Man's tailored nightshirt with braided trim brought to the US by a Jewish Austrian refugee

Alfred Dukes was born in 1893 in Vienna, Austria. He married Elsa, who was born in 1899 in Vienna. Both were from assimilated Jewish families and had siblings. Alfred worked as an office manager for the National Health Insurance Plan run by the Austrian government. Elsa worked part-time as a bookkeeper at her father’s rubber stamp and fine jewelry engraving store. Their only child, Gertrude, was born on June 22, 1926, in Vienna. Alfred’s government job granted the family access to modern public housing. Germany annexed Austria on March 13, 1938. Anti-Jewish policies were enacted that stripped Austrian Jews of their rights. Alfred was forced to leave his job, and told that his family would have to find a different place to live. The family found an apartment, and had enough money saved to buy food. Elsa’s father was forced to give his business to a non-Jewish employee and received no compensation. Gertrude was removed from the local public school and sent to one that German authorities had set aside for all Jewish students. On November 10, 1938, during the Kristallnacht pogrom, Alfred and several male relatives were arrested. Alfred was beaten badly, but was allowed to send his family a note stating where he was being held. The same day, Elsa, her mother, and Gertrude were taken from their apartment and forced into trucks by the Gestapo. They were taken to Gestapo headquarters and held 5-6 hours. Elsa did not know what had happened to Alfred until November 16, when his note arrived. Alfred was released a few days later. He was told that he had a set period of time during which to get out of the country or he and his family would be removed by the authorities. The Dukes had no family or friends to sponsor their immigration. One of Alfred’s relatives managed to secure entrance permits to Great Britain. Elsa’s brothers chose to illegally cross the Belgian border with their families. Alfred began to write letters asking for help to get his family out of occupied Austria, explaining that he was a hard worker and would not be a burden to anyone that sponsored his family. He sent letters to people with Jewish sounding names in phonebooks, people in other countries with Jewish interests, individuals mentioned in newspaper articles about Jewish interests, and anyone else he thought might help. Alfred sent a letter to Thomas Spellacy, the mayor of Hartford, Connecticut, after reading an article about a speech he made at a United Jewish Appeal dinner. Mr. Spellacy brought the letter to the attention of a man he knew in the Zionist Organization of America. This man asked the Hartford Jewish committee for a volunteer to help Alfred. Samuel Yaffo agreed to sponsor the Dukes family. During the 7 or 8 months that paperwork was being dealt with, Alfred had to report on progress with German authorities several times. Alfred also had his relative in Great Britain secure the family a temporary travel visa that could get the family out of Austria. On July 6, 1939, Alfred obtained a US visa for his family. On July 11, Alfred, Elsa, and Gertrude boarded the USS Manhattan in Hamburg, Germany. The family arrived in New York City on July 20, and with the assistance of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society made their way to Hartford. The Jewish committee in Hartford helped Alfred get a job painting helicopters. Elsa worked in a dry cleaners. Gertrude enrolled in school. The majority of Alfred’s extended family perished during the Holocaust. Gertrude married Robert Fox, a Holocaust survivor originally from Vienna. The couple had 2 daughters and lived in Connecticut in order to be near Alfred and Elsa.

Elsa Dukes, maiden name unknown, was born in 1899 in Vienna, Austria. She married Alfred Dukes, who was born in 1893 in Vienna. Both had siblings and were from assimilated Jewish families. Elsa’s father owned a rubber stamp and fine jewelry engraving store. She worked there part-time as a bookkeeper. One brother also did bookkeeping at the store, while the other engraved jewelry. Alfred worked as an office manager for the National Health Insurance Plan. Elsa and Alfred’s only child, Gertrude, was born on June 22, 1926, in Vienna. Alfred’s job with the Austrian government granted the family access to modern public housing. On March 13, 1938, Germany annexed Austria. The authorities enacted anti-Jewish policies that stripped Austrian Jews of their rights. Elsa’s father was forced to give his business to a non-Jewish employee. Alfred was forced to leave his government job and the family lost their apartment. She and Alfred found a new apartment, and had enough money saved to buy food. Gertrude was no longer allowed to attend the local public school. She had to attend the school that German authorities had set aside for Jewish students. Elsa’s official identification papers were marked with a large uppercase red J for Jew. She was forced to take a new passport picture and told that her hair had to be pulled back and away from her ears so that they were visible because they were considered a distinctive Jewish feature. On November 10, 1938, during the Kristallnacht pogrom, Elsa, her mother, and Gertrude were taken from their apartment and forced into trucks. They were taken to Gestapo headquarters and forced to do physical exercises in the corridors. No one ever told them what was happening, and there were many rumors about being shot or thrown in the Danube River. After 5 - 6 hours, they were released. Alfred was out when Elsa and the others were taken, and he did not return to the apartment that night. On November 16, Elsa and Gertrude received a note telling them that he had been arrested. Alfred was released several days later and returned home badly beaten. While being held, he was told to get out of the country by a certain time, or he and his family would be removed by the authorities. The Dukes had no family or friends to sponsor their immigration. Elsa’s brothers chose to illegally cross the Belgian border with their families. Alfred decided that writing letters to people with Jewish last names or Jewish interests and asking for help would be his best chance at getting the family out of Austria. One of these letters was sent to Thomas Spellacy, the mayor of Hartford, Connecticut, after he made a speech at a United Jewish Appeal dinner. Mr. Spellacy sent the letter to a contact at the Zionist Organization of America. This man asked the Jewish committee in Hartford to help the Dukes family. Samuel Yaffo volunteered to sponsor their immigration On July 6, 1939, after months of waiting for paperwork to clear, the Dukes family had their US visa. They had to pass the final medical inspection to leave. Elsa almost did not pass because of her limp from a childhood surgery to correct dislocated hips, but the doctor decided it would not alter her ability to make a living in the US. On July 11, Elsa, Alfred, and Gertrude boarded the USS Manhattan in Hamburg, Germany, and arrived in New York City 9 days later. The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society helped the family and suggested that they go to Hartford because there might be more opportunities there. The family relocated. Elsa worked for a dry cleaner while Alfred painted helicopters. Gertrude enrolled in school. The majority of Alfred’s extended family perished during the Holocaust. Some of Elsa’s relatives survived after escaping to France. They immigrated to the US after World War II ended. Gertrude married Robert Fox, a Holocaust survivor originally from Vienna. The couple had 2 daughters and lived in Connecticut in order to be near Elsa and Alfred.

The nightshirt was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2013 by Dr. Elaine Fox, the granddaughter of Alfred and Elsa Dukes.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Dr. Elaine Fox

Funding Note: The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.