Ackner and Geller families collection
Acquisition
The collection was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2019 by Suzanne Strauss.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of papers and photographs of the Ackner and Geller families (maternal and paternal families of the donor). Included are family records: among them birth certificates, school reports, wedding certificates, and other materials including books that pre-date the Nazi era. Ackner and Geller items from Vienna, Austria, duirng the Nazi era include identity cards, financial statements, citizenship and right of domicile certifications, and police reports, and Chaskel Geller's WWI medals credentials. Prior to Kristallnacht, Chaskel, Mathilde and their son Sigmund went to Riga. Sigmund (Sheldon) emigrated and included are his passport, US immigration card, US military documents, haggadot, his citizenship declaration, and naturalization certificate. Chaskel and Mathilde were deported to Siberia, where she died. Chaskel returned to Vienna, and married Josefina Brull in 1947. That documentation is included. He later came to the US and also became a citizen. Martha Ackner and her parents Sindel (Sydney) and Sabina (Sheve) Ackner immigrated to the US. Martha's passport, and her and her parents certificate of naturalization are included as are some items from the SS Lancastria. Sheldon and Martha were married on November 30, 1941, and their marriage license and ketubah are included. An oral history with Martha is also included in the collection.
Genre
- Collection