1918 bank note brought to the United States by a Jewish family fleeing Nazi Germany

Benjamin Taubmann (1902-1971) was born in Kiev, Russia (now Kyïv, Ukraine) to Jewish parents, David and Sara Taubmann. Helene Schneidmann (1907-1996) was born to Michael and Katharina (Sophia) Schneidmann in Tver, Russia, near Moscow. Around this time, about one half of the world’s Jewry lived in Russia. Pogroms against Jews were frequent, as were oppressive laws and restrictions. From 1914-1922, Russia fought and was defeated in World War I, which ultimately led to an overthrown monarchy and a civil war. During this chaotic period, violent antisemitism was widespread and many Jews emigrated from Russia, or they were part of lands ceded after defeat in WWI. Benjamin was living in Berlin, Germany, when he married Helene in April 1931. In January 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. Anti-Jewish decrees were soon passed that restricted every aspect of Jewish life. The following year, Benjamin and Helene’s daughter, Natalie (later Natalie Tortolani, b. 1934) was born in Berlin. After enduring several years of increasing persecution against Jews in Germany, the family decided to emigrate. Benjamin obtained an affidavit and sponsorship from Claude Bayless, a Purple Heart veteran of the US Army. Benjamin sailed alone from Hamburg aboard the SS Hansa, arriving in New York City on June 9, 1939. Helene and Natalie followed that winter aboard the SS Saturnia, which sailed from Genoa, Italy. They arrived in New York on December 21. In the United States, Benjamin obtained a job at Minerva Art Ltd. in Manhattan, and Americanized their last name to Taubman. Later, the family moved to the Bronx and Benjamin became a self-employed painter. In April 1943, Benjamin and Helene had another child, Paul (b. 1943). In August 1945, Benjamin became a naturalized citizen. Helene became a citizen in December 1946, and Americanized her name to Helen. Natalie trained as a ballet dancer, and attended the High School of Performing Arts in New York City. All four members of the family eventually relocated to Rhode Island, where Natalie settled with her husband, Robert Tortolani, and raised a family.

The bank note was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2014 by Natalie Taubmann Tortolani, the daughter of Benjmain and Helene Taubmann.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Natalie Taubmann Tortolani

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