Ullie might look to some as an ugly figurine, or worse yet, Chucky – but to my family he is a historical treasure. Ullie witnessed Hitler burn books, painfully said goodbye to Jewish neighbors that would never return, and survived multiple bombings to his home in Berlin. Years later, he retold these stories to my family and the world with ease. My grandfather was able to transcend from his past and retell his life through the lens of his cherished childhood doll. Without Ullie, I fear my family’s history would’ve been forgotten.
Nicole Johnson is a sophomore studying Public History at St. Mary’s University of San Antonio, Texas.
