09/01/2026
This badge was worn in Displaced Persons camps in Germany.
In these camps, ORT ran vocational schools where Holocaust survivors learned metalwork, dressmaking, mechanics, carpentry, and other practical skills that could help them rebuild their lives.
Every part of the badge tells that story:
The O is a gear, representing industry.
The Ris formed by scissors, representing tailoring.
The Tis a mallet, representing the trades.
The wheat on either side represents agriculture.
It was the whole organization in one patch.
What we teach today continues to evolve. Why we teach it remains timeless.
Photo: U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, (Louis J. Walinsky collection).
