Memli Gerstel was born in Deutschkreutz (known by the Jews as Tselem) in the Burgenland region of Austria, to a family that had been living there for some 300 years. In 1937 Memli left and moved to Vienna to be with her fiancé, Aharon Rabinowitsch.
Their son, Kurt, was born a year after their marriage. At this time, a law was passed forbidding Jews to sit on the benches in public parks and so many Jews would take folding chairs with them so that they too could enjoy these spaces. When Memli went to the park with baby Kurt she would take this folding stool with her.
In late 1938 the Rabinowitsch family received a letter that included immigration permits for Switzerland. Although these papers were actually designated for a different family with the same name, after discovering that this other family had already fled Vienna Memli and Aharon made use of these valuable documents to escape with their son. Thanks to this incredible stroke of luck, Memli, Aharon and Kurt survived the war. Other family members also tried to flee Austria. While some succeeded, others were caught and murdered.
Yad Vashem Artifacts Collection
Donated by Judith Friedel Wallach, Jerusalem, Israel