Card, identification

Physical Description: Card, identification : Paper : Printed, Handwritten : Ink : Blue, Black, Beige, Purple ; Ht: 6 in. x W: 4,25 in.

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Physical Description: Card, identification : Paper : Printed, Handwritten : Ink : Blue, Black, Beige, Purple ; Ht: 6 in. x W: 4,25 in.

Notes: 17 pages. Soft cover, paper bound with staples. Cover is blue cardboard; title and coat of arms are printed in the centre in black. Issued for Chaim Karasin, born in 1913 in Warsaw. His nationality is described as stateless, civil status as married, and profession as leatherworker. Physical description found of page 2, photograph and signature on page 3. Document issued September 22, 1943 for 1 year, renewed on September 22, 1944 for another year. Stamp on page 6 attesting that cardholder was interned from January 26, 1943. Work permit stamp on page 6, allowing cardholder to work as leatherworker in Geneva. Address and subsequent address changes on pages 6 and 7. Pages 8 - 13 blank. Pages 14 and 15 contain food rations from November 1943 to May 1945. Stamps at top of page 17 indicates on October 13, 1944, cardholder received 40 ration points for fabric and 60 ration points for shoes Narrative: Chaim Karasin was the father of the donor. He obtained refugee status in Switzerland in 1943, which had very strict asylum laws. Chaim, his wife Ruchla Hasfeld, and Beatrice, born in 1941, all survived the war. From 1933 to 1944, Swiss asylum was only granted to those who were under threat due to their political activities. Only 252 people were granted full asylum and refugee status during WWII and were allowed to work in Switzerland. The details are unknown, but the work permit in this identification card indicates that Chaim was one of these 252 refugees.