On this day in 1945, Great Britain and the United States celebrated Victory in Europe (VE) Day. The Nazi’s surrendered on this day and more than 13,000 British Prisoners of War were released and sent home.
Mary Gasperik of Chicago, Illinois made this Victory Garden quilt in the mid 1940’s. The description in this Quilt Index record, provided by Gasperik’s grand-daughter Susan Salser, “This quilt is Mary’s personal expression of her hope for future peace in the world and for the survival of her native Hungary. To a traditional pattern, she added symbols to honor her two countries: V for Victory of the Allied Cause and the Oak and Olive Branch Wreath, a symbol found surrounding the coat of arms on historical flags of Hungary.” The quilt is part of the Mary Gasperik Private Collection, documented by author and researched Susan Salser.
View this quilt on The Quilt Index to read more about it’s history, design and construction. Be sure to use the zoom tool for a detailed view.
Sources:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/v-e-day-is-celebrated-in-american-and-britain
Posted by Amy E. Milne
Executive Director, Quilt Alliance
amy.milne@quiltalliance.org