Records Relating to Moritz Mueller Collection o... | Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust

Moritz Müller (Mueller) was born: January 11, 1887, he was sent to Theresienstadt from Prague with Transport Dh 424, July 8, 1943 and was later transported to Birkenau,

Transport Em 535, October 1, 1944.

His last address before deportation: Tomekstrasse 26, Prage XI

Müller was born the youngest of four children.  Shortly after his birth the family moved to Prague, where Müller grew up.  He started taking private classes in drawing during his childhood and, showing a great talent later, went on to the Prague Academy of Fine Arts.  While he did not paint for a living, he was constantly in contact with the art world.  He opened a private school for drawing in Prague, enrolled in the Mánes Artists Association, and after World War I established an auction hall for arts in one of Prague’s liveliest cultural and social centers. Müller is recorded as being popular and well liked among both Czech and German art collectors as well as among the artists themselves.  After the Nazi occupation, his auction hall was robbed and closed. He then worked for the Prague Jewish Community appraising the art objects from the confiscated Jewish properties.

On July 8, 1943, Müller (Mueller) was deported as “passenger” 424 on Transport Dh to Theresienstadt, where he spent the last fourteen months of his life.

Despite his background of a professional artist, he did not follow the path of other artists in the Ghetto. Moritz Mueller did not find himself at art workshops or in the Technical Department with many of the other artists. He worked as the orderly at the Urological ward supervised by Dr. Kurt Weiner. This ward was located in the EnginMany of Müller’s (Mueller) at least five hundred works were portraits of the ill, crippled and dying-- some beauteous, some witty, some shocking.  During his first few months at Theresienstadt, Müller drew at least one picture a day, often more.  As his internment continued, however, he drew less, each picture taking more time.  He dated every picture he made. eers barracks.

On October 1, 1944, as a “passenger” No. 535 of the Transport Em, a month and a half after he has completed his last picture, dated August 16, 1944, Moritz Müller (Mueller) was deported to Auschwitz, where he was apparently gassed on October 3, 1944, the day, when  the transport arrived.

RG-04.02.01, Moritz Mueller, Theresienstadt: Urological Ward (English translation), pencil on paper, dated 20 October 1943;

RG-04.02.02, Untitled, a fragment, depicting two patients in a Hospital ward, dated 9 November 1943;

RG-04.02.03, Moritz Mueller, Theresienstadt, Urological Ward: A Male Patient is Examined by Dr. Kurt Weiner, Section No. 312. Pencil on paper.  28 February 1944.

RG-04.02.04, Moritz Mueller, Theresienstadt, A Male Patient in Bed, a fragment. Pencil on paper. 21 March 1944.

On the back, there are the following notes in German:

8. Schonewald from Duisburg

Notes on transports: 12/3—1004 Transport from Frankfurt to Theresienstadt

16.11. 1942 Transport to Theresienstadt

RG-04.02.05, Moritz Müller, Theresienstadt, View of a Room, 28 August 1943, Pencil on paper.

RG-04.02.06, Moritz Mueller, A Male Patient in Bed, 21 March 1944

RG-04.02.07, Moritz Mueller, A Male Patient is Examined by Dr. Kurt Weiner, Theresienstadt, 28 February 1944

RG-04.02.08, Moritz Mueller. A male patient in bed, a fragment, 21 March 1944

RG-04.02.09, Moritz Mueller, A Male Patient is Examined by Dr. Kurt Weiner, a fragment, 28 February 1944

RG-04.02.10, Moritz Mueller, A Male Patient is Examined by Dr. Kurt Weiner, a fragment, 28 February 1944

RG-04.02.11, Moritz Mueller, a backside with inscription, 21 March 1944

RG-04.02.11, Moritz Mueller, a backside with inscription, 21 March 1944

RG-04.02.12, Moritz Mueller, a backside with inscription, 21 March 1944

RG-04.02.13, Moritz Mueller, A Male Patient in Bed, 21 March 1944

RG-04.02.14, Moritz Mueller, A hospital room with two patients

RG-04.02.15, Moritz Mueller, A fragment of a hospital room, signed and dated

RG-04.02.16, Moritz Mueller, A hospital room a corner fragment, signed and dated

RG-04.02.17, Moritz Mueller, A Hospital Room with two patients, November 1943

RG-04.02.18, Moritz Mueller, The Urological Ward, October 1943