Hitler's Silverware
Ok, so I realize that my blog is mainly food oriented, but I thought that sometimes food-only can get a little old, and thus, I decided to mix things up a bit. Today, I mix food and history. Kind of...
Before I decided that I wanted to go to med school and thus enrolled myself into a pre-med post baccalaureate program, I studied history. (The program I am currently in allows me to complete all of the pre-med school requirements.)
As an undergraduate, I saw myself as am eminent historian --- the next A.J.P. Taylor or Max Hastings --- or something like that. Ever since I was little....elementary school perhaps?...I've loved history. It's always been my favorite subject (and incidentally) always been my best. In high school, when I learned about World War II in 10th grade European history, I was hooked. Since then, the Second World War has become quite a passion of mine. In college, I ended up specializing in modern European history/British history/WWII history, I received a research grant from my college to conduct primary source research in the UK/Netherlands, and wrote my senior history thesis on Winston Churchill as a wartime leader! Can you tell that I love WWII history???
Anyway, why tell you all this? Well, recently, I visited the New York Historical Society with my mother. I am a member of this wonderful institution and frequent it as often as I can. They have a variety of exhibits, all relating somehow to New York City, but the variety is fantastic. Right now they have an exhibit on Harlem, their usual early NYC history exhibit, history of smallpox & NYC, Gilded Age Beauties, and an exhibit focusing on beer breweries in NYC. I haven't been to this exhibit yet, but I'm dying to go. Later, in October, their exhibit, "WWII and NYC" will be opening, and as you can imagine, I am counting down the days!
Right, getting to the point of this post. Whilst at the NY Historical Society, my mom wanted to visit the exhibit entitled "Stories in Sterling: Four Centuries of Silver in New York." As you can imagine, this exhibit was about silver. I personally was not interested, but my mom likes this sort of thing, so being the dutiful daughter that I am, I accompanied her.
Wow, never have I seen so much silver in one place! It was almost overwhelming. The exhibit was divided between food silver, decorative silver, tea silver, accessory silver, etc....and went on for ages. Whilst all of it is a bit of a blur now, there is one item on display that still has me asking questions. I was incredibly surprised to this vast collection, included none other than Adolf Hitler's knife and fork! Why? I have NO IDEA.
That's right, Hitler's knife and fork somehow made it's way to New York City and found itself on display at the historical society. As a WWII historian, I was fascinated, as a civilian, I was scratching my head. This makes me wonder: a) how did it get here? and b) who was in possession of this knife and fork previously? If you look at the ends of the knife and fork, you will see the parteiadler, the symbol of the Nazi Party. Weird right?
Before I decided that I wanted to go to med school and thus enrolled myself into a pre-med post baccalaureate program, I studied history. (The program I am currently in allows me to complete all of the pre-med school requirements.)
As an undergraduate, I saw myself as am eminent historian --- the next A.J.P. Taylor or Max Hastings --- or something like that. Ever since I was little....elementary school perhaps?...I've loved history. It's always been my favorite subject (and incidentally) always been my best. In high school, when I learned about World War II in 10th grade European history, I was hooked. Since then, the Second World War has become quite a passion of mine. In college, I ended up specializing in modern European history/British history/WWII history, I received a research grant from my college to conduct primary source research in the UK/Netherlands, and wrote my senior history thesis on Winston Churchill as a wartime leader! Can you tell that I love WWII history???
Anyway, why tell you all this? Well, recently, I visited the New York Historical Society with my mother. I am a member of this wonderful institution and frequent it as often as I can. They have a variety of exhibits, all relating somehow to New York City, but the variety is fantastic. Right now they have an exhibit on Harlem, their usual early NYC history exhibit, history of smallpox & NYC, Gilded Age Beauties, and an exhibit focusing on beer breweries in NYC. I haven't been to this exhibit yet, but I'm dying to go. Later, in October, their exhibit, "WWII and NYC" will be opening, and as you can imagine, I am counting down the days!
Ways in which smallpox has made appearance in pop culture over the years
I took this from the stairs, but the main atrium is covered with art relating to the early history of NYC
Interesting fact, this lovely Gilded Age NYC beauty is the great-grandmother of the late Princess Diana, and thus the great-great-grandmother of William, the Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry of Wales!
Right, getting to the point of this post. Whilst at the NY Historical Society, my mom wanted to visit the exhibit entitled "Stories in Sterling: Four Centuries of Silver in New York." As you can imagine, this exhibit was about silver. I personally was not interested, but my mom likes this sort of thing, so being the dutiful daughter that I am, I accompanied her.
Wow, never have I seen so much silver in one place! It was almost overwhelming. The exhibit was divided between food silver, decorative silver, tea silver, accessory silver, etc....and went on for ages. Whilst all of it is a bit of a blur now, there is one item on display that still has me asking questions. I was incredibly surprised to this vast collection, included none other than Adolf Hitler's knife and fork! Why? I have NO IDEA.
That's right, Hitler's knife and fork somehow made it's way to New York City and found itself on display at the historical society. As a WWII historian, I was fascinated, as a civilian, I was scratching my head. This makes me wonder: a) how did it get here? and b) who was in possession of this knife and fork previously? If you look at the ends of the knife and fork, you will see the parteiadler, the symbol of the Nazi Party. Weird right?
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