, born December 11, 1912, Martha, born August 16, 1895, Heni, and Frieda, born August 6, 1911. Isidor married Fanny (Fiege) Wild, born November 2, 1904, also from Gorlice, on July 6, 1924, in Vienna, Austria. They settled in Vienna where Isidor developed a prosperous retail business. They had two daughters: Frieda, born on September 11, 1925, and Gertrude, born on January 23, 1929. Soon after the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany on March 13, 1938, Germans looted the family’s apartment and confiscated their money, car, jewels, and other possessions. Anti-Jewish legislation was enacted and many Jewish owned businesses, including Isidor’s, were confiscated. During the Kristallnacht pogrom that November 10, Isidor was arrested and taken to the police riding school on Kenyongasse where he was severely beaten. Fanny was detained and forced to scrub the streets. The family’s apartment was sealed and they never returned there. As a condition of his release, Isidor had to agree to leave Austria with his family by a specified date. On January 15, 1939, Isidor paid the 25 % government tax on his remaining assets that was required of all Jews leaving Austria; he received a permit to leave the country the next day. They left for Italy and on January 20, they sailed from Genoa on the SS Esperia, arriving on January 26 in Haifa, Palestine. They lived in a small room in a resettlement center for Jewish refugees for several weeks and then in various temporary lodgings. Isidor was able to sell land that he had bought during a trip to Haifa with Fanny in 1933. The family left for Piraeus, Greece, on the SS Andreas-Dorus on November 20, 1939. From there, they sailed to New York City aboard the TSS Neas-Hellas and arrived on December 18, 1939. The family settled in Cleveland, Ohio. All of Isidor’s siblings perished during the Holocaust. Isidor passed away, age 76, on June 17, 1971.

The trunk was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2004 by Gertrude Bieder Meisner, the daughter of Fanny and Isidor Bieder.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Gertrude Bieder Meisner and the Estate of Gertrude Bieder Meisner