June 17

I am often reminded as I look at the materials in my archive that there is nothing new under the sun. In previous posts we have seen that family members shared letters and photos in much the same way as we do today, only the process took a lot longer. Without the internet, email, Instagram, etc., people were left to read and pass on letters by mail. They created photo postcards (see June 11 post) to show people living far away what they looked like.

Today, we see 7-1/2 year old Harry’s smallpox immunization record from 1931 in Vienna. Interesting to see this as countries today grapple with how their citizens can prove that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19.


DOC.0225.1939 (2.3) P2.JPG

Re-vaccination Certificate

Name: Harry Cohen   Age: 7-1/2 years
Address: 3 Seidlgasse 14           Date: 8 June 1931

Vaccinated again.

The revaccination showed at the vaccination sites:

1.     No inflamation
2.     Inflammatory nodules
3.     Changed, but noticeable vaccination bubbles
4.     formed protective smallpox as with the primary vaccination
5.     Strong irritation

(The applicable is to be underlined.)

Vienna, 17 June 1931

Dr. Fritz Schenk