German-Italy friendship lapel pin with flags acquired by a US soldier
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 1.250 inches (3.175 cm) | Width: 0.500 inches (1.27 cm) | Diameter: 1.375 inches (3.493 cm)
Creator(s)
- Harold B. Goldberg (Subject)
- Karl Hensler (Manufacturer)
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 pin 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
Lapel pin with the flags of Germany and Italy brought back from the war by Harold Goldberg, an American soldier who served in Europe, circa 1945-1946.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Gold colored metal and painted enamel pin of two waving flags on a pole. The top flag has 3 vertical stripes of green, white, and red, with a white cross in a red shield and a red crown above in the center white stripe, and the bottom red flag has a black swastika in a central white circle. The reverse has the maker’s name with a bent, soldered spring hinge and “C” catch pin.
Subjects
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American.
- Jewish soldiers--United States--Biography.
- Souvenirs (Keepsakes)--Soldiers--United States--Biography.
- Soldiers--United States--Biography.
Genre
- Identifying Artifacts
- Object