Large black wardrobe trunk used by German Jewish refugees on the MS St. Louis

Identifier
irn12834
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 1998.65.1 a-f
Level of Description
Item
Languages
  • English
  • German
Source
EHRI Partner

Extent and Medium

a: Height: 40.625 inches (103.188 cm) | Width: 22.500 inches (57.15 cm) | Depth: 21.500 inches (54.61 cm)

b: Height: 5.250 inches (13.335 cm) | Width: 20.625 inches (52.388 cm) | Depth: 10.250 inches (26.035 cm)

c: Height: 8.000 inches (20.32 cm) | Width: 20.625 inches (52.388 cm) | Depth: 10.250 inches (26.035 cm)

d: Height: 8.000 inches (20.32 cm) | Width: 20.625 inches (52.388 cm) | Depth: 10.250 inches (26.035 cm)

e: Height: 8.000 inches (20.32 cm) | Width: 20.625 inches (52.388 cm) | Depth: 10.250 inches (26.035 cm)

f: Height: 7.875 inches (20.003 cm) | Width: 20.625 inches (52.388 cm) | Depth: 10.250 inches (26.035 cm)

Creator(s)

Biographical History

Egon Josef Salmon was born on June 4, 1924, in Rheydt, Germany, to Paul and Erna Weinberg Salmon. Egon had a sister, Edith, born on August 24, 1933. Paul was born July 26, 1898, in Odenkirchen, to Joseph and Emma Simson Salmon. Paul served in the German Army in World War I (1914-1918). He then became a merchant. Egon’s mother Erna was born on January 23, 1900, in Rheydt, to Carl and Bellwina Mayer Weinberg. Her father Carl owned a textile store in Rheydt. In January 1933, Hitler came to power and the Nazi regime began enacting anti-Jewish decrees. On December 4, 1934, Paul was awarded an Iron Cross for his World War I service. In June 1937, the family got passports marked with the letter J for Jew. On November 9 and 10, 1938, the Kristallnacht pogrom occurred. Egon’s father Paul was arrested and sent to Dachau concentration camp. On November 20, Erna received a letter from him with this news. He was released from Dachau after he got a visa to leave Germany for Cuba. Paul went to Antwerp, Belgium, and sailed on the SS Gerolstein on January 21, 1939, arriving in New York on February 3. He was detained in New York, then went to Havana, Cuba. Paul arranged for the rest of family to come to Havana, so they could then get visas for the United States. On May 13, 1939, Egon, Erna, and Edith left Hamburg on the MS St. Louis. Egon's cousin Liesl Joseph, who was about the same age as Egon and Edith, was also on board with her parents, Josef and Lilly Salmon Joseph. When the ocean liner reached Havana harbor on May 27, only 28 of the 937 passengers were permitted to disembark. The ship's passenger committee and Jewish aid organization appealed to the US government for permission to land, but it was refused. On June 6, the ship was forced to return to Europe. Agreements had been reached with four governments, Belgium, France, Great Britain, and the Netherlands. to accept the passengers so they would not have to return to Nazi dominated countries. Egon and his family disembarked in Antwerp, Belgium. They spent ten months in Belgium, seeking permits for the US. On April 12, 1940, Egon, Erna, and Edith left Antwerp on the SS Westernland, arriving in New York on April 25. They reunited with Paul, who had returned to New York in December 1939. The family settled in Staten Island. On December 8, 1941, following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the US entered World War II. On July 26, 1943, Egon was drafted into the US Army. He served in North Africa and Italy. The war ended when Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945. Egon was awarded three Bronze Stars for his service. Egon returned to Staten Island and joined his father’s import-export business. He married Marie Schiff (b. 1929). The couple had two sons. In 1956, Egon opened a real estate business. Egon’s father Paul, 78, died in February 1977. His mother Erna, 97, died on June 27, 1997.

Archival History

The trunk was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1998 by Egon J. Salmon.

Acquisition

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Egon J. Salmon, in memory of his parents Paul and Erna Salmon

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

Large wardrobe trunk with drawers used by Egon Salmon, 15, and his family when they left Nazi Germany on the MS St. Louis in May 1939. The zinc lined trunk was specially made in Germany to protect clothing in tropical climates. Following Kristallnacht on November 9-10, 1938, Egon’s father Paul was arrested in Rheydt and held in Dachau. He was released after he received a visa for Cuba. Paul left in January 1939 for Havana. On May 13, 1939, Egon, mother Erna, and sister Edith left on the MS St. Louis for Cuba. When the ship reached Havana, the Cuban government refused to allow most of the passengers, nearly all Jewish refugees from Nazi persecution, to disembark. Appeals were made to get US officials to permit entry, but it was denied and the ship had to return to Europe. Jewish aid organizations negotiated agreements with Belgium, France, Great Britain, and Netherlands to accept the passengers. Egon and his family disembarked in Antwerp. After ten months, they got US permits and, on April 12, 1940, Egon, Erna, and Edith joined Paul in New York. Egon served in the US Army during the war, and was awarded three Bronze Stars.

Conditions Governing Access

No restrictions on access

Conditions Governing Reproduction

No restrictions on use

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

a. Large, upright, rectangular, wooden wardrobe trunk with a domed top, covered in black painted paper. Black painted imitation leather edging is riveted on the edges, and metal bumpers on each corner. The bottom bumpers have a raised foot stud. The left and right sides have a black painted leather handle attached with 2 brackets. On the front center is a trunk lock with a keyhole, flanked by 2 drawbolts. The trunk opens outward with 4 black painted back hinges. Along the opening is black metal edge trim, with a metal catch on the top. On the left side, the top quarter opens outward, with 3 left side, 1 center, and 1 bumper hinge. The interior is zinc lined, with fiberboard covering lined with white and brown striped cloth. A curved piece of cloth covered wood is inserted into both sides of the domed top for additional support. The left side top is padded. The top has a metal frame for 2 metal bracket joined rods for hanging clothes. Attached below are 2 yellow cloth straps which insert through a curved wooden bar to secure clothing. The right side has 5 removable drawers (1998.65.1b-f). The top, middle, and lower drawers are supported by side bars, and the second and fourth drawers by frames. The exterior hardware is silver colored metal, painted gold, and the interior hardware is silver colored. b. Shallow, rectangular wooden drawer with white and brown striped cloth covering on the front and light brown paper on the sides and interior. It has metal edge trim. On the top right is 1 rounded rivet, the drawer number. There are 2 metal handles on the front. The interior has a yellow cloth strap with a buckle. c. Rectangular wooden drawer with white and brown striped cloth covering on the front and light brown paper on the sides and interior. It has metal edge trim. On the top right are 2 rounded rivets, the drawer number. There are 2 metal handles on the front. The interior has a yellow cloth strap with a buckle. d. Rectangular wooden drawer with white and brown striped cloth covering on the front and light brown paper on the sides and interior. It has metal edge trim. On the top right are 3 rounded rivets, the drawer number. There are 2 metal handles on the front. The interior has a yellow cloth strap with a buckle. e. Rectangular wooden drawer with white and brown striped cloth covering on the front and light brown paper on the sides and interior. It has metal edge trim. On the top right are 4 rounded rivets, the drawer number. There are 2 metal handles on the front. The interior has a yellow cloth strap with a buckle. f. Rectangular wooden drawer with white and brown striped cloth covering on the front and light brown paper on the sides and interior. It has metal edge trim. On the top right are 5 rounded rivets, the drawer number. There are 2 metal handles on the front. The interior has a yellow cloth strap with a buckle.

a. top, white paint : E. S. a. left, center, white paint : E.S.6. / London

Corporate Bodies

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.