German military red painted canteen in pouch with strap acquired by US soldier
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 8.375 inches (21.273 cm) | Width: 5.500 inches (13.97 cm) | Depth: 3.375 inches (8.573 cm)
Creator(s)
- Bernard B. Cohen (Subject)
Biographical History
Bernard Baruch Cohen was born on June 22, 1920, in Philadelphia, PA, to Simon and Sarah Cohen. His Yiddish speaking parents had immigrated to the United States from Imperial Russia. Bernard was the second of four children. After completing high school, he worked in a restaurant, and then at Sam Gerson’s apparel shop. In 1941, he married Estelle Elias (1922-2008.). In December 1941, the United States entered World War II (1939-1945.) Bernard enlisted in the US Army, Warrant Officers Branch, on February 11, 1943, and entered active service on February 18, He served with the Third Army under General Patton in combat across Europe from late October 1944 - mid-July 1945. Bernard was honorably discharged from the military on November 1, 1945. He returned to Philadelphia. Bernard and Estelle had a son and a daughter. They owned and operated two maternity and baby shops, Dorebel's Maternity and Baby Shops in South Philadelphia and Mayfair. They were members of Adath Shalom synagogue and active in the wider Jewish community. Bernard, 63, passed away on August 23, 1983, in Philadelphia. In 1986, Estelle received the Israel Freedom Award from the State of Israel Women's Division. Estelle, 86, passed away on August 26, 2008.
Archival History
The canteen was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1985 by Estelle Cohen, the wife of Bernard B. Cohen.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Estelle Cohen
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
German military field canteen, painted red, in a fitted wool pouch with a leather carrying strap brought back from the war by Bernard B. Cohen, a soldier with the United States Third Army as it fought its way across Europe during the fall of 1944 through the end of the war in May 1945.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Oval, molded, red painted metal canteen with a convex front and flat back. It has a red painted interior and a cylindrical neck with a threaded, circular mouth and a black, ridged, Bakelite screw cap with a short, fixed metal post. The canteen is stored in a fitted, brown wool pouch with a neck and a side opening with 4 snaps backed by brown twill binding. At the bottom is a short, fixed, metal post anchoring an approximately 21 inch long worn, brown, pebbled leather carrying strap. The strap is rounded with a metal grommet at the cap end and has a black painted buckle and tine at the other end. It wraps around the cover and passes under 2 short, horizontal loops sewn on the front and back. This strap is sewn to a strap with 5 punched holes. Sewn to this is a short strap with a looped end that secures a gray painted spring catch hook near the cap. The strap has become detached from the bottom post.
cap strap, base, top end near cap, stamped, blue ink : RB Nr. 0/0656/0005 cap strap, base near cap, underneath RB stamp, impressed : GNL 43 [Gebrüder Noëlle, Lüdenscheid] interior, snap binding, stamped, black ink : S. H. L. 43 [triangle with logo] front, snaps, underside, engraved : S. H. B. [Prym maker's mark] cap interior, top, stamped : 3 / g f c / [semicircle logo with S] ]Bakelite maker's mark]
Subjects
- Souvenirs (Keepsakes)--Soldiers--United States.
- World War, 1939-1945--Uniforms.
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Western Front.
- Jewish soldiers--United States.
- Soldiers--United States.
Genre
- Household Utensils
- Object