Torah Scroll, Desecrated by Nazi Regime
1942 September 11, Reverse side - Scroll with Torah scripture printed by Jews and later desecrated by Nazis.
Beige calf skin parchment stretched and printed with Torah scripture on the front side. At the center right is a blue 20-pfennig stamp depicting Adolf Hitler facing to the right. At the bottom of the stamp is a black ink provisional from Ukraine. A cancellation overtop from September 11, 1942. Above the stamp is cursive handwriting in German using blue ink. At the top "Feldpost!" was the term used for the German military postal service.
Name/Title
Torah Scroll, Desecrated by Nazi RegimeEntry/Object ID
2008.1.1Scope and Content
1942 September 11, scroll with Torah scripture printed by Jews and later desecrated by Nazis.Context
Context about the Torah Scroll from renowned Philatelist, Ken Lawrence in letter to Danny Spungen, January 1, 2009: "Here is what I have learned about your “Scourge 2” scroll: The 20pf Hitler-head stamp overprinted UKRAINE did not pay a legitimate postal rate. Minimum postage for a field post parcel was 40pf, to pay for up to 1 kg. There was no 20pf rate in effect between distant locations. So the scroll was probably a souvenir, sent as an overpaid field post letter, showing the soldier’s hatred of Jews. The cancel is 11.9.42 from field post No. 44,688-D. That was the address of Company 3, National Defense Battalion 465, Army Group Central, Area 1 as of June 6, 1942; some time later it was the address for Area 2 (dates uncertain), so it might be either one. I don’t have the geographic locations for Areas 1 and 2, but they were somewhere in the Soviet Union, so northern Ukraine is plausible. This was not an elite fighting unit, more like militia mobilized and sent to the war front. I cannot read the sender’s writing. If you can get it transcribed by someone with better eyesight who can read German script, you will learn the sender’s rank." The text below includes information about the Torah Scroll prior to the Spungen Family Foundations' ownership. The article is from the Jerusalem Post, 2008. "Unfolded envelope made from a parchment section of a destroyed...Unfolded envelope made from a parchment section of a destroyed Torah Scroll. A unique historic document from the Holocaust – Stamped and sent through the post! Torah scrolls were made of parchment. Many were desecrated during the Nazi period 1939-1945 in Europe. They were used for many purposes; sandals, slippers, hand-bags, musical instruments lampshades and in this instance a complete parchment sheet was folded and used to make an envelope. This is the sole such item to have been signed and dated by the desecrater who even supplies his home address. Corporal Herman Nelleke served in a German military unit that took part in the invasion of the Soviet Union. He sent a letter from the War Front using this parchment section as his envelope. On the verso he inscribed, in German, the address of his family home in Nurndorf, Germany and added his own name and military postal unit D-44688 on the Russian front. The addressee is Mrs. Kati Nelleke apparently the soldier's mother or wife. Alongside her address, a cobalt blue 20 pfennig stamp of Hitler inscribed 'Deutsches Reich' and overprinted Ukraine (Michel - Deutsche Besetzungsausgaben 1941 # 11) was stuck onto the parchment. The stamp is postmarked September 11th 1942 using a double circle mute cancellation. This is the correct stamp for use in that area of the German occupied territories. This historic find was discovered in Munich after the end of World War II by Mr. Z. E. Kampinsky, a well known member of a Zionist Organisation in Heidenheim. On the parchment which he purchased from a German citizen, Kampinsky wrote his name in Yiddish with the date of the redemption of the parchment – September 1946. The Parchment comes from a Torah Scroll identified as having been written in 18th century Poland. This section measures 51cms by 33cms and still has some of the original stitching. It includes 4 columns of script from the book of Deuteronomy. By coincidence the biblical text begins with chapter 11 verse 12 and this portion includes the second paragraph of the Shema. The Shema is recited every morning and evening by observant Jews and is an important part of every day and festival prayers. The reciting of this prayer dates back to the second temple period (2nd century BC). This well known liturgy has been recited by Jewish Martyrs before their execution! This envelope with stamp, which has obvious philatelic interest, was exhibited for the first time in May 2004 at the Tel Aviv International Stamp Exhibition where it won the award for 'Most Interesting Item'. It has also been the subject of an article in the Jerusalem Post in March 2004."Collection
Scrolls, Jewish ReligionCategory
Scripture