Clare Minnis
Oma’s necklace
    My object is a gold necklace with red and purple jewels hanging from the middle, given to me by my mom after my grandmother died.  My grandmother was an Austrian immigrant who left Austria in the 1950s.  She left Austria to escape marriage but left her hometown in the 1940s to escape World War 2.  Later, she returned to her hometown and finally left Austria for good in the 1950s.  When she was alive I called her and my grandpa, Oma and Opa, which means grandma and grandpa in Austrian. This gold necklace is thought to have been brought from Austria, just like most of her items.  This object is important because it helps me understand my grandmother’s style and life in Austria.  My mom said that she liked to wear it on special occasions, like Christmas and Easter, so it clearly meant a lot to her.  My grandmother’s story means a lot to my family because we only saw her on holidays, so knowing her past is the closest we can get to her.  I was never close to her and I always took her for granted.  Now that she is gone, her story is a way for not just me, but also my family, to acknowledge her existence and legacy.   The reason why I chose this object is that it represents my Austrian heritage by reminding me of my ancestors and what they have been through.

– Clare Minnis

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant