Station: [261] A Suitcase Overcomes

The suitcase you’re looking at here is also evidence of the atrocities of the persecution of the Jews. It belonged to the once Jewish wine merchant, Leo Sonder and his wife Zita, who lived very close to the Chemnitz department store. In September 1942, shortly before they were deported to Theresienstadt, they stowed all their personal belongings and documents in this suitcase, and gave it to their neighbour for safekeeping.  It even survived the bombing of the neighbourhood in the spring of 1945.