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A Jewish baby became the face of Nazi Aryan propaganda. Her life story outlasted the lie.

JL;DR SUMMARY Hessy Levinsons Taft, whose baby photograph was ironically chosen by Nazi Germany to represent the ideal Aryan child, has passed away at the age of 91. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Jewish HistoryHolocaustYad VashemGermanyNazi PropagandaLatviaAryan RaceEscapeHessy Levinsons Taft

Places mentioned

Berlin, Germany
"Born in Berlin in 1934 to Latvian Jewish parents Jacob and Polin Levinson, Taft was photographed when she was 6 months old by a German photographer, Hans Ballin."
Latvia
"Born in Berlin in 1934 to Latvian Jewish parents Jacob and Polin Levinson, Taft was photographed when she was 6 months old by a German photographer, Hans Ballin."
Paris, France
"In 1938, Tafts family fled from Germany to Paris, eventually escaping France in 1941 through Spain and Portugal to find safety in Cuba."
Spain
"In 1938, Tafts family fled from Germany to Paris, eventually escaping France in 1941 through Spain and Portugal to find safety in Cuba."
Portugal
"In 1938, Tafts family fled from Germany to Paris, eventually escaping France in 1941 through Spain and Portugal to find safety in Cuba."
Cuba
"In 1938, Tafts family fled from Germany to Paris, eventually escaping France in 1941 through Spain and Portugal to find safety in Cuba."
United States
"In 1949, her family immigrated from Cuba to the United States where Taft studied at Barnard College and received a masters degree in biochemistry at Columbia University."

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Cairo Item ID 72599
Cairo Source ID 42
Retrieved 2026-01-13 05:31:00 UTC
Curated 2026-01-13 08:30:47 UTC