A massive, previously unresearched archive of applications, letters, and artwork has been discovered in Jerusalem, detailing the desperate attempts of Jewish youth to escape Nazi persecution and find refuge in Palestine. The trove provides an invaluable historical window into the hopes and struggles of the community during the Holocaust era.
The Discovery of the Bezalel Archive
In 2022, staff from the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design discovered a remarkable collection of documents within the Jerusalem Municipality Archive. These materials, dating primarily from the 1930s and 1939, contained detailed applications, correspondence, and artistic submissions from nearly 100 individuals who sought entry to the prestigious Bezalel art school.
- Origin: The documents were found on the shelves of the municipal archives, suggesting they may have been accidentally left behind when the school relocated in 1990.
- Research: Researchers from Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, were alerted and began analyzing the files to preserve evidence of these last-ditch survival efforts.
Historical Context and Significance
Acceptance to Bezalel, established in 1906, offered one of the few potential routes for Jewish refugees fleeing Nazism to immigrate to Palestine under the British Mandate. However, acceptance was highly selective, and the journey itself was fraught with difficulty.
According to Orit Noiman, head of Yad Vashem’s “Gathering the Fragments” initiative, the collection is profoundly significant. While the applicants demonstrated artistic talent, the documents suggest that for many, the application process was less about a lifelong career in art and more about a desperate search for a safe haven.
- Geographic Scope: Applications originated from across Europe, including Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Amsterdam, and Łódź.
- Content: The files include not only artistic portfolios but also extensive correspondence between Bezalel’s director, Josef Budko, the Jewish Agency, and other organizations attempting to facilitate large-scale rescue efforts.
The Fate of the Applicants
Researchers confirmed that while the archive detailed the hopes of many, the reality was grim. Lital Spivak, one of the discovering researchers, noted that while the files contained 88 personal records, the majority of the applicants were ultimately killed.
- Acceptance Rates: Of the candidates, only a fraction were accepted, and even fewer successfully made the journey to Jerusalem.
- Challenges: Many faced insurmountable obstacles, including wartime disruptions, lack of funds, or deportation to concentration camps.
Notable Cases from the Archive
The archive provided detailed accounts of several individuals, illustrating the varied paths of hope and tragedy:
- Alice and Susanne Fall: The sisters applied jointly in 1939. Both were rejected, and Alice was deported to the Łódź Ghetto, while Susanne and her mother were later deported to Theresienstadt.
- Eva Israel: She received an acceptance letter in October 1938, just weeks before Kristallnacht. Despite the initial success, she was forced to leave Austria and eventually arrived in Haifa, though her time at Bezalel was brief.
- Helmut Paskusz: A medical student and artist, Paskusz applied in July 1939. Though rejected, his fate was confirmed by Yad Vashem records, indicating he was transported to Terezin and subsequently murdered in 1942.
- Samuel Zimmermann: An experienced sculptor, his application was rejected due to a lack of available teaching positions. His brother’s testimony suggested he was killed while en route to Israel.
These rediscovered files not only illuminate the history of Bezalel but also serve as a powerful testament to the resilience and enduring human desire for survival during the darkest period of the 20th century.
