Wooden plaque with the Hashomer Hatzair emblem given to a US soldier
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 9.375 inches (23.813 cm) | Width: 5.625 inches (14.288 cm) | Depth: 1.140 inches (2.896 cm)
Creator(s)
- Joe Friedman (Subject)
Biographical History
Joe Friedman (1920- ) was born in St. Joseph, MO. He joined the Army in 1942, was assigned to the Medical Administrative Corps, and landed at Le Havre in December 1944. His unit fought in the Battle of Bastogne and participated in the liberation Ohrdruf. After the German capitulation, Friedman volunteered to remain in Europe to work with displaced persons. He received training at Bamberg, spent two weeks at Wildflecken, and then was sent to Coburg where he witnessed the Soviet forced repatriation of eastern European displaced persons through Lichtenfels. He was then sent to Ansbach and put in charge of several DP camps and the exchange point at Hof. He worked discreetly with the Jewish underground to bring eastern European Jews into the American zone until he was caught and sent home. He worked first as a podiatrist before changing careers, becoming an actor, and adopting Joel Frederick as his stage name.
Archival History
The plaque was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1996 by Joe Friedman.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Joe Friedman
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
Hand made wooden plaque given to Joe Friedman, a US Army officer and DP camp administrator, by an unknown DP camp resident in appreciation for Friedman's work in saving ca. 240 Jewish children at Kibbutz Nili, a DP camp located at the former Julius Streicher farm. It is carved with the Hashomer Hatzair logo, a wreath with a Star of David enclosing a fleur-de-lis. Hashomer Hatzair was a Zionist youth movement active in organizing unauthorized refugee travel across postwar Europe and illegal emigration to Palestine. Second Lt. Friedman deployed to Europe in 1944. He was attached to the Third Army and became a member of the 91st Evacuation Hospital. In early April 1945, Joe's company was the first to enter Ohrdruf concentration camp, the first camp discovered by US troops. Before the war ended on May 7, Joe volunteered for work in displaced persons camps, eventually becoming the head of Coburg DP camp. He was promoted to Captain and later sent to Ansbach where he was commissioned to oversee all DP camps and German repatriation in American-occupied Bavaria. Joe also worked with the Jewish underground, smuggling Eastern European Jews out of the Russian zone. In early 1946, Joe's activities with the underground were uncovered and he had to return to the US.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Hand carved wooden plaque with an open topped wreath with a ribbon at the bottom, enclosing a Star of David with a fleur-de-lis in the center.
Corporate Bodies
- United States. Army. Army, 3rd
Subjects
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Forced repatriation--Biography.
- Jewish refugees--Germany.
- Soldiers--United States--Biography.
- Jewish soldiers--United States--Biography.
- Refugee camps--Germany--Administration--Biography.
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American.
- World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps--Liberation--Germany--Personal narratives, American.
Genre
- Object
- Decorative Arts