Jakov Kalef wearing a medal

This is my granduncle Jakov Kalef wearing a medal. I don't know anything about the medal. The photo was taken in Belgrade in 1929.

My uncle and his sister, my grandmother Matilda Kalef, were partners in a store that sold ready-made men's clothing. It was a big store across the street from Albania, a well-known cafe-barroom, in the center of the city.

Granduncle Jakov was on the board of the Jewish community. He worked a lot, he was very involved. He was also a cantor in the synagogue. Granduncle was involved in Jewish communal life and he kept my father and grandmother informed about everything. Because we were like one family and he was the head of the family. In fact, Jakov and Grandmother were the heads.

Centropa Collection acquired by USHMM

The Centropa archive has been acquired by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. 

USHMM will soon offer a Special Collections page for Centropa.

Academics please note: USHMM can provide you with original language word-for-word transcripts and high resolution photographs. All publications should be credited: "From the Centropa Collection at the United States Memorial Museum in Washington, DC". Please contact collection [at] centropa.org.