A Holy Task
Following the Nazis rise to power in 1933 they began their attacks on the Jews. An action in 1939 “designed to humiliate, punish, and exclude Jews” was the order to bring all of their silver objects to pawn shops across the Reich. These were to be melted down and used to fund the war effort. “Thousands of the pieces taken from the Jews were melted down into around 135 tons of silver.” Some silver possessions remained and following the war began showing up in museums. Objects like Shabbat candlestick holders, Kiddush cups used to bless the wine, silver spoons, and cake servers.”
Matthias Weniger serves as a curator of the Bavarian National Museum in Munich, Germany. He “has made it his mission to give back silver objects ‘that are often the only material things that remain from an existence wiped out in the Holocaust.” He has currently 111 pieces that he says he should be able to return to the descendants and heirs of their previous owners.
Of his task to find them, he says that he looks for the yellowed sticker at the base of the object that gave the name of the owner. From there “a combination of thorough detective work, dedication, and deep knowledge of history” has allowed him to restore 50 objects to the families. He returns the objects to the family personally.
On a recent trip to Israel he returned 19 objects, fully restituted and gratefully received. He met 86 year old Benjamin Gutmann and his daughter Hila Gutmann, 53. He brought them a small silver cup used by Benjamin’s grandparents, which they probably used for Kiddush, to bless the wine on the eve of Shabbat. They were murdered in the Treblinka extermination camp. Hila remarked, “It’s a mixed feeling to get the cup back. Because you understand it’s the only thing left of them.” They said they plan to use the cup at their family celebration this Rosh HaShana.
Of Matthias and his work Hila said, “He’s really dedicated to it. He treats these objects with so much care-like they are holy.”
Matthias believes he’ll be able to return the remaining objects by the end of the year.
(Source: Kirsten Grieshaber; timesofisrael.com)
