contemporary & holocaust art

on this page: HOLOCAUST ART & ARTIFACTS

general information

Items on this page are not for sale at this time.
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If you find errors in transcriptions or can improve translations, please contact me.
My thanks to Josefa Zelinka, Alena Giraud, and Lucy Brown for Czech translations.
My thanks to Maria-Camilla Fiazza for identifying the Ovid quote.
My thanks to Peter Barber for help translating The Optimistic Frog story/poem.

Between 1941-1945, Helga Wolfenstein was an inmate at the Theresienstadt concentration camp (Terezín to Czechs and Terezin to English-speakers) in Czechoslovakia. She created the art works in this section between ages 19-23. In the camp, she met her soulmate Peter Kien / Petr Kien. Her mini biography is here.

After liberation from Terezin, Helga Wolfenstein's suitcase #681 of Peter Kien's art was confiscated by the Communists. When their regime ended, the suitcase fell into the hands of Terezin Memorial (Památník Terezín) where it is still stuck in legal and political red tape. Content of the suitcase is here.

holocaust art by helga wolfenstein

Die Schöpfungsgeschichte der Infektionsabteilung

The Creation Story of the
Isolation Ward

In the beginning Dr. Munk created the ailing parlors and the scarlet fever division of Dresdner barracks. And the scarlet fever department was without form and void, and THE SPIRIT HOVERED OVER MUNK'S GHETTO. And Munk said. "Let there be a hospital and hospice home". And it was the hospital and hospice home. And Munk saw that it was good. Munk's was different from the hospital and hospice home of the other health units. He called the hospital and the hospice home EVl. And there was evening and there was morning - DAY ONE

Und Munk sprach: "Es fülle sich V11/42 mit Ordonnanzen, - Innenordonnanzen und Aussenordonnanzen, und ein Verwalter sorge für die Instandhaltung des Betriebes." Und Munk setzte ein Kars, den Partieführer und Arbeiter mit dem Kopfe und Meixner, den Mann mit der Pfeife, zum Holen der Menage und Preuss, den lächelnden Verwalter zur Beschaffung derselben, - jeglicher nach seiner Art und Nachschub-Bedürftigkeit. Und Munk segnete sie und sprach: "SEID FLEISSIG UNDSPEISET NICHT AUS DEN ESS KUEBELN DER PATIENTEN sondern holet 3-mal Nachschub und nur für euch. Verwehrt den Verkehr durchs Fenster, - wenn ihr keine Zigaretten bekomme, seil unbestechlich, - wechselt die Dienst - und Strassenkleidung, seid selbstlos und suchet euren Lohn in der eigenen Brust. Und es ward Morgen und es ward Abend -- DER FUENFTE TAG

And Munk said, "Fill V11/42 with orderlies - indoor orderlies and outdoor orderlies, and a manager takes care of the maintenance operation." And Munk began Kars, the game leaders and workers with their heads and Meixner, the man with the pipe, to fetch the cruet and Preuss, the smiling manager to procure the same, - each according to its kind and need replenishment. And Munk blessed them, saying, "BE DILIGENT AND NOT FEEDETH FROM ESS BUCKETS OF PATIENTS but holet 3-replenishment times and only for you. Denied the traffic through the window - if you can not get cigarettes, rope incorruptible, - changes the service - and street clothes, are selfless and seek your reward in his own breast." And there was morning and there was evening - THE FIFTH DAY

holocaust art by peter kien / petr kien

holocaust artifacts