NMAJH - Collections
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Steamer trunk
Germany, ca. 1920s-1930s
Gift of Barry S. and Joann C. Slosberg
National Museum of American Jewish History, Philadelphia
1995.69.1
This steamer trunk accompanied Lilly and Josef Joseph and their ten-year-old daughter, Liesl, on the SS St. Louis which sailed from Hamburg to Havana in May 1939. Like many of the 937 Jewish passengers on the ship, this German Jewish family had obtained visas to enter the United States at a future date because of strict immigration quotas. Considering it unsafe to remain in Europe until their visas became effective, they planned to wait in Cuba. However, the Cuban government declared all but 20 of the Jewish passengers’ landing permits invalid and refused to grant them entry. Mr. Joseph was the president of the passenger committee that was formed to buoy spirits when it became clear that the ship would return to Europe. The Joseph family disembarked in Britain and made their way to Philadelphia in 1943.
Gift of Barry S. and Joann C. Slosberg
National Museum of American Jewish History, Philadelphia
1995.69.1
This steamer trunk accompanied Lilly and Josef Joseph and their ten-year-old daughter, Liesl, on the SS St. Louis which sailed from Hamburg to Havana in May 1939. Like many of the 937 Jewish passengers on the ship, this German Jewish family had obtained visas to enter the United States at a future date because of strict immigration quotas. Considering it unsafe to remain in Europe until their visas became effective, they planned to wait in Cuba. However, the Cuban government declared all but 20 of the Jewish passengers’ landing permits invalid and refused to grant them entry. Mr. Joseph was the president of the passenger committee that was formed to buoy spirits when it became clear that the ship would return to Europe. The Joseph family disembarked in Britain and made their way to Philadelphia in 1943.
