Enamel cup made by “German Enamel Factory” (Die Deutsche Emailwarenfabrik, DEF) owned by Oskar Schindler. Marked on base: made in poland S size 7.
When World War II broke out and Poland was occupied by Germany in September 1939, Schindler moved to Krakow, Poland looking for business opportunities. In October he took over an enamel factory in nearby Zablocie. Before the Nazi occupation the factory was owned by a Jew named Nathan Wurzel. In addition, he took over a housewares store that sold the products of that factory, originally owned by another Jew – Julius Weiner. Due to the outbreak of war, production of pots and pans was prohibited because of the shortage of metals. At his factory, the “German Enamel Factory” (Die Deutsche Emailwarenfabrik, DEF), Schindler produced eating utensils and cutlery made of enamel and sold them to the Wehrmacht. From the metal remnants he produced pots and pans and sold them on the black market. Schindler’s factory employed 370 Jewish workers. Thanks to his economic success, Schindler expanded his factory and built a clinic, dining room, offices and grocery store. At its peak, it covered 45,000 square meters and employed about 800 workers.
Provenance: The Zamenhof family. The cup’s owner lived under false identity with a forged ID near the Jewish ghetto in Podgorze during the war. Ownership certificate from his grandson will be provided to the buyer.
Diameter: 7.5 cm. Good condition.