Literature and Art in Concentration Camps and Ghettos, 1942-1945 | Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust

The arrangement scheme for the record group was imposed during processing in the absence of an original order. Materials are arranged by creator, then by identifier, as assigned by the processor.

Record group is comprised of the following collections: 1. Willy Rosen papers; 2. Mortiz Mueller collection; Works of Peter Kien and Children Book of Inscriptions by Betti Gerard (Kubaschka)

Camp and ghetto milieu was an utmost truthful discourse in regard to literary work (diaries and self-reflective essays) and art-works depicting a monstrous realities in terms of existential realities. Both forms of art, literary and fine art perpetuated by undeniable instincts of anticipatory anxiety and the narrative of truth.

Müller, Moritz (1887-1944)
Bruno Heilig (1940)
Gerard, Betti (1934-)
Willy Rosen, prisoner of Nazi German ghettos and concentration camps

RG-04, LITERATURE AND ART IN CAMPS AND GHETTOS

This record group contains narratives in the form of poetry, prose, as well as illustrated children book of inscription and artworks created in the Nazi incarceration camps and ghettos. Some writings were meant for public, while the others were created clandestinely and remained hidden. Some of these narratives saw publication in the postwar period, while the others never have been published.  This Record Group contains the Willy Rosen Collection of poems from Westerbork Camp, Moritz Müller Collection of sketches from Theresienstadt ghetto as well as the secondary sketches of Peter Kein, also from Theresienstadt ghetto and Betti Gerard (Kubaschka) Children Book of Inscription, created in Westerbork transit camp.

Historic/Content Notes, Camp narratives are from Westerbork transit camp. Artworks are from Theresienstadt ghetto. These are unpublished materials.

Organization, documents and artifacts. Documents are digitized.

Language, Dutch, German

RG-04.01, Willy Rosen Papers, Westerbork transit camp

RG-04.01.01, Willy Rosen: Testimony about his incarceration in the following German concentration camps: Westerbork, Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, and Gleiwitz. In Dutch, typewritten text on a half-page, notebook format, 25 pages.

RG-04.01.02, Poetry: "Farewell from and old camp inmate" in German. Willy Rosen is regarded to be the author.

Farewell to Westerbork transit camp, one page.

Created in: Westerbork transit camp, Drenthe province, the Netherlands, September 1944

RG-04.01.03, Poetry: First line of refrain: “We are in Drenthe, others are at home."

In German, by Willy Rosen., 3 p.

Created in: Westerbork transit camp, Drenthe province, the Netherlands, ca 1944

RG-04.01.04, Poetry: photocopy of alphabet poem, by Willy Rosen, in Dutch

Created in: Westerbork transit camp, Drenthe province, the Netherlands, ca 1944

RG-04.01.05, Poetry/Lyrics: photocopy of  "Westerbork: Het Leven en Werken in het Kamp" by Is. Van Nierop and Louis Coster. The introduction states that the lyrics are from songs performed by and for inmates at the cabaret that they staged at the Westerbork transit camp. In Dutch, 31 pages

Created in: Westerbork transit camp, Drenthe province, the Netherlands, ca 1944

RG-04.02, Photocopy of a sketch by Peter Kien: "Caricature of Dr. E. Springer (with nude)" and "Caricature of Mrs. Fischer (with child)"

Pencil, India ink, paper. Theresienstadt ghetto, Theresienstadt, 1942-1945

RG-04.03, Photocopy of the sketch by Peter Kien: Portrays a man looking to his left wearing a jacket with lapels, vest, and tie

Theresienstadt ghetto, Theresienstadt, 1942-1945

RG-04.04, Photocopy of the sketch by Peter Kien: "Portrait of Mr. Stein" chalk on paper

Theresienstadt ghetto, Theresienstadt, 1942-1945

RG-04.05, Westerbork: Het Leven en Werken in het Kamp (in Dutch): Westerbork: The Life and Work in the Camp by Is. van Nierop and Louis Coster. A Collection of poems and illustration. First published in the Hague in 1945. A photocopy.

RG-04.06, (RG-01.09.01): Betti Gerard (Kubaschka): Westerbork Camp Diary

RG-04.07, (RG-01.09.02): Betti Gerard (Kubaschka): Diary of the trip from Amsterdam to New York

RG-14.08, Moritz Müller Collection of Theresienstadt Ghetto

Provenance: Acquired from Mr. and Mrs. Beckmann on 1 November  1982.

858 S. Shenandoah Street, Los Angeles, CA 90035

Telephone: 310 854-3339

Born January 11, 1887 in Liptovký Mikuláš, Czechoslovakia; died October 1944 in Auschwitz, Poland.

<h1> Background</h1> 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.

<h1> Deportation to Theresienstadt</h1> 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. 

<h1> Work Assignment at Theresienstadt</h1> 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 Engineers barracks.

<h1> Art Produced at Theresienstadt</h1> Many 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.

<h1> Deportation to Auschwitz</h1> 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 the transport arrived.

<h1> </h1><h1> Bibliography:</h1>

Czech, Danuta. Auschwitz Chronicle 1939-1945. 1990.

International Tracing Service (ITS), Master Index, M-230.

Moritz Müller (1887-1944): Terezínský Portrét. Terezin Ghetto Museum. Terezin. 1992.

Terezínská pamĕtní kniha: Zidovske obeti nacisticy deportaci z Cech a Moravy 1941-1945. Terezínskí Iniciativa. Prague. 1995.

Testimony Art of the Holocaust. The Art Museum, Yad Vashem. Jerusalem. 1986.

COLLECTION

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

RG-04.03, Works of Peter Kien and Children Book of Inscriptions by Betti Gerard (Kubaschka)

RG-04.03.01, Peter Kien, Theresienstadt, graphics

RG-04.03.02 Betti Gerard (Kubaschka), Children's book of inscriptions, Westerbork Camp

Author: staff

Art in camps and ghettos
literary works narrated in Nazi German concentration camps

Dutch;Flemish
German