1_01: Gary Sternberg in Shanghai: Stamps, Football, and “Packs”
c. 1944, Reverse side - Stamp book which belonged to Gary Sternberg, a Jewish refugee in Shanghai.
Tan paper with printed text in German using black ink. Printed handwriting and doodling in pencil is present overall. At the left page are two stamps from Bayern (Bavaria), the German state. One is an orange 10-pfennig stamp depicting a farmer. Overtop, is half of a cancellation. Underneath, a red 15-pfennig stamp depicting King Ludwig III, the last king of Bavaria. On the right page are doodles in pencil. At the center right, a depiction of Adolf Hitler and tanks shooting off artillery.
Name/Title
1_01: Gary Sternberg in Shanghai: Stamps, Football, and “Packs”Entry/Object ID
2017.1.1.aScope and Content
c. 1944, stamp book which belonged to Gary Sternberg, a Jewish refugee in Shanghai.Context
In February 1943, to appease their German ally, the occupying Japanese established the “Designated Area For Stateless Refugees,” commonly known today as the Shanghai Ghetto. Gary’s family was forced into the ghetto living alongside Chinese, many of whom were also refugees. The Sternbergs moved to the old university that was converted to an enclosed group of hospital and European residential buildings during the war years. Gary’s address as noted on the stamp album was Chaou foong Road 680, House 78, Room 316. There were no ghetto walls or barbed wire fences but everyone had an ID card of some type to show at various check points. Unlike their Jewish father, Gary, his sister, and mother were Protestant in the eyes of the Japanese. They were issued passes to move in and out of the street boundaries without difficulty. Gary was about 13 years old when he made the stamp albums. “People were just giving me stamps. I thought they were pretty. I had to put them somewhere, so I made the albums. I don’t think I considered myself a collector,” he said. Gary focused more on playing football (soccer) and “Packs,” a form of marbles made out of folded cigarette packages.” Gary said “I am horrible at drawing.” He does not remember why he doodled Hitler and the tanks. He was well aware of Hitler and news of the war but did not seem as pre-occupied or anxious like his parents must have been. Gary was focused on being a boy. For an in-depth exploration on Gary Sternberg, please refer to Kevin Ostoyich's extensive research article "The Dealer's Cards: How Gary Sternberg Has Made the Best of Them." To read the article, refer to the additional artifacts at the bottom lefthand of this screen. Copy and paste this link into your website browser: https://holocaust.spungenfoundation.org/survivor-stories/gary-sternberg/Collection
Gary SternbergCategory
Book