I really enjoyed touring all the museums in the Jewish quarter, and I found the Pinkas Synogouge to be the most moving. This museum which holds the art of children in the Terezin was in one word: incredible. The collection spans works of children of all ages and on topics such as returning home to Prague, celebrating Jewish holidays, and life in the bunker at Terezin. The fact that Terezin was used for propaganda and the children were somewhat sheltered from what was actually going on all around them until they were moved to Auschwitz completely broke my heart.
Friedl Dicker-Brandeis, the woman who led these art classes was such a courageous, inspiring individual. Her actions allowed the children to have an artistic outlet for the immense emotion they must have been feeling at the time. The art classes also helped get their mind off of their current situation as well as actually have a voice in what was happening to them. When she hid the suitcases full of the children’s drawings she probably hoped, but didn’t actually think that they would still be around today for thousands of people to see every year. At the time, art allowed these children to feel slight relief from their awful situation and today it allows us to remember and commemorate the lives of these innocent children who perished during Nazi terror.
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