Overview
- Brief Narrative
- Sketch of the tree lined bay in Bar Harbor, Maine, drawn by Esther Lurie during a 1981 visit. Lurie's drawings and sketches, created from 1941-1944, and her later reconstructions, of life as a prisoner in Kovno Ghetto and Stutthof and Leibisch concentration camps, present eloquent visual and written testimony of daily life during the Holocaust. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
- Artwork Title
- Bar Harbor bay and shoreline, Maine, April 24, 1981
- Date
-
creation:
1981 April 24
- Geography
-
creation:
Bar Harbor (Me.)
- Credit Line
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Esther Lurie
- Signature
- front, lower left corner, ink : Esther Lurie / Bar Harbor / 4.24.1981
- Contributor
-
Artist:
Esther Lurie
Subject: Esther Lurie
- Biography
-
Esther Lurie (1913-1998) was born in Liepaja (formerly Libau), Latvia, to a religious, intellectual Jewish family. Her parents were Josef and Bluma and she had five older sisters and an older brother. The family was forced to move to Riga during World War I (1914-1918), when Liepāja, a Baltic seaport which was then part of the Russian Empire, was taken over as a military port. Esther’s artistic gifts were nurtured from an early age. From 1931 -1934, she studied theatrical set design at the Instituts des Arts Decoratifs in Brussels, Belgium; in early 1934, she went to Antwerp, Belgium, to study drawing and painting at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts. Most of her family emigrated to Palestine in 1934 and Esther joined them there. She worked with the Hebrew Theater, producing set decorations, and by 1938, had her first one women art show, winning the Dizengoff Prize.
In 1939, Esther went on a study-exhibition tour throughout Europe. She was visiting her sister, Muta, in Kovno (Kaunus), Lithuania, when World War II broke out and she was trapped in the area. In 1940, the Soviet Army invaded and occupied Lithuania and the persecution of Jews became widespread. In June-July 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union and soon occupied Lithuania. Almost immediately, German Einsatzgruppe (mobile killing units) and their Lithuanian auxiliaries began systematic massacres of Jews throughout the country. By November 1941, the surviving Jews of Kovno were imprisoned in a sealed ghetto surrounded by barbed wire. It was extreme overcrowded and there weresevere food shortages and frequent outbreaks of disease.
Esther immediately began to record her experiences with sketches and written testimony on whatever little scraps of paper she could find. This was not easy and it could be dangerous – they were always under observation from guards. But other ghetto residents who saw her drawings thought it was important that someone should show ‘how it was’ and make a permanent record of their sufferings. Strangers would let her sketch the scenes from the windows of their rooms. When she was sent to do forced labor, the Judenrat [Jewish Council of Elders] made arrangements for her to be relieved, so that she could continue to record the life of the ghetto. As Esther noted later in her ife: “Pictures are both eye-witness documents and a memorial for the lost souls.”
As deportations from the ghettos to the concentration camps increased, Esther became concerned about the survival of her work. She asked the craftsmen in the pottery workshop to make her large jars in which she would hide her work. In the autumn of 1943, the ghetto was converted to the Kauen concentration camp. In July 1944, they began to liquidate the ghetto, deporting the remaining inhabitants and burning the buildings. At this time, Esther was separated from her sister, Muta Zarchin (Zarhin). Esther was deported to Stutthof concentration camp; Muta, age 35, her young son, and her family were sent to Auschwitz, where they were killed on arrival. In August 1944, Esther was sent to the Leibisch forced labor camp, where she continued to document the people and scenes of her daily life. She drew on scraps of paper backing from cotton rolls from the camp infirmary and hid the sketches in her clothing. Occasionally, she was able to barter a drawing for a piece of bread.
On January 21, 1945, the camp was liberated by the Soviet Army. She worked briefly as an interpreter for the Russians in Italy. Because she was a citizen of Palestine, a British protectorate, she was placed with a group of liberated British prisoners of war. She also met some Jewish soldiers from Palestine, including the artist, Menachem Shemi. They organized an exhibit of her sketches and published them as a booklet, Jewesses in Slavery: 15 drawing from a Labour Camp. In July, she was repatriated to Palestine and reunited with her family. She and her sisters participated in the Haganah, a defense organization active in the struggle for the establishment of the independent state of Israel. She married Joseph Shapiro and they had two children. She resumed her career as a professional artist, and, in 1946, was awarded her 2nd Dizengoff Prize. Some of her drawings of the Kovno ghetto were recovered by a friend, Avraham Golub Tory, who had been secretary to the Council of Elders, kept safe in the pottery jars in the secret, buried ghetto archives. Her artwork would be presented as evidence of the Holocaust during the Eichmann trial in Jerusalem in 1961. Lurie lived in Tel Aviv, Israel, until her death.
Physical Details
- Language
- English
- Classification
-
Art
- Category
-
Drawings
- Object Type
-
Landscape drawing (lcsh)
- Physical Description
- Drawing in ink on paper of a large, wide body of water with a jagged, forested shoreline under a clear, blank sky in the foreground, right, and far background. The pine trees get progressively taller towards the right and become more abstract in the middle and far background. Signed and dated by the artist. The right edge is perforated where it was removed from a sketchbook.
- Dimensions
- overall: Height: 6.000 inches (15.24 cm) | Width: 8.000 inches (20.32 cm)
- Materials
- overall : paper, ink
Rights & Restrictions
- Conditions on Access
- No restrictions on access
- Conditions on Use
- No restrictions on use
Keywords & Subjects
- Topical Term
- Ex-concentration camp inmates--Israel--Biography. Holocaust survivors--Israel--Biography. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Lithuania--Kaunas--Personal narratives. Jewish women artists--Palestine--Biography. Women concentration camp inmates--Germany--Biography.
- Geographic Name
- Bar Harbor (Me.)--Pictorial works.
- Personal Name
- Lurie, Esther.
Administrative Notes
- Legal Status
- Permanent Collection
- Provenance
- The drawing was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1996 by Esther Lurie.
- Funding Note
- The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
- Record last modified:
- 2024-12-02 09:07:03
- This page:
- http://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn61239
Download & Licensing
In-Person Research
- By Appointment
- Request 21 Days in Advance of Visit
- Plan a Research Visit
- Request to See This Object
Contact Us
Also in Esther Lurie collection
The collection consists of artifacts, drawings, correspondence, documents, photographs, and publications relating to the experiences of Esther Lurie before the Holocaust in Latvia, Palestine, and Western Europe, during the Holocaust when she was imprisoned in the Kovno (Kaunus) Ghetto in Lithuania, Stuthoff concentration camp and Leibitsch forced labor camp in Germany, and after the Holocaust during and after her return journey to Israel.
Date: 1913-1993
Esther Lurie papers
Document
The Esther Lurie papers include biographical material, restitution files, correspondence, subject files, and photographs relating to Esther’s wartime experience in the Kovno ghetto, Stuthoff concentration camp, and Leibitsch forced labor camp. The collection also includes correspondence, exhibition and publication development material, programs, and photographs relating to Esther’s professional career as an artist. Biographical materials include Esther Lurie’s British passport and copies of her curriculum vitae. Correspondence includes Esther Lurie’s personal and professional correspondence during and after the war. Personal correspondence includes post-war communication between Esther and her family. Professional correspondence includes material relating to exhibition development, recovering lost art, and general communications between various organizations and institutions. Subject files include Esther’s manuscript, passes and a certificate from Aversa camp, and letters relating to people looking for survivors. Also included are notes, programs, and speeches regarding the development and opening of exhibitions, including those of Esther’s art, at various institutions. This series also includes material relating to the development of several of Esther’s books, including Jewesses in Slavery and A Living Witness. Printed material includes newspaper clippings, articles, and magazines featuring interviews with Esther and articles featuring her artwork as well as wartime newspaper clippings and clippings from the Adolf Eichmann trial, where Esther’s drawings were used. Photographic materials consist of prewar photographs of the Lurie family and postwar photographs of Esther and some of her artwork and exhibitions. This series also includes photographic postcards.
Sketches of a fellow concentration camp inmate by Esther Lurie
Object
Three sketches of Masha Rolnikaite (Rolnik) drawn by Esther Lurie, ca. 1965, for the cover of Masha's memoir, Ikh muz dertseyin [I have to tell]. They reproduce the drawing of Masha that Esther made when both were prisoners in Leibitsch slave labor camp. It was published in Esther's book, Jewesses in Slavery, in 1945. Masha, 17, was a deportee from Vilna, Poland (Vilnius, Lithuania), and returned there after liberation. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Yellow damask purse made by a liberated slave labor camp inmate, saved by another inmate
Object
Handmade damask linen handbag saved by Esther Lurie. It was made in February 1945 by her tentmate and fellow prisoner, name unknown, soon after they were liberated from Leibisch slave labor camp in Lubicz, Poland. The woman died not long after. Esther kept the bag, but she never used it, or even washed it. Esther, a professional artist, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunus), Lithuania, in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944,the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, she was deported to Leibitsch, which was liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where an exhibition of her drawings of Leibitsch was held.
Inscribed wooden spoon and patch saved by a former Jewish Latvian slave labor camp inmate
Object
Wooden spoon acquired by Esther Lurie during a 1965 reunion of former ghetto and concentration camp prisoners in Israel. The spoon is inscribed with her prisoner number, the Hebrew names of slave labor camps, and dates commemorating twenty years since her liberation. An undated cloth patch with her prisoner number is associated with the spoon. Esther, a professional artist, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (now Kaunus), Lithuania, in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, she was deported to Leibitsch slave labor camp, which was liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Holocaust Commemoration Day Remember pin worn by a Latvian Jewish survivor
Object
Yad Vashem Remember pin used by Esther Lurie, ca. 1960s(?), to be worn on Holocaust Commemoration Day as a symbol to the outside of mourning in the heart. Esther, a professional artist, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunus), Lithuania, in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create artwork for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, she was deported to Leibitsch, which was liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Holocaust Commemoration Day Remember card received by a Latvian Jewish survivor
Object
Yad Vashem Remember card owned by Esther Lurie, ca. 1960s?, distributed with a Remember Pin to be worn on Holocaust Commemoration Day as a visible symbol of mourning. Esther, a professionally trained artist, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunus), Lithuania, in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create artwork for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, she was deported to Leibitsch, which was liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Pin used to attach a Holocaust commemorative ribbon worn by a Latvian Jewish survivor
Object
Straight pin used by Esther Lurie, ca. 1960s, to attach a Ghetto House Fighter's Museum Holocaust commemorative ribbon. Esther, a professionally trained artist, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunus), Lithuania, in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create artwork for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, she was deported to Leibitsch, which was liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Portrait of an Orthodox Jewish youth drawn by Esther Lurie
Object
Ink sketch of Rudy, a young Orthodox Jewish man, created by Esther Lurie on March 29, 1962, during the appeal stage of the Adolf Eichmann trial. Eichmann was the SS official who organized the delivery of Jews all over Europe to killing centers and concentration camps. He escaped in 1946 and was captured by Israeli agents in Argentina in 1960. The Eichmann trial in Jerusalem, April 11, 1961- December 15, 1961, was the first detailed, public exploration of the Holocaust. He was charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. Many survivors gave testimony and Esther's drawings were introduced as evidence. Eichmann was sentenced on December 15, 1961, to death by hanging. He lost his appeal on May 29 and was hanged midnight, May 31, 1962. Esther, a professionally trained artist, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunus), Lithuania, in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create artwork for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, she was deported to Leibitsch, which was liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited
Sketch of a Holocaust remembrance ceremony by Esther Lurie
Object
Ink sketch of a crowd assembled for a ceremony drawn by Esther Lurie depicting a Holocaust remembrance at Kibbutz Lohamei Hagetaot, Israel, in the early 1960s. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunus), Lithuania, in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create artwork for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, she was deported to Leibitsch, which was liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Portraits of a fellow concentration camp inmate by Esther Lurie
Object
Two portraits of the same woman drawn by Esther Lurie, 1976 recreations of a drawing she created while both women were prisoners in Leibisch slave labor camp. It was exhibited and published soon after the war in 1945 in her book, Jewesses in Slavery. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Commemorative postage stamp mockup with art by Esther Lurie
Object
Sheet of four Israeli postage stamp designs featuring sketches by Esther Lurie based upon her experiences while incarcerated in Kovno Ghetto and Stutthof and Leibisch concentration camps from 1941-1945. The stamps were designed by Roli Studio, a major firm in Tel Aviv who created the postal logo, as well as many national stamps. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Sketches of men with Judenstern by Esther Lurie
Object
Ink sketch of two men with Star of David patches drawn by Esther Lurie based upon her experiences while incarcerated in Kovno Ghetto. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Sketch of people digging near a house by Esther Lurie
Object
Ink sketch of a group of people digging in the ground drawn by Esther Lurie based upon her experiences in Kovno Ghetto. This study drawing is a 1957 recreation of a scene she saw and drew in 1946. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Drawing of people digging for potatoes by Esther Lurie
Object
Ink sketch of a group of people digging for potatoes in a large field drawn by Esther Lurie based upon her experiences in Kovno Ghetto. This study drawing is a 1957 recreation of a scene she saw and drew in 1946. The original drawing was hidden in Kovno but lost in the destruction of the ghetto. It had been photographed in the ghetto with a Leica camera by the lawyer Avraham Tory. Esther recreated the drawing in its original 25x35 cm. size in 1957 for the album A Living Testimony. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Eleven preparatory figure sketches by Esther Lurie
Object
Study sketches of eleven figures for the drawing, Raiding a Potato Field, done by Esther Lurie based upon her experiences in Kovno Ghetto. This drawing is a 1957 recreation of a scene she saw and drew in 1946. The original drawing was hidden in Kovno but lost in the destruction of the ghetto. It had been photographed in the ghetto with a Leica camera by the lawyer Avraham Tory. Esther recreated the drawing in its original 25x35 cm. size in 1957 for the album A Living Testimony. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Ten preparatory figure sketches by Esther Lurie
Object
Study sketches of ten figures for the drawing, Raiding a Potato Field, done by Esther Lurie based upon her experiences in Kovno Ghetto. This drawing is a 1957 recreation of a scene she saw and drew in 1946. The original drawing was hidden in Kovno but lost in the destruction of the ghetto. It had been photographed in the ghetto with a Leica camera by the lawyer Avraham Tory. Esther recreated the drawing in its original 25x35 cm. size in 1957 for the album A Living Testimony. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Preparatory sketch of figures working in a field by Esther Lurie
Object
Preparatory sketch of figures at work a field for the drawing, Raiding a Potato Field, drawn by Esther Lurie. The scene is based upon her experiences in Kovno Ghetto. This drawing is a 1957 recreation of a scene she saw and drew in 1946. The original drawing was hidden in Kovno but lost in the destruction of the ghetto. It had been photographed in the ghetto with a Leica camera by the lawyer Avraham Tory. Esther recreated the drawing in its original 25x35 cm. size in 1957 for the album A Living Testimony. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Council building in Kovno Ghetto drawn by Esther Lurie
Object
Pencil sketch of the headquarters of the Elders of the Jewish Council in Kovno Ghetto drawn by Esther Lurie who lived in the ghetto from 1941-1944. This study drawing is a 1957 recreation of one done in 1946, but lost in the destruction of the ghetto. Esther recreated the drawing in 1957 for the album A Living Testimony. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Sketch by Esther Lurie of Kovno ghetto Jewish Council building
Object
Sketch of people walking near the headquarters of the Elders of the Jewish Council in Kovno Ghetto drawn by Esther Lurie who lived in the ghetto from 1941-1944.Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Person waiting at a ghetto gate drawn by Esther Lurie
Object
Pencil sketch of the gate to Vorniyo Street in Kovno Ghetto drawn by Esther Lurie who lived in the ghetto from 1941-1944. This study drawing is a 1957 recreation of one done in 1946, but lost in the destruction of the ghetto. Esther recreated the drawing in 1957 for the album A Living Testimony. Second original on the same subject is in the collection of Sarah Milo. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Portrait of a cap wearing youth by Esther Lurie
Object
Ink sketch of young man in a garrison cap drawn by Esther Lurie of a man she knew in Kovno Ghetto, where she was confined from 1941-1944. This drawing is a 1957 recreation of one done in 1946, but lost in the destruction of the ghetto. Esther recreated the drawing in 1957 for possible inclusion in the album A Living Testimony. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Etching of a young man dressed for work with a Judenstern by Esther Lurie
Object
Etched print of a young man wearing a suit drawn by Esther Lurie of a man she knew in Kovno Ghetto, where she was confined from 1941-1944. This drawing is a 1957 recreation of one done in 1946, but lost in the destruction of the ghetto. Esther recreated the drawing in 1957 for possible inclusion in the album A Living Testimony. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Esther Lurie full length self-portrait while a concentration camp inmate
Object
Full length self-portrait in a prison uniform drawn by Esther Lurie ca. 1957, based upon one she had drawn in 1944 while a prisoner in Stutthof concentration camp. Esther recreated the drawing in 1957 for possible inclusion in the album A Living Testimony. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Esther Lurie self-portrait study while a concentration camp inmate
Object
Sketch for a self-portrait in a prison uniform drawn by Esther Lurie in 1958, based upon one she drew in 1944 while a prisoner in Stutthof concentration camp. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Esther Lurie self-portrait while a concentration camp inmate
Object
Self-portrait drawn by Esther Lurie ca. 1957, based upon one she had drawn in 1944 while a prisoner in Stutthof concentration camp. Esther recreated the drawing in 1957 for possible inclusion in the album A Living Testimony. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Sketch of a worker carrying a shovel drawn by Esther Lurie
Object
Ink sketch of a worker carrying a shovel drawn by Esther Lurie in 1957 recreating a drawing she did in Kovno Ghetto in 1941. Esther did hundreds of drawings in the ghetto but most were lost. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania] in summer 1941, when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Prewar portrait of a male artist by Esther Lurie
Object
Portrait of a male friend, Rudi, drawn by Esther Lurie in Tel Aviv, Palestine, ca. 1935. Rudi was a sculptor and immigrant from Germany. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunus), Lithuania, in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She, also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where an exhibition of her drawings was held and an exhibit catalog published.
Double sided sketch of Kovno Ghetto life by Esther Lurie
Object
Two sided pencil sketches of Kovno Ghetto scenes created by Esther Lurie. One sketch depicts a bridge over barbed wire; the other, seated figures with Stars of David. The scenes were witnessed in the Ghetto in 1941, but drawn in 1957. Lurie's drawings and sketches, created from 1941-1944, while a prisoner in Kovno ghetto and Stutthof and Leibisch concentration camps, exhibited and published in 1945, presented eloquent visual and written testimony of daily life during the Holocaust. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunus), Lithuania, in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She, also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibisch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where an exhibition of her drawings was held and an exhibit catalog published.
Sketch of a courtyard by Esther Lurie
Object
Ink drawing of a courtyard with colonnade sketched by Esther Lurie; the place and time of creation are not known. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunus), Lithuania, in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She, also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where an exhibition of her drawings was held and an exhibit catalog published.
Portrait of a Jewish Brigade soldier by Esther Lurie
Object
Portrait drawing of Abraham Birman, a soldier in the Jewish Brigade drawn by Esther Lurie, after the war in 1945, when she lived in displaced persons camps in Naples, Italy. Lurie's drawings and sketches, created from 1941-1944, while a prisoner in Kovno ghetto and Stutthof and Leibisch concentration camps, exhibited and published in 1945, presented eloquent visual and written testimony of daily life during the Holocaust. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibisch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibisch were exhibited.
Sketch of the Israel Philharmonic by Esther Lurie
Object
Sketch of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra drawn by Esther Lurie in Tel Aviv in 1962. Lurie's drawings and sketches, created from 1941-1944, and her later reconstructions, of life as a prisoner in Kovno Ghetto and Stutthof and Leibisch concentration camps, present eloquent visual and written testimony of daily life during the Holocaust. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibisch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibisch were exhibited.
Sketch of Stravinsky and the Israel Philharmonic by Esther Lurie
Object
Sketch of Igor Stravinsky performing with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra drawn by Esther Lurie in Tel Aviv in 1963. Lurie's drawings and sketches, created from 1941-1944, and her later reconstructions, of life as a prisoner in Kovno Ghetto and Stutthof and Leibisch concentration camps, present eloquent visual and written testimony of daily life during the Holocaust. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibisch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibisch were exhibited.
Sketch of the conductor, Israel Philharmonic by Esther Lurie
Object
Sketch of the conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra drawn by Esther Lurie in Tel Aviv in 1964. Lurie's drawings and sketches, created from 1941-1944, and her later reconstructions, of life as a prisoner in Kovno Ghetto and Stutthof and Leibisch concentration camps, present eloquent visual and written testimony of daily life during the Holocaust. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibisch slave labor camp, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibisch were exhibited.
Sketch of the bay and Bar Harbor shore by Esther Lurie
Object
Sketch of the bay the the tree lined shore in Bar Harbor, Maine, drawn by Esther Lurie during a 1981 visit. Lurie's drawings and sketches, created from 1941-1944, and her later reconstructions, of life as a prisoner in Kovno Ghetto and Stutthof and Leibisch concentration camps, present eloquent visual and written testimony of daily life during the Holocaust. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch slave labor camp, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Sketch of a house in the woods by Esther Lurie
Object
Sketch of a house in the woods in Bar Harbor, Maine, drawn by Esther Lurie during a 1981 visit. Lurie's drawings and sketches, created from 1941-1944, and her later reconstructions, of life as a prisoner in Kovno Ghetto and Stutthof and Leibisch concentration camps, present eloquent visual and written testimony of daily life during the Holocaust. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch slave labor camp, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where her drawings of Leibitsch were exhibited.
Sketch of trees in Maine by Esther Lurie
Object
Ink sketch of trees drawn by Esther Lurie in a sketchbook she used during a visit to Maine in 1981. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunus), Lithuania, in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She, also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where an exhibition of her drawings of Leibitsch was arranged by a Jewish soldier, Menahem Shemi, and an exhibit catalog was published.
Sketches of Eichmann with headphones at trial drawn by Esther Lurie
Object
Two similar, small sketches of Adolf Eichmann listening on headphones drawn by Esther Lurie on March 29, 1962, of the Adolf Eichmann trial. Eichmann was the SS official who organized the delivery of Jews all over Europe to killing centers and concentration camps. He escaped in 1946 and was captured by Israeli agents in Argentina in 1960. The Eichmann trial in Jerusalem, April 11, 1961- December 15, 1961, was the first detailed, public exploration of the Holocaust. He was charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. Many survivors gave testimony and Esther's drawings were introduced as evidence. Eichmann was sentenced on December 15, 1961, to death by hanging. He lost his appeal on May 29 and was hanged midnight, May 31. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunus), Lithuania, in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She, also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where an exhibition of her drawings of Leibisch was arranged by a Jewish soldier, Menahem Shemi, and an exhibit catalog was published.
Portrait sketches of Eichmann on trial drawn by Esther Lurie
Object
Three small portrait sketches of Adolf Eichmann in headphones at trial drawn by Esther Lurie on March 29, 1962. Eichmann was the SS official who organized the delivery of Jews all over Europe to killing centers and concentration camps. He escaped in 1946 and was captured by Israeli agents in Argentina in 1960. The Eichmann trial in Jerusalem, April 11, 1961- December 15, 1961, was the first detailed, public exploration of the Holocaust. He was charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. Many survivors gave testimony and Esther's drawings were introduced as evidence. Eichmann was sentenced on December 15, 1961, to death by hanging. He lost his appeal on May 29 and was hanged midnight, May 31. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunus), Lithuania, in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She, also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where an exhibition of her drawings was held and an exhibit catalog was published.
Sketch of Eichmann and attorneys during trial by Esther Lurie
Object
Courtroom scene of Eichmann and and lawyers, one at the podium, during trial drawn by Esther Lurie on March 29, 1962. Eichmann was the SS official who organized the delivery of Jews all over Europe to killing centers and concentration camps. He escaped in 1946 and was captured by Israeli agents in Argentina in 1960. The Eichmann trial in Jerusalem, April 11, 1961- December 15, 1961, was the first detailed, public exploration of the Holocaust. He was charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. Many survivors gave testimony and Esther's drawings were introduced as evidence. Eichmann was sentenced on December 15, 1961, to death by hanging. He lost his appeal on May 29 and was hanged midnight, May 31. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunus), Lithuania, in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She, also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where an exhibition of her drawings was held and an exhibit catalog was published.
Sketch of a Baroque theater and park drawn by Esther Lurie
Object
Sketch of the Opera and Ballet Theater in Odessa, Soviet Union ( now Odesa, Ukraine), drawn by Esther Lurie in Febraury 1945 when she passed through the city on her way to Italy following her January liberation from Leibitsch slave labor camp. Esther, originally from Liepaja, Latvia, settled in Palestine in 1934. She was visiting her sister in Kovno (Kaunus), Lithuania, in summer 1941 when it was occupied by Nazi Germany. She was confined to the ghetto and had to create portraits and paintings for the Germans. She, also, at the request of the Jewish Council, dedicated herself to recording the daily life of the residents. In July 1944, the ghetto was liquidated. Esther was sent to Stutthof concentration camp, where she continued to draw. Her family members were sent to Auschwitz and murdered. In August 1944, Esther was deported to Leibitsch, and liberated by the Soviet Army on January 21, 1945. During the journey back to Palestine, she lived in a displaced persons camp in Italy, where an exhibition of her drawings was held and an exhibit catalog was published.