Singer treadle sewing machine table of the type used in Łódź Ghetto

Identifier
irn4102
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 1990.78.8
Level of Description
Item
Languages
  • English
Source
EHRI Partner

Extent and Medium

overall: Height: 29.000 inches (73.66 cm) | Width: 34.500 inches (87.63 cm) | Depth: 17.125 inches (43.498 cm)

Creator(s)

Archival History

The table was acquired by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1990.

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

Singer iron and wood sewing machine table of the type used in Łódź Ghetto in German occupied Poland from May 1940 to summer 1944. Łódź was occupied by Germany a week after the September 1939 invasion of Poland. It was renamed Litzmannstadt and, in February 1940, the Jewish population, about 160,000 people, was confined to a small sealed off ghetto. All residents had to work and many were forced laborers in ghetto factories. Eventually, nearly 100 factories were in operation. The major ones produced textiles, including uniforms for the German Army. Due to the severe overcrowding and scarce food, disease and starvation were common. The Judenrat [Jewish Council] administered the ghetto for the Germans. Judenrat chairman Mordechai Rumkowski thought hard work and high outputs would preserve the ghetto. But in January 1942, mass deportations to Chelmno killing center began; half the residents were murdered by the end of the year. In summer 1944, Łódź, the last ghetto in Poland, was destroyed and the remaining Jews were sent to Chelmno and Auschwitz-Birkenau killing centers.

Conditions Governing Access

No restrictions on access

Conditions Governing Reproduction

No restrictions on use

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Brown, wooden treadle powered sewing machine table with black, cast iron, lattice work legs connected by a metal H cross brace. A large spoked wheel is attached to the right side and a rectangular lattice work treadle is attached near the bottom. The table has a flat, rectangular wooden top with a beveled edge and a hinged, 12 inch wide leaf on the left end, supported by a swinging cast iron bracket. In the center is a rectangular hole with 2 thick, metal mounting posts for a sewing machine on the inner edge. There is a thin, notched rectangular tray attached below to support the machine. The tray is flanked by support runners for 2 rectangular drawers. The right drawer has a decorative metal drawer; the left drawer is missing.

Subjects

Genre

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.