Rahel Szalit: Remembering a Lost Artist

Dr Kerry Wallach is an expert in German-Jewish literature, history and culture, based at Gettysberg College. While reading 1920s German newspaper's as part of her research, one name appeared time and again, that of artist Rahel Szalit. It seemed that she was one the best known Jewish artists of the era, but hardly any trace of her life or work was known. Thus Kerry decided to do some digging and see what she could find.

It is not a happy story. Few stories about Jewish people living in Europe in the early Twentieth Century are. Rahel was exiled from Germany during World War I, fled during World War II, and after her capture in occupied Paris, it appears most of her work was destroyed.

I don't want to share too much of Rahel's story here, as Kerry tells it far better than I could (listen here) but I did want to share some images of Rahel's work. It is so difficult to convey style over the radio!

Kerry's book, Traces of a Jewish Artist, is available now from all good bookshops.

Images left to right:

1. Photograph of Rahel Szalit, date unknown

2. The Fencer (self-portrait), 1930

3. Reb Mendele and the Moon, 1922

4. Costume Ball, 1930

5. The Town Musicians, 1920, shared with permission of the owner - this is one of the paintings discovered in the last year

6. A Street Sneezes, 1922