Beverly Hills in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Beverly Hills Handbag Studio

— Golden Shield Commemorative Plaque —

Photographed by Craig Baker

1. Beverly Hills Handbag Studio Marker

Inscription.
On this site, in October 1980, store owner Leopold Pfefferberg-Page approached novelist Thomas Keneally, who needed a briefcase, and said, "I tell the greatest story of humanity...". Because of Leopold's zeal and persistence, his story of how Oskar Schindler saved him, his wife Ludmila, and 1,278 Jews during the Holocaust ultimately led to the book and motion picture "Schindler's List."

Erected 2026 by City of Beverly Hills. (Marker Number 29.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Industry & Commerce • War, World II. A significant historical year for this entry is 1980.

Location. 34° 3.96′ N, 118° 23.956′ W. Marker is in Beverly Hills, California, in Los Angeles County. It is on Beverly Drive south of Wilshire Boulevard, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 147 S Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills CA, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Los Angeles

and in the Transverse Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

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on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Wil Wright’s Ice Cream Shop (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Beverly Theater / Fiorucci (about 500 feet away); Beverly Wilshire Hotel (about 600 feet away); Don Loper Salon (about 600 feet away); The Brown Derby (about 700 feet away); Giorgio Beverly Hills (about 800 feet away); a different marker also named Giorgio Beverly Hills (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Bistro (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Beverly Hills.

Regarding Beverly Hills Handbag Studio. Beverly Hills Handbag Studio, at 149 South Beverly Drive, was owned and operated by Holocaust survivor Leopold “Paul” Page. For over four decades, Page cornered every writer who entered his leather goods store in an eﬀort to tell the story of German industrialist Oskar Schindler who saved he and his wife’s lives and

Marker Unveiling image. Click for full size.

courtesy City of Beverly Hills, January 8, 2026

2. Marker Unveiling

those of 1,200 other Jews in World War II. It was at this location that Australian novelist Thomas Keneally walked into their store in October 1980 looking for a new briefcase. Because his Australian credit card took a long while to clear, Page asked Keneally where he was from and what he did for a living. After finding out he was an author, Page said, “I tell the greatest story of humanity about a Nazi German Oskar Schindler who risked his life to save me, my wife Mila, 1,200 other men,
women and children during the Holocaust; this story is a story for you Mr. Keneally.” So enthralled by the story of Schindler, Keneally delayed his return flight to Sydney, continued listening to Page recount the story of his savior, and poured over file drawers of photographs, papers, and testimonies from the Schnidler Jews. Over the next several months, Page introduced him to scores of Schindler’s “children."
After countless interviews with other Holocaust survivors around the world in coordination with Leopold Page, Keneally’s novel Schindler’s List was published in 1982. The 1993 movie directed by Steven Spielberg won seven Oscars, including best

Beverly Hills Handbag Studio image. Click for full size.

courtesy BeverlyHills.org

3. Beverly Hills Handbag Studio

Leopold and Mila Pfefferberg-Page

picture.
Born Leopold Pfefferberg, nicknamed “Poldek”, in Krakow, Poland in 1913, he changed his surname when he and his wife Ludmila (Mila) arrived at Ellis Island in 1947. Page was an officer in the Polish army, which he escaped and was later rounded up and sent to a concentration camp at Plaszow, in Krakow, Poland. In 1944, he was transferred to Schindler’s munitions factory in Brunnlitz, Czechoslovakia and worked as a welder; Mila was also sent to the same factory and worked as a metal worker. True to Schindler’s promise, Leopold and Mila survived the war.
Leopold, Mila, and their son Fred arrived in Los Angeles, California in 1950. Leopold had many store locations in Beverly Hills. The first store was at 350 North Beverly Drive, then 191 South Beverly Drive, and finally at 149 South Beverly Drive. Leopold and Mila lived nearby on South Elm Drive for many years.
On March 9, 2001, Leopold Pfefferberg-Page died at 87 and his wife Ludmila died on December 2, 2020 at 100, survived by their daughter Marie Knecht.
-from BeverlyHills.org

Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 4, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 65 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 4, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.