Swiss teddy bear

June is “Immigrant Heritage Month.” Throughout the month we will be posting materials relating to immigration and immigrant cultures of NYC.

One hundred years ago today … Gertrude Schneider arrived at Ellis Island from Frutigen, Switzerland in 1921, carrying her teddy bear. Chermayeff, Wasserman, and Shapiro’s Ellis Island: An Illustrated History of the Immigrant Experience includes photos of the Smith’s stuffie and passport.

Years later, Schneider, now named Gertrude Schneider Smith, would explain the bear’s significance: “The teddy bear was a part of Switzerland…. It was part of everybody over there. And that’s probably why I never wanted another doll.” (Chermayeff 224). 

The passport was for Marie Isler Schneider and her children. Gertrude is at top right.

Schneider would describe Ellis Island: “It was a huge place and it seemed so dark. It was very scary because we spoke no English at all. They were giving us directions, but what they meant we had no idea.” (Chermayeff 225). 

References/ Further reading

Chermayeff, Ivan, and Fred Wasserman and Mary J. Shapiro, Ellis Island: An Illustrated History of the Immigrant Experience. New York: MacMillan and Co., 1991.

– Jonathan Goldman, June 19, 2021

TAGS: immigration, immigrants, children, youth, keepsakes, Switzerland, Swiss