RE: [Leica] Value Added and Nazi Cameras

[Jeffrey Hausner <Buzz@marianmanor.org>]

I have to say that I am skeptical of such stories, especially considering
their ultimate sources.

	Buzz

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	MSwiek@aol.com [SMTP:MSwiek@aol.com]
> Sent:	Monday, January 04, 1999 12:51 PM
> To:	leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject:	Re: [Leica] Value Added and Nazi Cameras
> 
> Many, many years ago a friend of my father's, who was a Leitz factory
> repair
> supervisor at the Wetzlar facility, told me that during the war years the
> Leitz family gave many of their Jewish employees a model IIIb camera as
> they
> fled the country to escape the holocaust.  The reason was so the Jewish
> families would have something of value to sell once they reached a place
> to
> start a new life.  He said that within the Leitz works, the IIIb acquired
> the
> nickname of teh "freedom camera."
> 
> Unfortunately, my father's friend is now deceased so I can neither
> reconfirm,
> nor add any further clarifications or details to this anecdote.  Anybody
> else
> ever hear of this ?
> 
> 
> 
> Mike Swiek