Montreal Holocaust Museum via Canadian Jewish Heritage Network (incl. Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives)
Dates
1938 (indexed as 1938)
Level
item
Extent
Suitcase : brown, orange, multi-coloured ; Ht: 14 in. x W: 24 in.
Scope & content
Brown leather suitcase with metal keyhole clasps and reinforced leather corners. The interior is lined with orange fabric and held by thin leather straps. The suitcase bears labels of shipping companies and hotels on every side, including the bottom. The hotel labels include the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo; the Hotel Conti in Zurich; the Myrtle Bank Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica; the Savoy Badgastein in Austria; 2 labels for the Hotel Carrera in Santiago, Chile; the Hotel Kaiserin Elisabeth Wieni in Vienna, Austria; the Hotel Union in Innsbruck, Austria; the Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky in Amsterdam; and the Hotel Luna in Bolzano, Italy. There are also labels for the Swedish American Line cruise to New York City; the Societa "Italia" di Navig.; and the Holland American Line. Narrative: Albert Spanier was originally from Enger (Germany); his parents Adolf and Amalia were in the textile business and became very wealthy. In 1938 Albert Spanier was forced to leave Germany. He obtained a visa to the U.S.A. where he worked at a minimum wage job and sent money to his mother and sister (cousin of Amalia, Sol Katzenstein signed the affidavit for his visa). They went to England, and later, the mother joined her son in Connecticut. Her daughter joined her husband in Argentina. The suitcase went with Albert Spanier; in it he brought family photographs and memorabilia. A list of contents represents what Albert Spanier would have been able to take with him when he left Europe in 1938: 10 pairs of shoes; 1 pair of slippers; 1 pair of sports shoes; / 2 pairs of sports stockings, ½ dozen winter stockings; 35 pairs of summer stockings; / 2 pairs of gloves; 2 pairs of overshoes; 13 ties; 2 pullovers; / 9 pajamas; 1 bath towel; 3 towels; / 1 bathrobe; 2 white shirts; 9 shirts; 9 sports shirts; / 2 white sports shirts; 3 polo shirts; 2 nightshirts; 1 ½ dozen winter underwear; / 10 shirt pants; 10 slip pants; 1 bathing suit; ½ dozen undershirts; / 1 tablecloth with 6 table napkins; 2 tablecloths; 2 ½ dozen handkerchiefs; / 1 dozen white collars; 10 spoons; 1 vase; 2 knives & forks; / 2 white pants; 2 linen suits; 1 grey summer jacket with pants; / 1 green summer jacket with pants; 1 overall; 1 shortgown; / 2 winter suits; 1 smoking; 1 woollen blanket; 1 winter coat; / 1 thin coat; 1 rain coat; 1 dust coat; 1 alarm clock; / 1 typewriter and ink ribbons; toiletries; stationary; / 1 stamp collection; ritual items; 1 umbrella; books, sofa cushions; / pictures, laundry bags, cap, 200 pieces of cigars.
Location
Hotel De Paris · landmark · confidence 45% · landmark:geonames · found as “hotel de paris”
