Sketchbook created by young Jewish girl
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 11.500 inches (29.21 cm) | Width: 9.500 inches (24.13 cm)
Creator(s)
- Elizabeth Koenig (Artist)
Biographical History
Elizabeth Koenig (1924-2003) was born Elizabeth Kaufmann in Vienna to journalist Fritz Kaufmann and nurse Helen (Berggruen) Kaufmann. Fritz was put on trial in Germany for his anti-Nazi work and fled to Paris via Prague before the Anschluss in 1938. After several failed attempts to join him, Elizabeth finally arrived in Paris in November with her mother and brother, Peter, and attended art school. Fritz and Peter were interned as enemy aliens following the outbreak of World War II. Helen and Elizabeth fled south with other refugees as the Germans advanced on Paris, but were separated en route. Elizabeth found her brother in Toulouse, was reunited with her mother in Pau, and then joined Fritz near Limoges. Elizabeth found work in Le Chambon-sur-Lignon caring for the children of Pastor André Trocmé and then helping Dr. Juliette Usach care for German Jewish refugee children at the Secours Suisse aux Enfants home, La Guespy. Varian Fry of the Emergency Rescue Committee offered Fritz a non-quota American visa as an endangered, anti-Nazi European refugee intellectual caught in Vichy France, and helped secure visas for his family. The family was reunited in Lyon, traveled to Portugal in December 1941 via Marseilles and Spain. They sailed from Lisbon to the United States, arriving in February 1942.
Archival History
The sketchbook was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2001 by Elizabeth Koenig.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Elizabeth Koenig
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
multi-colored drawing; street scene with three lanes of vehicles, traffic headed away from viewer; to left, covered wagon with two heads visible at back followed by woman in a small vehicle, she wears orange head scarf and white blouse; man, also in small vehicle, follows woman and wears blue shirt and beret with satchel over his shoulder; truck or large car carries six or seven people sitting in back where boxes and bags are piled high, a bike is attached to rear of vehicle, front of black car can be seen following, trunks are strapped to front of car; right lane, black truck piled high with mattresses with a bird cage on top and tied with a rope around mattresses, boy on back of truck reaches out and touches outstretched hand of person in center vehicle
Genre
- Object
- Art