Name/Title
B+W photo of Paul E. Mayer showing WWI German war decorations on arrival by ship at Hoboken, March 27, 1940.Entry/Object ID
2014.001.0085Description
Black-and-white photo of Paul E. Mayer showing German war decorations on arrival by ship at Hoboken, March 27, 1940.
6" x 8" wide print. Photo by Acme. Reverse with mimeographed caption; partial inkstamp of Reference Dept. N.E.A. [Newspaper Editors Association] [April] 4, 1940. Editorial cropping mark-up of Mayer's head.
He arrived on a Holland America Line passenger ship, the Zaandam (as seen on the tag on the suitcase handle and confirmed in published articles), as a refugee from Nazi Germany. (While caption on back tells some of his story, more will be
found in reference images of published articles including his escape from Germany.)
The Zaandam would be soon transferred to Java-New York service (HAL used Hoboken as its American home port, but labeled it as New York in schedules) after the invasion of Holland in May 1940 (it was sunk by German forces off the coast of Brazil in 1942.)
Text of caption on reverse:
TEL 549197
1914 HERO SEES UPRISING IN REICH
HOBOKEN, N.J.: - Paul E. Mayer, a former officer in the German air corps, and now a fugitive from the Fatherland, predicted an "uprising in July or August" by the German army, upon arriving here March 27. Mayer, who was accompanied by his wife and two children, said he had received 10 decorations in the air service during the World War. He plans to stay in America and become "one damned good American."
BU CL NK STL NK
CREDIT LINE (ACME) 3/27/40
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medals / luggage / awards / refugee / refugeesAcquisition
Accession
2014.001Source or Donor
PurchaseAcquisition Method
PurchaseCredit Line
Museum Collections.General Notes
Note
Status: OK
Status By: dw
Status Date: 2014-02-22
