By staff
Title: Family Histories, 1916-2009
Predominant Dates:1933 --1945
ID: RG-16/RG-16
Primary Creator: Auslander, Sari
Other Creators: Blumenfeld, Helga, Cohen family, Cohen, Naile, Flagg, Edith (1919-), Gerard, Betti (1934-), Gumener family, Gumener, Sara, Jontoff-Hutter, Otto, Kubaschka family, Kubaschka, David, Posner family, Posner, Ralph, Posner, Sarah, Rapaport, Joseph (1922-), Talerant family, Webster, D.R.
Extent: 0.0
Arrangement:
The arrangement scheme for the record group was imposed during processing in the absence of an original order. Materials are arranged by family name/creator, then by identifier, as assigned by the processor.
Record group is comprised of ten collections: 1. Posner family follection; 2. Kubaschka family collection; 3. Vienna family history collection; 4. Cohen family papers; 5. Jontof-Hutter family collection; 6. Phillip Raucher collection; 7. Sari Auslander papers; 8. Leo Baeck Institute collection; 9. Gumener family collection; 10. Edith Flagg papers. RG-16.11, D. R. Webster Collection: Album of Budapest, 1944 – 1945. RG-16.12, Joseph Rapaport Collection
Subjects: Auslander, Sari, Blumenfeld, Helga, Cohen family, family histories, Flagg, Edith, Germany (Europe), Gumener family, Italian Fascism, Italy (Europe), Jewish experience, Italian, 1918 -- 1945, Jontof-Hutter family, Kubaschka family, Panenske Brezany (Czechoslovakia), Personal correspondence, Photographs, postwar, 1945 -- 1988, Photographs, pre-Second World War, Photographs, wartime, 1939 -- 1945, Poland (Europe), Posner family, Rapaport, Joseph, Raucher, Philip, Talerant family, Totalitarian regimes, Webster, D.R.
Languages: German, Italian, Czech, Dutch;Flemish, Polish, English
This record group through the materials of family histories embodies regional microhistories of prewar, wartime, and postwar period. For example, the Cohen family papers exemplifies the lesser-known facts of the relations between the Italian Fascist regime and the Jewish population in the early years of the Fascist regime. Overall, the families represented in this record group belonged to the Jewish middle class and were well-assimilated. Among the individual documents that stand out is a postcard written by Maria Altman in 1932. This postcard depicts the Castle in Panenske Brezany, Czechoslovakia. Once Reinhard Heidrich had been appointed the Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, this castle became one of his official residences.
Materials included in this record group are personal papers, correspondence, family albums, identification documents, testimonies, and official documents. A number of these documents are digitized.
Auslander, Sari
Blumenfeld, Helga
Cohen family
family histories
Flagg, Edith
Germany (Europe)
Gumener family
Italian Fascism
Italy (Europe)
Jewish experience, Italian, 1918 -- 1945
Jontof-Hutter family
Kubaschka family
Panenske Brezany (Czechoslovakia)
Personal correspondence
Photographs, postwar, 1945 -- 1988
Photographs, pre-Second World War
Photographs, wartime, 1939 -- 1945
Poland (Europe)
Posner family
Rapaport, Joseph
Raucher, Philip
Talerant family
Totalitarian regimes
Webster, D.R.
Repository: Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust
Access Restrictions: No restrictions
Use Restrictions:
Copyrighted materials, credits to and references to the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust are required
Digital copies might be available upon request
Preferred Citation: RG-16, Family Histories. Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust Archive.
Processing Information: Materials are primarily described using the local descriptive standards of the LA Museum of the Holocaust.
The collection contains black-and-white photographs, postcards, artifacts, and military documents, from 1942 – 1954. It consists of three photograph albums, of which the first two albums offer a chronological narrative of Rapaport’s service from 1942 – 1946, while the third album is comprised of materials dating back to 1944 – 1945 and concludes with the separation from the armed forces reports of 1954. The collection highlights the enlistment, training, and active service of Joseph Rapaport. Materials pertaining to Rapaport’s active service center on the occupation period, and mainly consist of Rapaport taking part in leisurely activities in Southern Germany.
This collection has been processed and arranged page-by-page from the three photograph albums: Album I (16.12.01 – 16.12.30), Album II (16.12.31 – 16.12.69), Album III (16.12.70 – 16.12.106). Titles for all files have been created to relate to the content on each page, as most pages contain several materials. All albums are digitized.
The documents are in English and German.
RG-16.12.01, Military registration, 1942 – 1943. Page contains four documents: correspondence postal card dated 22 July 1942, notice to registrant to appear for physical examination dated 9 October 1942, notice of classification dated 13 October 1942, and notice to report for active duty on 6 January 1943.
RG-16.12.02, Order to report for induction, 18 December 1942. Document states Joseph Rapaport has been selected for training and service in the Army and is to report to the local board in Brooklyn, New York on 30 December 1942.
RG-16.12.03, Joseph Rapaport in uniform, c. 1943. Page contains four photographs of Joseph Rapaport in uniform, taken in the United States.
RG-16.12.04, Joseph Rapaport in training, circa 1943. Page contains four photographs of Joseph Rapaport at training camp, the eleventh army corps patch, the United States second army corps patch, and military dog tag with his name.
RG-16.12.05, Joseph Rapaport in training, circa 1943. Page contains two photographs of Joseph Rapaport at training camp, a quartermaster laundry list, and a poem titled “Nice Work – And Do They Get It!” about the work of military engineers.
RG-16.12.06, Regulations for students of the army specialized training program, Carleton College, circa 1943. Page contains the ten page regulations booklet from Carleton College and the United States Army special training unit patch.
RG-16.12.07, Carleton College campus. Page contains four photographs of Carleton College campus: men’s dorms from Laird Stadium, Skinner Memorial Chapel, Burton and Severance Halls, and Davis Hall.
RG-16.12.08, Carleton College campus. Page contains four photographs of Carleton College campus: Scoville Memorial Library, Sayles-Hill Gymnasium, Margaret Evans Hall across Lyman Memorial Lakes, and Leighton Hall of Chemistry.
RG-16.12.09, Joseph Rapaport in training at Carleton College, circa 1943. Page contains six photographs of Joseph Rapaport and friends in uniform on Carleton campus.
RG-16.12.10, Joseph Rapaport in training at Carleton College, circa 1943. Page contains five photographs of Joseph Rapaport and friends in uniform on Carleton campus.
RG-16.12.11, Postcard from Joseph Rapaport to private Benno Rapaport, August 1943. Page contains one postcard sent to Private Benno Rapaport in Camp Grant, Illinois from Joseph Rapaport in Minneapolis, Minnesota. J. Rapaport writes that Minneapolis is a “swell town” and asks B. Rapaport how Grant, Illinois is.
RG-16.12.12, Minneapolis skyline, circa 1943. Page contains one photograph of Minneapolis, Minnesota skyline.
RG-16.12.13, Graduation from Army specialized training program at Carleton College, November 1943. Page contains three group photographs of Joseph Rapaport and classmates, and a newspaper article, “First group of ASTU grads receive certificates at parade.” Article states Rapaport and classmates will now be transferred to the Army Specialized Training unit at the University of Chicago to continue their studies in languages.
RG-16.12.14, Demolition work, camp McCoy in Wisconsin, July 1944. Page contains two photographs, one of Company A and one of Joseph Rapaport heading out for demolition work, and the combat medic patch.
RG-16.12.15, Pitching tents, camp McCoy in Wisconsin, summer 1944. Page contains four photographs of Joseph Rapaport and comrades preparing to and pitching a tent.
RG-16.12.16, Marching, camp McCoy in Wisconsin, summer 1944. Page contains three photographs of Joseph Rapaport and comrades marching and resting by tents.
RG-16.12.17, Demolition work, camp McCoy in Wisconsin, summer 1944. Page contains four photographs of Joseph Rapaport practicing demolition work with dynamite.
RG-16.12.18, Break for lunch, camp McCoy in Wisconsin, summer 1944. Page contains six photographs of Joseph Rapaport and comrades enjoying lunch and relaxing.
RG-16.12.19, Rapaport lecture on poison gas, camp McCoy in Wisconsin, July 1944. Page contains three photographs of Joseph Rapaport giving lecture on gas casualties to the engineers, one newspaper image of Camp McCoy’s infiltration course, and a furlough ticket to go from Camp McCoy, Wisconsin to Chicago.
RG-16.12.20, Lecture and demonstration on poison gas, camp McCoy in Wisconsin, July 1944. Page contains five photographs of R. Pierce lecturing and giving a demonstration on the effects of poison gases.
RG-16.12.21, Poison gas demonstration, camp McCoy in Wisconsin, summer 1944. Page contains one photograph of a poison gas demonstration.
RG-16.12.22, Engineer Combat Battalion Memorandum, good conduct medal, camp McCoy in Wisconsin, 11 october 1944. Page contains memorandum awarding the good conduct medal to Joseph Rapaport and three others, and three photographs of Rapaport and friend.
RG-16.12.23, Group photograph, camp McCoy in Wisconsin, 1944. Page contains one group photograph of Joseph Rapaport, last to the right in middle row, and comrades.
RG-16.12.24, Accommodations in London, England, 1944. Page contains five photographs of Joseph Rapaport’s accommodations in London, England, an army exchange service ration card issued 18 November 1944, and a troop assignment card.
RG-16.12.25, Historic sites in London, England. Page contains six tourist photographs of historic sites: Houses of Parliament, Picadilly Circus, the Cenotaph, Parliament Square, Trafalgar Square and St.Martin’s-in-the-fields, and Buckingham Palace.
RG-16.12.26, Amusements in London, England, 1944 - 1945. Page contains one photograph of Joseph Rapaport, two tourist photographs of the Tower Bridge and Tower of London, a Garrick Theatre ticket 1944, a United Nations Forces Club member card 1945, and an American red cross coupon card.
RG-16.12.27, Westminster Abbey. Page contains twelve tourist photographs of Westminster Abbey in London, England.
RG-16.12.28, Dachau concentration camp, after liberation, 1945. Page contains two photographs of Dachau concentration camp.
RG-16.12.29, United States Army occupation, Dessau and Preten, Germany, April 1945. Page contains eight photographs of Joseph Rapaport and comrades enjoying themselves during the American occupation.
RG-16.12.30. United States Army occupation, Germany, 1945. Page contains eight photographs of Joseph Rapaport and comrades.
RG-16.12.31, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Bahnhofhotel, December 1945. Page contains seven photographs of views from the Bahnhofhotel and other sites in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, and one postcard of the Bahnhofhotel where Joseph Rapaport spent his christmas holidays, postcard is not addressed to anyone.
RG-16.12.32, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, December 1945. Page contains one photograph of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, with the Zugspitze mountain in background.
RG-16.12.33, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, December 1945. Page contains three photographs and two postcards with the Zugspitze mountain in background.
RG-16.12.34, Bavarian Zugspitze railway to Schneefernerhaus hotel in Alps, December 1945. Page contains six photographs of views from the Zugspitze railway and a ticket to the Schneefernerhaus via the Zugspitze railway.
RG-16.12.35, Bavarian Zugspitze railway to mountain peak, December 1945. Page contains one photograph of Joseph Rapaport at the peak of the Zugspitze mountain in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria.
RG-16.12.36, Postcard, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, December 1945. Page contains a postcard with lake Riessersee, a lake near Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Postcard has no message and is not addressed to anyone.
RG-16.12.37, Eagle exhibition, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, bavaria, circa 1945. Page contains an article titled “The Eagle Flight in Heidelberg and Garmisch-Partenkirchen,” which is in German, a postcard with an eagle on which Joseph Rapaport wrote “very interesting exhibition,” and two photographs of Rapaport in ski attire.
RG-16.12.38, Summit of the Bavarian Zugspitze railway, December 1945. Page contains eight photographs of the Zugspitze summit, of Joseph Rapaport’s friend Wally, and an eagle at the Schneefernerhaus.
RG-16.12.39, Bavarian sites, December 1945. Page contains nine photographs of Bavarian sites: Wank mountain, lake Kochel, Tegernsee, and Mittenwald.
RG-16.12.40, Tegernsee, Bavaria, December 1945. Page contains eight photographs of Joseph Rapaport with his “Tante” in Tegernsee and of the Tegernsee landscape.
RG-16.12.41, Danube at Inglostadt, Bavaria, October - December 1945. Page contains eleven photographs of the landscape near and around the Danube and of buildings in the location.
RG-16.12.42, Building in a German city, circa 1945. Page contains one photograph of a building.
RG-16.12.43, Buildings in a German city, circa 1945. Page contains six photographs of buildings.
RG-16.12.44, Buildings in a German city, circa 1945. Page contains six photographs of buildings.
RG-16.12.45, Joseph Rapaport playing with a dog, circa 1945. Page contains two photographs of Joseph Rapaport playing with a dog.
RG-16.12.46, Final days abroad, circa 1945 – 1946. Page contains five photographs of Joseph Rapaport outside a house and photos of a train loading.
RG-16.12.47, Allied forces base camp, circa 1945 - 1946. Page contains four photographs of the Allies’ base camp, most likely in France, and of a military patch.
RG-16.12.48, Dog in a tent at allied base camp, circa 1945 – 1946. Page contains three photographs of the dog and base camp.
RG-16.12.49, Preparing to head home from allied base camp, circa 1946. Page contains five photographs.
RG-16.12.50, Shipyard, circa 1946. Page contains four photographs of a shipyard, most likely in France.
RG-16.12.51, Bon voyage, shipyard in France, heading back to United States, circa 1946. Page contains five photographs of shipyard in France and soldiers loading onto ship, and an assignment card and meal ticket for the voyage.
RG-16.12.52, Atlantic Agony, the Landlubber’s Journal, SS Gustavus victory, 14 april 1946. Page contains a two page article from the “Atlantic Agony: the Landlubber’s Journal” that provides announcements and news for the voyaging soldiers, and a photograph of the shipyard.
RG-16.12.53, Ship dock, circa 1946. Page contains six photographs of a ship dock.
RG-16.12.54, Atlantic Agony, the Landlubber's Journal, SS Gustavus victory, 15 april 1946. Page contains a four page article from the “Atlantic Agony: the Landlubber’s Journal” that provides announcements and news for the voyaging soldiers.
RG-16.12.55, Ship departing, circa 1946. Page contains five photographs of the ship departing.
RG-16.12.56, Ship on voyage, circa 1946. Page contains six photographs of the ship en route to the United States.
RG-16.12.57, Camp Kilmer booklet, returning soldiers, circa 1946. Page contains a sixteen page booklet for Camp Kilmer in New Jersey. Camp Kilmer was a staging area where incoming soldiers were processed before heading back home or overseas.
RG-16.12.58, Transportation corps, United States Army, circa 1946. Page contains six photographs of Joseph Rapaport and comrades arriving back in the United States via the transportation corps of the United States Army.
RG-16.12.59, Joseph Rapaport back home, United States, circa 1946. Page contains four photographs of Joseph Rapaport back home in Brooklyn, New York.
RG-16.12.60, Joseph Rapaport back home, United States, circa 1946. Page contains five photographs of Joseph Rapaport back home in Brooklyn, New York.
RG-16.12.61, Joseph Rapaport back home, United States, circa 1946. Page contains four photographs of Joseph Rapaport back home in Brooklyn, New York.
RG-16.12.62, Shipment schedule. One photograph of a shipment schedule, this photograph was loose in the album (may have previously fallen out).
RG-16.12.63, Building in Europe. One photograph of a building, this photograph was loose in the album (may have previously fallen out).
RG-16.12.64, Children at allied base camp. One photograph of children in what appears to be the Allies’ basecamp in France or Germany, this photograph was loose in the album (may have previously fallen out).
RG-16.12.65, Ship departing, circa 1946. One photograph of Joseph Rapaport and comrades departing from France, this photograph was loose in the album (may have previously fallen out).
RG-16.12.66, Concentration camp, Gardelegen massacre, 1945. One photograph of corpses of the Gardelegen massacre, this photograph was loose in the album (may have previously fallen out).
RG-16.12.67, Allied base camp. One photograph of the Allies’ base camp in France or Germany, this photograph was loose in the album (may have previously fallen out).
RG-16.12.68, Boating on a lake. One photograph of a boat on a lake, this photograph was loose in the album (may have previously fallen out).
RG-16.12.69, Postcard with family portrait, 1929. One postcard with message in German, this postcard was loose in the album (may have previously fallen out).
RG-16.12.70, Joseph Rapaport in uniform in Europe, circa 1944. Page contains three photographs of Joseph Rapaport with friends either in France or Germany.
RG-16.12.71, Dachau, September 1945. Page contains one photograph of Joseph Rapaport looking through a book of prisoners’ past activities, an SS guard identity plate from Dachau, and a cartoon about the American occupation in which a man states to a German couple, “Synchronize your watches and check your candy bars.”
RG-16.12.72, Nazi party rally grounds, Nuremberg, circa 1930s - August 1945. Page contains three photographs of Joseph Rapaport and comrades at the Nazi party rally grounds in Nuremberg, a panoramic photograph of a Nazi army demonstration at Zeppelin field circa 1930s, and a small banner that states “greetings from Nuremberg, the city of the Reich party rallies.”
RG-16.12.73, Nuremberg street scene, August - September 1945. Page contains two photographs of a Nuremberg street.
RG-16.12.74, German and Belgian souvenirs, circa 1945. Page contains a banner that states “the German people’s army” (Deutscher volkssturm Wehrmacht), a receipt of two crowns (Quittung über zwei kronen), printed in Theresienstadt in January 1943, and a Belgian five franc bill.
RG-16.12.75, Accommodations in Preten, Germany, May 1945. Page contains five photographs of Joseph Rapaport in Preten, Germany, and a postcard. Postcard has no message and is not addressed to anyone.
RG-16.12.76, Joseph Rapaport with comrades in Preten, Germany, May 1945. Page contains seven photographs of Joseph Rapaport and comrades enjoying themselves in Preten, Germany.
RG-16.12.77, Reich souvenirs, circa 1945. Page contains two photographs of the Reichsautobahn, one photograph of Josef Stalin shaking hands with American soldier, and German bank note (Reichsbanknote).
RG-16.12.78, Accommodations in Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany, June 1945. Page contains three photographs of Joseph Rapaport in Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany, and two blank postcards.
RG-16.12.79, Accommodations in Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany, June 1945. Page contains eight photographs of Joseph Rapaport in Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany.
RG-16.12.80, Cologne cathedral, June 1945. Page contains four photographs of the Cologne cathedral and three postcards. Postcards have no message or addressee.
RG-16.12.81, Wartime destruction in Cologne, Germany, June 1945. Page contains five photographs of wartime destruction in Cologne, Germany, and two postcards. Postcards have no message or addressee.
RG-16.12.82, Wartime destruction, sites on the Rhine, June 1945. Page contains seven photographs of sites along the Rhine and wartime destruction.
RG-16.12.83, Sites along the Rhine, June 1945. Page contains nine photographs of sites along the Rhine.
RG-16.12.84, Sites along the Rhine, summer 1945. Page contains eight photographs of sites along the Rhine.
RG-16.12.85, United States fifteenth army occupation, Bad Durkheim, June 1945. Page contains two photographs of Joseph Rapaport in Bad Dürkheim, a label from Kurpark-Hotel in Bad Dürkheim, a United States fifteenth army patch, and two postcards. One postcard is addressed to Mr. O. Garner in Bayonne, New Jersey, Rapaport wrote to Garner that his current accommodations were great, however as he is to move out, living conditions will become worse.
RG-16.12.86, Bad Durkheim, June - July 1945. Page contains five photographs of Joseph Rapaport and friends in Bad Dürkheim, and one postcard addressed to Mr. A. Rapaport asking A. Rapaport to save the postcard for him as a memory of the town Bad Dürkheim.
RG-16.12.87, Bad Durkheim spa booklet, 1939 – 1940. Page contains a spa booklet for Bad Dürkheim in German, and a newspaper article, “People on the Home Front,” and which also has cartoon drawings of ethnic stereotypes on the reverse.
RG-16.12.88, Sites in Paris, France, prewar. Page contains ten tourist photographs of historic sites in Paris, France.
RG-16.12.89, Sites in Paris, France, prewar. Page contains ten tourist photographs of historic sites in Paris, France.
RG-16.12.90, Sites of Paris, postcards, circa 1942. Page contains four postcards, a train ticket for the St. Lazare station in Paris, and one franc. All four postcards have a message written in handwriting rendering it difficult to decipher, looks like they were written in German.
RG-16.12.91, Paris by metro, circa 1945. Page contains map of the metro lines in Paris, and three photographs of Joseph Rapaport in France.
RG-16.12.92, Bad Schwalbach, August 1945. Page contains two photographs.
RG-16.12.93, Bad Schwalbach postcards, August 1945. Page contains four postcards. One postcard is addressed to Mr. A. Rapaport in Brooklyn, New York, Joseph Rapaport wrote that he will provide his new addresses as soon as possible and that Schwalbach was not too bad.
RG-16.12.94, Bad Schwalbach inTtaunus booklet. Page contains a booklet titled “Bad Schwalbach im Taunus,” in German, and two German bills/bank notes.
RG-16.12.95, Swimming in Wiesbaden, August 1945. Page contains six photographs of Joseph Rapaport enjoying the leisure facility Opelbad in Wiesbaden.
RG-16.12.96, Recreation in Wiesbaden, august 1945. Page contains eight photographs of Joseph Rapaport and comrades enjoying recreational acitvities.
RG-16.12.97, Interrogation teams, first united states infantry division, August 1945. Page contains a military intelligence service memorandum that lists interrogation teams, Joseph Rapaport is part of the 260th interrogation team, a notice from the 1st United States Infantry Division headquarters permitting Rapaport to travel in the Division Area and places off limits, and a 1st United States Infantry Division patch.
RG-16.12.98, Sites in Nuremberg, Germany, September 1945. Page contains four photographs of sites in Nuremberg, Germany, and two postcards. Postcards have no message or addressee.
RG-16.12.99, Nazi behind Malmedy slayings of 100 yanks found by 1st division, 19 August 1945. Page contains an article, “Nazi Behind Malmedy Slayings of 100 Yanks Found by 1st Div.,” cut out from an unidentified newspaper. Article highlights the capture of Joachim Peiper, the commanding officer of the 1st SS Adolf Hitler Panzer Division that killed 100 American prisoners of war near Malmedy on 17 December 1944.
RG-16.12.100, Stalag xiii-d, Langwasser Nuremberg, prisoner screening, 1945. Page contains four photographs of SS guards processing at the Stalag X-III D prisoner of war camp, three small pieces of cloth from Nazi banner(s), and a cloth patch of the Nazi eagle.
RG-16.12.101, A German general has chow. Page contains one photograph of a German general having lunch.
RG-16.12.102, Leisure in Nuremberg, August 1945. Page contains seven photographs of Joseph Rapaport at leisure in Nuremberg, three of those photographs showcase General Patton’s visit to the stadium at soldier’s field.
RG-16.12.103, Calumet, history of 1263rd engineer combat battalion, receipt. Page contains a single note/receipt for the Calumet history book on the 1263rd Engineer Combat Battalion, which was printed in Munich, Germany.
RG-16.12.104, Report of separation from armed forces, 4 January 1954. Page contains one letter reporting on Joseph Rapaport’s separation from the armed forces, sent out 4 January 1954, and states that such report will provide a record of data pertaining to his active service, which can be used to establish eligibility for State or Federal benefits.
RG-16.12.105, Report of separation from the armed forces of the United States, 1954. Page contains one detailed report on Joseph Rapaport’s separation from the armed forces.
RG-16.12.106, Lletter from President Harry Truman. Page contains one mass-produced letter from President Harry Truman offering thanks for Joseph Rapaport’s service.
RG-16.12.107, Joseph Rapaport, Album I
RG-16.12.108, Joseph Rapaport, Album II
RG-16.12.109, Joseph Rapaport, Album III