Embroidered pink tablecloth with a nautical design owned by a Romanian Jewish woman

Identifier
irn560514
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 2014.490.11
Dates
1 Jan 1938 - 31 Dec 1948
Level of Description
Item
Source
EHRI Partner

Extent and Medium

overall: Height: 30.250 inches (76.835 cm) | Width: 28.500 inches (72.39 cm)

Creator(s)

Biographical History

Izi Greif (née Korn, 1923-2008) was born in Romancauti, Romania (now Romankivt︠s︡i, Ukraine), but raised in Piatra Neamț, Romania by her parents, Lisa (née Koifman) and Solomon Korn. Lisa was from Romancauti, while Solomon was from Buzău, Romania. Izi had one younger brother, Hary (1927-2010). Izi was in high school when Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, starting World War II. Originally, Romania chose to stay neutral in the war, even though Romanian authorities already pursued a policy of harsh, persecutory antisemitism against Jews. In September 1940, a coalition government came to power led by General Ion Antonescu and the Iron Guard, a nationalistic party which promoted violent antisemitism. This period of rule is often known as the National Legionary State, and the party members as Legionnaires. Following this change in government, Romania officially joined the Axis alliance, and restrictions against Jews began to intensify. The new Romanian government quickly passed regulations forbidding Jews from public education, and Izi was kicked out of school. In Piatra Neamț the Legionnaires, with the assistance of the local authorities, terrorized the Jewish population. They confiscated the Jewish cemetery, and tortured wealthy Jews into giving them large sums of money and property. Jews who did not have money were forced to give away their merchandise and treasured family items. This abuse was similar to what the Legionnaires were inflicting on Jews all across Romania. In summer 1941, Izi and all other Romanian Jews were ordered to start wearing the yellow Star of David badge, and they were prohibited from moving around town outside of a few designated hours each day. The German army also forced Jews throughout the country to donate blankets and winter clothes to German soldiers. In August 1944, as Soviet troops were gaining ground in Romania, opposition politicians overthrew Antonescu and signed an armistice with the Soviet Union. Romanian troops then started working with the Allies, fighting alongside Soviet troops through Hungary and into Germany. Izi, her brother, and their parents all survived the Holocaust. Following the ousting of the antisemitic Romanian government and the German military, Izi returned to high school and graduated in 1945. She then moved to Bucharest to study textile engineering. In Bucharest, Izi met Ignacy Greif, a fellow survivor and electro-mechanical engineering student. Izi and Ignacy married in 1948, the same year that Ignacy graduated with his engineering degree. Izi earned her degree in 1952. The couple both worked as engineers in Bucharest, and had one daughter, Claudia. In 1968, the family applied at the Romanian authority to immigrate to the United States, and they received their exit visas in 1973. The three of them settled in San Francisco.

Archival History

The tablecloth was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2016 by Claudia Greif, the granddaughter of Klara Stempler Greif.

Acquisition

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Claudia Greif and Vladimir Brandwajn

Scope and Content

Small tablecloth embroidered by Izi Greif (née Korn) while she was in high school or shortly thereafter. Izi grew up in Piatra Neamț, Romania with her younger brother Hary, and their parents Lisa and Solomon Korn. Izi was in high school when Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, starting World War II. Originally, Romania chose to stay neutral in the war. However, in September 1940, a coalition government came to power led by General Ion Antonescu and the Iron Guard, a nationalistic party which promoted violent antisemitism. Following this change in government, Romania officially joined the Axis alliance, and restrictions against Jews began to intensify. The new Romanian government quickly passed regulations forbidding Jews from public education, and Izi was kicked out of school. The Iron Guard and local authorities in Piatra Neamt also terrorized Jews by confiscating the Jewish cemetery, torturing people into giving up their wealth and property, and restricting their movement around town. In August 1944, opposition politicians overthrew Antonescu and signed an armistice with the Soviet Union. Romanian troops then started working with the Allies. Following the ousting of the antisemitic Romanian government and the German military, Izi reenrolled in high school. She graduated in 1945, and moved to Bucharest to study textile engineering. While there she met electro-mechanical engineering student Ignacy Greif, and they married in 1948. In 1973, Izi and Ignacy immigrated to the United States with their daughter, and settled in San Francisco.

Conditions Governing Access

No restrictions on access

Conditions Governing Reproduction

No restrictions on use

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Small, pink, lightweight, square tablecloth with a blue cloth border sewn on top. Embroidered in the center of the tablecloth is a centered, large soaring bird surrounded by a circle of four similar birds alternated with four sailboats. The sailboats are sewn with outline stitch in light blue for the waves, a variation of satin stitch in dark blue for the hull, and Hungarian braided chain stitch in white for the sails. The birds are sewn in the same variation of satin stitch in dark blue and white. The border has additional triangular pieces sewn on to each corner. There is some light staining throughout and the border is coming apart at one of the corners.

People

Corporate Bodies

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.