Artifacts
The Artifacts Collection at Yad Vashem houses a range of sports artifacts, including trophies, medals and certificates awarded to Jewish sportsmen and women in different sports categories. Alongside the cups and medals won at competitions and championships, the collection also preserves simple artifacts that belonged to Jews who enjoyed spending their leisure time engaging in sports. Owned by professionals and amateurs, these artifacts tell the story of their sporting achievements and their fate during the Holocaust, and give us a glimpse into their lives before the war, which included many hours of training and participation in competitions, driven by aspirations of excellence. As well as revealing personal stories, the artifacts provide information about Jewish sports clubs, and about the sporting culture in Jewish communities and in European countries prior to World War II.
Yad Vashem Artifacts Collection, Gift of Hanna Bashan, Israel
Maryla Freiwald started out at the Maccabi Kracow sports club, and became one of Poland’s leading sportswomen. She was Polish champion in the 80 meter hurdles, 100 meter sprint and long jump categories, and represented Poland at many international tournaments.
During the Holocaust, Maryla was deported to the Krakow ghetto, she was incarcerated in the Bronowice prison and later in a camp near the town of Miechów.
She was liberated in January 1945. She married and adopted her sister´s daughter Stella. Stella had survived thanks to her rescuers who were Righteous Among the Nations but her parents were murdered.
Yad Vashem Artifacts Collection, Gift of the Association of Cracowians in Israel
During the Holocaust, Maryla was deported to the Krakow ghetto, she was incarcerated in the Bronowice prison and later in a camp near the town of Miechów. She was liberated in January 1945. She married and adopted her sister´s daughter Stella. Stella had survived thanks to her rescuers who were Righteous Among the Nations but her parents were murdered.
Yad Vashem Artifacts Collection, Gift of the Association of Cracowians in Israel
Yad Vashem Artifacts Collection.
Gift of Malka Tecichner (Regina Goldach), Israel
The Zimet family managed to cross the border into Italy, and made their way to Benghazi, Libya in July 1939, on their way to Eretz Israel. However, when Italy joined the war in 1940 and was allied with Germany, the Zimets were returned to Italy and the family was interned in the Ferramonti camp. Some time later they were released together with other families, and moved to villages in northern Italy, initially living freely and later under an assumed identity.
Yad Vashem Artifacts Collection,
Gift of Efraim Levi, Israel
Yad Vashem Artifacts Collection. Gift of Nira Lavid, USA
The statuette of the young man in the classical style was popular in the Nazi period as it represented the "perfect Aryan". The statuette was found among the possessions of Regina Ravitz from Nuremberg, Germany, who immigrated to Eretz Israel with her parents in 1936.
Yad Vashem Artifacts Collection.
Gift of Ruth Sherman, Ramat Gan, Israel
