Educational Resources

This Digital Resource Library was created by the Jewish Museum London learning team. The Library brings together objects, video and audio that relate to the Jewish experience in Wales from collections across the country and is specifically designed for teachers and students.

Programme (Object)

Copyright/attribution: Jewish History Association of South Wales

Copyright/attribution: Jewish History Association of South Wales

Object held at Rhondda Heritage Park, Digital Image & Research copyright Jewish Historical Association of South Wales.

What do you see?

We can see a red Welsh dragon at the top of the image. We can also see the words ‘souvenir programme’ at the bottom. Look closely, what do you see?

What do we know?

This is a souvenir programme for a series of celebrations held at Caernarvon Castle on 1st July 1969. Inside the programme is an advert for a Jewish owned business, Aero Zipp Fasteners. Aero Zip Fasteners was based at Treforest Industrial Estate in Pontypridd. The business was founded in 1939 by Joachim Koppel, who immigrated to Wales from Austria in the 1930s.

Aero Zipp produced metal zip fasteners, also known as zippers. When World War Two broke out, the company also began making parts for aircrafts as well as other items used to help the war effort. The company was bought by an American firm in the 1970s and the Treforest factory was closed in 1982.

In 1989 a different company based in Merthyr Tydfil, also called Aero Zipp Ltd, was able to use the Aero trademark. However, this company has no connections to the original Jewish owners.

What do you wonder?

We might wonder if Joachim came to Wales alone or with other people in his family? We might wonder how Joachim felt to have his zipper company help the war effort for Britain? What do you wonder?

Discussion Questions

Where did World War Two take place?

Why is it important to know that Jewish people and organisations contributed helped Britain to fight the Second World War?