The collection is comprised of identification and travel documents relating to the Kaufman family's experiences in Shanghai from 1941-1947, together with certificates, mostly employment related, from Germany during the period 1922-1940. The collection also includes two Nazi armbands.

Herbert Kaufman was in Essen, Germany in 1904. He lived in Herne, where he worked for different businesses as a laborer and salesman. He fled to Shanghai, China in July 1940, and spent the war years there, where he worked as a fireman from 1941 to 1944. Mr. Kaufman worked for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee from 1944 to 1946 as a camp guard, and emigrated to the United States in June 1947. He was married to Gertrud Kaufmann. They and their two children were featured in an article in a local Oakland newspaper, which showed them eating their first Thanksgiving dinner, probably in the early 1950s.

0.1 Linear feet comprising three folders of documents and artifacts

There are no restrictions to use for this collection.

There are no restrictions to access for this collection. However, several documents are fragile and cannot be handled.