2 place ribbon bar, War Merit Cross 2nd class with swords and Eastern Front ribbons acquired by a US soldier

Identifier
irn84952
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 2013.453.14
Level of Description
Item
Source
EHRI Partner

Extent and Medium

overall: Height: 0.750 inches (1.905 cm) | Width: 1.875 inches (4.763 cm) | Depth: 0.250 inches (0.635 cm)

Creator(s)

Biographical History

Harold B. Goldberg (1922-2011) was born in Brooklyn, New York to Samuel and Rose Goldberg. Samuel and Rose were born in Russia and immigrated to the United States before the birth of their children. Samuel worked as a presser in a tailor shop. Harold had six siblings and the family spoke Yiddish and English at home. As a young adult Harold worked as a mail carrier and attended City College in New York. On December 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. The following day the United States declared war on Japan, and on December 11, Germany declared war on the United States. On October 31, 1942 Harold was drafted into the U.S. military. He entered the army on October 31, 1942 as a private, and received serial number 32613738. He served in Europe until the end of the war. Harold then returned home to New York where he married his wife Rita in 1952. The family lived in New York for the rest of their lives.

Archival History

The ribbon bar was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2013 by the family of Harold Goldberg.

Acquisition

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of the family of Harold Goldberg

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 bar pin with 2 ribbons: War Merit Cross 2nd class with crossed swords pin [Kleine Ordensschnallen] and an Eastern Front ribbon (Ostmedaille] brought back from the war by Harold Goldberg, an American soldier who served in Europe, circa 1945-1946, during and after World War II. The War Merit Cross 2nd class with swords was awarded after 1939 to military personnel for bravery, though not necessarily in combat. The Eastern or Russian Front medal, introduced on May 26, 1942, was awarded to participants of the first winter campaign of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union launched in June 1941.

Conditions Governing Access

No restrictions on access

Conditions Governing Reproduction

No restrictions on use

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Small, rectangular, silver colored bar pin covered by 2 grosgrain, vertically striped ribbons stitched together along the short ends. The left ribbon has 5 stripes: red, white, wide black, white, red, with a bronze washed, silver colored metal crossed sword pin, hilts down, on the black stripe. The right ribbon has 5 stripes: wide red, narrow white, medium black, narrow white, wide red. Gray wool is adhered to the back and there is a straight pin and C clasp. It is discolored, with signs of wear.

Subjects

Genre

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.