Chrome Leica II 35mm camera used by a Yugoslav refugee to document his family's life in hiding

Ivek (Ivo) Herlinger was born on August 18, 1902. He and his wife, Elsa, lived in Zagreb, Yugoslavia (Croatia). Ivo worked as a representative for Remington Office Machines. Elsa worked as a legal secretary until the birth of their daughter, Lea, on December 13, 1938. In 1941, Germany invaded Yugoslavia and divided the country. An independent state of Croatia was declared, ruled by the Fascist Ustasa party. Around June 1941, the Herlinger’s were told to report to a labor camp. The family fled the city that evening. They sent Lea to an aunt, Zlata Herlinger, who lived on a farm in the countryside. Elsa went to stay with some non-Jewish friends, while Ivo searched for a place they could live together. He posed as an engineer’s call man on the railroad, and went to Trieste. After Elsa joined him there, they hired a student to bring Lea to Trieste, paying him with gems they had sewn into their clothing. Once Lea arrived, the family went to Castel Guilemo, Italy. They remained there for the next 18 months, hiding in an attic above a store with 21 other people. Warned that the Germans were approaching, they fled again, this time to Rome. For the next year and a half, Elsa, Lea, and Aunt Zlata lived in a convent, and Ivo, and Zlata’s family, Arthur and Otto, lived in a monastery. They would reunite each Sunday in front of St. Peter’s Cathedral. During one of these Sunday meetings, as they were saying goodbye, Ivo waved to his daughter as a Croatian would, instead of an Italian. A pair of German officers spotted this, and chased him, but he managed to escape. They moved to an apartment and lived under false identities: Ivo as Giovanni Fabiani and Lea as Lena. Lea was able to attend the nearby convent school as she could walk there with her mother. Ivo stayed in the apartment during the day. Lea remembers that on one day, when she was home sick, her father insisted that they leave the apartment. After they left, the air raid sirens went off, and the family took cover in a doorway. When they returned to their apartment, they found that the building had been demolished by a bomb. After liberation of Rome in June 1944, the family moved to a new apartment, and Lea began attending public school. They lived as stateless refugees, until they were allowed to emigrate to the United States. In October 1950, after a three-week journey on board the General Harry Taylor, the family arrived in New York. With assistance from the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), they eventually settled in Chicago. Elsa died in 1991. Ivo passed away, age 93 years, on December 5, 1995.

Lea Herlinger was born on December 13, 1938, in Zagreb, Croatia (Yugoslavia) to Ivek (Ivo) (8/16/1902-12/5/1995) and Elsa Herlinger (d. 7/31/1991). Ivo worked as a representative for Remington Office Machines, while Elsa worked as a legal secretary until Lea was born. In 1941, Germany invaded Yugoslavia and divided the country. An independent state of Croatia was declared, ruled by the Fascist Ustasa party. Her parents were told to report to a labor camp, so that night, they fled the city. Lea was sent to her aunt Zlata Herlinger, who had a farm in the countryside. Elsa went to stay with some non-Jewish friends, while Ivo searched for a place they could live together He posed as an engineer’s call man on the railroad, and went to Trieste, where he and Elsa were soon reunited. They hired a student to being Lea to Trieste, paying him with precious stones they had sewn into their clothing. Once she arrived, the family went to Castel Guilemo, Italy. They remained there for the next 18 months, hiding in an attic above a store with 21 people; Lea was the only child. Warned that the Germans were approaching, they fled again, this time to Rome. For the next year and a half, Elsa, lea, and Aunt Zlata lived in a convent while Ivo and Zlata’s family, Arthur, and Otto, lived in a monastery. They would reunite each Sunday in front of St. Peter’s Cathedral. During one of these Sunday meetings, as they were saying goodbye, Ivo waved to his daughter as a Croatian would, instead of as an Italian. A pair of German officers spotted this, and chased him, but he managed to escape. They moved to an apartment in Rome and lived under false identities: Ivo as Giovanni Fabiani and Lea as Lena. She attended school at the convent, and walked there every day with her mother, careful not to speak to anyone. Ivo remained in the apartment during the day. Lena remembers that one day, when she was home sick, Ivo insisted that they leave the apartment. After they left, the air raid sirens went off, and the family took cover in a doorway. When they returned to their apartment, they found that the building had been demolished by a bomb. After liberation, the family moved to a new apartment, and Lea attended public school. They lived as stateless refugees in Italy, until they received visas to emigrate to the United States. In October 1950, after a three-week journey on board the General Harry Taylor, the family arrived in New York. With assistance from the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), they eventually settled in Chicago.

The camera was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2005 by Allan and Lea Kaluzna, the son-in-law and daughter of Elsa and Ivo Herlinger.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Allan and Lea Kaluzna