Collection of jewellery belonging to Gusta Snyde
Object numberM2021/021:011
TitleCollection of jewellery belonging to Gusta Snyde
DescriptionA collection of costume jewellery belonging to Holocaust survivor Gusta Snyde (nee Teiber) featuring pieces from Australia, Israel and Paris, dated between c.1945 and c.2000. This collection is made up of semi-precious stones, amber, opal, coral, glass, gold, silver and plastic.
With no living family members at the time of her death in 2006, Gustas carer and friend Marie Young donated these pieces to the Sydney Jewish Museum. Though not typically within the realm of the Museums collecting policy, as the custodians of this collection we have made the decision to acquire Gustas jewellery due to its sentimental value.
Gusta Snyde (nee Teiber) was born in Tarnopol, Poland on 24 December 1915 to Simon (Shimon) and Anna (nee Eeling) Teiber. Gusta had three siblings; Sabena (Sabinka) born in 1927, Yanka born in 1913, and Reuben (Romek) born in 1921. Though Gusta had aspired to become a surgeon, anti-Jewish laws prevented her from studying medicine. Instead, she studied nursing at a private Jewish Hospital in Krakow, Poland. In 1939, she began to work at the hospital and became an Operating Room Sister. Whilst working, she recalled watching the walls be built for Krakow Ghetto.
Gusta was forced into Krakow Ghetto c. 1941 where she continued to work as a nurse at the ghetto hospital. In 1943, she was forced to march to Plaszow concentration camp, leaving all sick patients behind at the ghetto hospital. At Plaszow, Gusta used her skills as a nurse to help as many interns as possible. She regularly treated interns who were randomly attacked by commandant Amon Göth. When travelling to another camp to operate, Gusta risked her life to carry small notes from other interns to give to their loved ones.
In 1944, Gusta was forced onto an overcrowded truck for four days of travel in which many died of starvation and suffocation – she arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Upon arriving, Gusta recalled that she was beaten, stripped and forced to stand for 48 hours without food or water for Josef Mengele to decide who would live and who would die. She recalled, “He was playing God”.
When Gusta was spared, her hair was unevenly cut and she was issued ill-fitting clothing and wooden clogs. She was tattooed with the number “A27538” and was forced to take part in a medical experiment in which an unknown substance was injected into her upper arm. Whilst at the camp, Gusta believed that the sun had disappeared due to the consistent smoke in the sky. Gusta stated in an interview in 1996, “When I wake up now every morning and I can see the sun, I am the happiest person in the world”.
At Auschwitz-Birkenau, Gusta joined an all-female Underground resistance group. With this group, she assisted with blowing up a gas chamber by collecting gunpowder underneath her fingernails. In November 1944, Gusta was sent to participate in forced labour at a thread factory in Lichtewerden. She was liberated there on 6 May 1945 by the Soviets.
Gusta walked back to Krakow to discover that her entire family had been murdered during the Holocaust. Despite hearing that her youngest sister had escaped, she was unable to find her. Gusta spent the next four years rehabilitating and caring for 100 Jewish orphans. She aided with establishing a home for them in Rabka. Following a string of violent acts towards the orphanage by Polish fascists, Gusta used a food truck to sneak the children to Zakopane. Eventually the children moved to a house in Paris. The children were finally transported to the State of Israel in 1949. She remained in contact with some of the children and staff of the orphanage throughout her life.
Gusta chose to travel with a close friend to Australia, arriving in Melbourne in May 1949. She met William (Bill) Francis Snyde (formerly Ladislaus Franza Schneid) who had served in the Polish Forces in Great Britain during World War II. Gusta and William were married on 27 November 1953. Following the death of her husband on 20 August 1996, Gusta was cared for by Marie Young who documented her day-to-day life and recollections of the Holocaust. Gusta Snyde passed away on 11 April 2006.
M2021/021/011a:e are rings
M2021/021/011f:g are gold and silver chains
M2021/021/011h:q are necklaces
M2021/021/011r:t are opals
M2021/021/011u:v are charms
M2021/021/011w:ae are brooches
M2021/021/011af:ao are earrings
With no living family members at the time of her death in 2006, Gustas carer and friend Marie Young donated these pieces to the Sydney Jewish Museum. Though not typically within the realm of the Museums collecting policy, as the custodians of this collection we have made the decision to acquire Gustas jewellery due to its sentimental value.
Gusta Snyde (nee Teiber) was born in Tarnopol, Poland on 24 December 1915 to Simon (Shimon) and Anna (nee Eeling) Teiber. Gusta had three siblings; Sabena (Sabinka) born in 1927, Yanka born in 1913, and Reuben (Romek) born in 1921. Though Gusta had aspired to become a surgeon, anti-Jewish laws prevented her from studying medicine. Instead, she studied nursing at a private Jewish Hospital in Krakow, Poland. In 1939, she began to work at the hospital and became an Operating Room Sister. Whilst working, she recalled watching the walls be built for Krakow Ghetto.
Gusta was forced into Krakow Ghetto c. 1941 where she continued to work as a nurse at the ghetto hospital. In 1943, she was forced to march to Plaszow concentration camp, leaving all sick patients behind at the ghetto hospital. At Plaszow, Gusta used her skills as a nurse to help as many interns as possible. She regularly treated interns who were randomly attacked by commandant Amon Göth. When travelling to another camp to operate, Gusta risked her life to carry small notes from other interns to give to their loved ones.
In 1944, Gusta was forced onto an overcrowded truck for four days of travel in which many died of starvation and suffocation – she arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Upon arriving, Gusta recalled that she was beaten, stripped and forced to stand for 48 hours without food or water for Josef Mengele to decide who would live and who would die. She recalled, “He was playing God”.
When Gusta was spared, her hair was unevenly cut and she was issued ill-fitting clothing and wooden clogs. She was tattooed with the number “A27538” and was forced to take part in a medical experiment in which an unknown substance was injected into her upper arm. Whilst at the camp, Gusta believed that the sun had disappeared due to the consistent smoke in the sky. Gusta stated in an interview in 1996, “When I wake up now every morning and I can see the sun, I am the happiest person in the world”.
At Auschwitz-Birkenau, Gusta joined an all-female Underground resistance group. With this group, she assisted with blowing up a gas chamber by collecting gunpowder underneath her fingernails. In November 1944, Gusta was sent to participate in forced labour at a thread factory in Lichtewerden. She was liberated there on 6 May 1945 by the Soviets.
Gusta walked back to Krakow to discover that her entire family had been murdered during the Holocaust. Despite hearing that her youngest sister had escaped, she was unable to find her. Gusta spent the next four years rehabilitating and caring for 100 Jewish orphans. She aided with establishing a home for them in Rabka. Following a string of violent acts towards the orphanage by Polish fascists, Gusta used a food truck to sneak the children to Zakopane. Eventually the children moved to a house in Paris. The children were finally transported to the State of Israel in 1949. She remained in contact with some of the children and staff of the orphanage throughout her life.
Gusta chose to travel with a close friend to Australia, arriving in Melbourne in May 1949. She met William (Bill) Francis Snyde (formerly Ladislaus Franza Schneid) who had served in the Polish Forces in Great Britain during World War II. Gusta and William were married on 27 November 1953. Following the death of her husband on 20 August 1996, Gusta was cared for by Marie Young who documented her day-to-day life and recollections of the Holocaust. Gusta Snyde passed away on 11 April 2006.
M2021/021/011a:e are rings
M2021/021/011f:g are gold and silver chains
M2021/021/011h:q are necklaces
M2021/021/011r:t are opals
M2021/021/011u:v are charms
M2021/021/011w:ae are brooches
M2021/021/011af:ao are earrings
Production date 1945 - 2000
Object namejewellery
Language
- English
Yiddish
Credit lineIn appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for supporting this archival project.