My project represents the story of how my great-grandmother Bebe’s wedding dress was made out of the parachute that saved my great-grandfather George’s life during WWII when George jumped out of the airplane he was flying in the Battle of the Bulge. On one side of my sculpture is a wedding dress and on the other side is a parachute. At the base is a collage of George and Bebe’s letters during the war, photos and other important artifacts including medals. My family donated the dress to the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia where it is still on display to this day!
My project demonstrates two sides of the American Jewish Experience. On one side the survival and perseverance of a soldier fighting for freedom represented by the parachute and on the other side the wedding gown that represents hope and new beginnings.
My family story
By Manuel Hirsch Grosskopf