Caroline’s Dollhouse

This dollhouse was made near Hamburg, Germany, as a gift for Caroline Pinder, daughter of Captain Richard and Jessica Pinder, when she was five years old. During World War II, Captain Pinder served with the British Special Forces, parachuting behind enemy lines to train French resistance fighters. After the war, he was stationed in Hamburg as part of the military government of the British Zone. There, Captain Pinder was joined by his wife Jessica and his young daughter Caroline, who recalled watching her father testify at the Nazi War Crime Trials from atop a military policeman’s shoulders.

While in Germany, Caroline’s mother volunteered with the Catholic Women’s League, teaching trades to refugees and providing supplies such as textiles, leather, wood, and paint. As a show of thanks, the refugees created this unique portable dollhouse for five-year-old Caroline. The house was designed for easy disassembly and flat-packing in a suitcase. Caroline’s family moved frequently and the dollhouse always moved with her. As an adult, Caroline followed her parents into public service, serving as Vice Consul of Chicago’s British Consulate General. She donated this cherished possession to Spertus Institute in 2008.