Dingfelder and Wolff families papers

Rudi Dingfelder (later Robert Felder, 1924-1986) was born on April 21, 1924 in Uehlfeld, Germany to Leopold Dingfelder (1886-1943) and Johanna Dingfelder (née Wormser, 1891-1943). Johanna Wormser was born in Zeitlofs Bavaria, Germany to Moses Wormser and Karolina (née Adler) in 1891. Rudi and his brother Martin grew up in Plauen, Germany. Leopold owned a kosher butcher shop and Johanna was a housewife. In 1938, Martin Dingfelder immigrated to the United States. Rudi and his parents boarded the MS St. Louis in 1939. Upon the ship’s return to Europe the Dingfelder family disembarked in Holland. In 1942, Rudi and his parents were arrested in Gouda, Holland and were sent to the Westerbork transit camp. His parents were transported to Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland in 1943 where they perished. Rudi was sent to Vught concentration camp and then back to Westerbork. On March 5, 1944, he was deported to Auschwitz. Rudi was one of fifty-five members of his transport of 2,500 people to survive the initial selection of the camp. In January 1945, Rudi was sent on a death march to Germany where he was imprisoned in the Buchenwald concentration camp. A trained toolmaker, Rudi was selected for forced labor at Sachsenhausen concentration camp, Berlin-Sieménsstadt, and factory camp near Schwerin, Germany. Rudi escaped from the factory at Schwerin and was liberated by American soldiers. After the war, Rudi returned to Gouda, Holland where he met his future wife, Gerry Wolff. Gerry Wolff was born to Aline and Arthur Wolff. Her mother was not Jewish but her father was Jewish. In March 1947, Rudi immigrated to the United States and joined his brother Martin. In 1948 Gerry joined Rudi in the United States. Rudi and Gerry Felder married, settled in Detroit, Michigan, and had a daughter Joan. At some point Rudi Dingfelder changed his name to Robert Felder. He died in Detroit in 1986. The Dingfelder and Wolff families papers contains photographs of the Dingfelder family before World War II in Plauen, Germany, the family aboard the MS St. Louis, a photograph of Rudi Dingfelder after liberation in 1945, as well as a studio photograph of Aline and Arthur Wolff, circa 1920s, and an undated tourist postcard of the MS St. Louis. Correspondence in the papers includes a typewritten letter written by Rudi Dingfelder in English regarding his wartime experiences imprisoned at Auschwitz concentration camp, Buchenwald concentration camp, and other slave labor camps, August 12, 1945; two Jewish New Years cards from Rudi Dingfelder written in German and Hebrew, 1938-1939; two letters written in German by “Hedwig,” May 11, 1939 and June 21, 1939; an official letter issued from Westerbork under the auspices of the Dutch Red Cross stating that Rudi Dingfelder was interned at the Westerbork transit camp, Vught concentration camp, and Auschwitz concentration camp, July 31, 1946.