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Title: Mae Lopatin Herman papers
Identifier/Call Number: 1988.1128
Contributing Institution:
Tauber Holocaust Library
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
2.0 Folder(s)
Date (inclusive): 1943-1946
Abstract: The collection documents the experiences of Mae Lopatin Herman, a United States Army nurse, at Mauthausen concentration camp
following its liberation in 1945. Included are personal papers, memorabilia, and photographs, as well as a pocket guide to
Germany and German phrase book for U.S. military personnel.
Conditions Governing Access note
There are no restrictions to access for this collection.
There are no restrictions to use for this collection.
The 130th Evacuation Hospital was activated at Fort Jackson, South Carolina on March 20, 1944. The commanders was Lieutenant
Colonel Robert L. Callison and the unit was assigned to Twelfth Detachment, Special Troops, Second Army, for adminsitration
and training. Training took place between May-August 1944. In September, the Hospital was selected to participate in airborne
training and maneuvers at Camp Mackall, North Carolina. The hospital departed for oversaeas service from New York City on
December 8, 1944, was transported to Tenby, South Wales uppon arrival in the United Kingdom. It was transported by troop ferry
to DuClaire France, after debarkation at Le Havre. The hopsital became operational on May 1, 1945 near Moosburg, Germany;
patients were Allied soldiers.
On May 14, 1945, the hospital was moved to Mauthausen, Austria. Patients were almost all political prisoners, primarily Russian
and Polish. The highest number of patients treated was 1,945 on May 21, 1945. Remaining patients were transferred on June
15, 1945, and the hospital departed from Enns, Austria on June 22, 1945 and arrived in New York on August 6, 1945. On November
5, 1945 the hospital was inactivated.
Mae Lopatin Herman was born on May 1, 1920 in New York City. Her parents were immigrants, her father from Russia and her mother
from Austria-Hungary. Ms. Lopatin Herman grew up in New York, and worked at several jobs and attended college before deciding
to become a nurse. She completed her nurses training in 1943, and joined the U.S. army the following year, heeding a call
for nurses from the Red Cross.
Ms. Lopatin Herman completed basic training in Florida, and was assigned to the 130th Evacuation Hospital Unit at Fort Jackson.
She served for eight months in the E.T.O. (European Theater of Operations) as a general duty nurse. She cared for Allied prisoners
in Moosberg, Austria, before treating political prisoners at Mauthausen concentration camp, where she served as a public health
nurse.
Her unit arrived six days after Mauthausen's liberation, and stayed about six weeks. During that period, Ms. Lopatin Herman
developed relationships with Holocaust survivors in her barracks and assisted them in their attempts to contact relatives
and avoid resettlement in Poland. She also worked as a translator, translating for German and Yiddish-speaking patients.
Mae Lopatin Herman left Mauthausen on June 22, 1944. A few years after the war she moved to California, settling first in
Los Angeles, before moving to San Francisco, where she married and settling in Millbrae, California.
The collection documents the experiences of Mae Lopatin Herman, a United States Army nurse, at Mauthausen concentration camp
following its liberation in 1945.
Twelve black and white photographs depict Mauthausen concentration camp after its liberation and include photographs of hospital
workers, most of whom were former prisoners at Mauthausen. Also included are views of the camp, quarry and burning barracks.
Additional photographs of nurses' quarters were taken at Moosburg, Austria. There is also photograph of Mae Lopatin Herman
at Rouen Cathedral, Rouen France.
The collection also includes a booklet describing the history and personnel of the 103th Evacuation Hospital; a German-English
phrase book; and a "Pocket Guide to Germany." The guide includes a note on the front cover stating, in part, "Keep faith with
the American solidiers who have died to eliminate the German warmakers. DO NOT FRATERNIZE."
Photocopies of Mae Lopatin Herman's separation record from the United States Army, and of newspaper clippings are also included.
Related Archival Materials note
A video oral history of Mae Lopatin Herman was conducted on June 18, 1992, and is available for viewing upon request.
Mae Lopatin Herman papers - 1988.1128, Tauber Holocaust Library - JFCS Holocaust Center, San Francisco, California
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Mauthausen (Concentration camp).
United States -- Army -- Nurses.
Ex-concentration camp inmates -- Medical care -- Austria -- Mauthausen
German language -- Conversation and phrase books (for soldiers, etc.)
Germany -- Guidebooks
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) -- Austria -- Mauthausen
Military nursing -- United States
Nurses -- United States
Personal papers
Photographs
World War, 1939-1945 -- Concentration camps -- Liberation -- Austria -- Mauthausen
World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, Female
World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, Jewish.