Gainesville Library Receives Holocaust-Era Puppets
The Cohen family has donated 13 handcrafted puppets created while they were in hiding to the University of Florida.
Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Puppetry
The Cohen family donated 13 handcrafted puppets to the Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica at the University of Florida. The collection serves as a tangible connection to the family's survival in Rotterdam during the Holocaust.
Why it matters
These artifacts provide an intimate look at the resilience of Holocaust survivors who used creativity to find hope while in hiding. The donation preserves a unique historical narrative for the Gainesville community and academic researchers.
The collection includes 13 handcrafted puppets preserved for 80 years. These items represent a survival story from a period when 75 percent of Dutch Jews were murdered during the Holocaust.
The players
Ike and Bertha Cohen
The couple survived the Holocaust by hiding in a Rotterdam apartment and creating puppets to uplift local children.
University of Florida
This institution is the recipient of the collection, which will be housed in its Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica.
Searching For Identity Films
This production company is currently creating a documentary titled Hope in Hiding about the Cohen family history.
The details
Ike and Bertha Cohen created the puppets while hiding behind a false wall in a Rotterdam closet between 1942 and 1945. The couple used the puppets to perform shows that provided joy and comfort to neighborhood children during their time in concealment.
Timeline
November 1942: The Cohen family entered hiding in Rotterdam.
1945: The Netherlands was liberated.
2017: Searching For Identity Films was founded.
2023: The film Traces: Voices of the Second Generation premiered.
Industry Dynamics
The upcoming documentary Hope in Hiding follows the storytelling pattern established by the 2023 documentary Traces: Voices of the Second Generation. These projects reflect a broader trend in independent film of documenting personal histories to preserve fading generational memories.
Residents and students in Gainesville can view the collection at the university library to understand the historical context of these items. Future access to the family history will also be provided through the upcoming documentary project currently in production.
The takeaway
This donation highlights the importance of preserving small-scale artifacts that document human perseverance during global crises. Families with similar heirlooms are encouraged to reach out to local academic archives to ensure their stories are documented for future generations.
Further reading
Learn more about the intersection of historical preservation and performance at the Puppetry section.
More information
Access documentary project information and support to follow the development of the film.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Heritage Florida Jewish News.
