The House
To Consider:
The house in these paintings belonged to David Labkovski's wife, Rivka Spektor Labkovski's family. Labkovski depicts the family and house prewar (right) and during the Holocaust (left). What do you notice? How does he use color? space?
Background:
The little boy in the prewar image is Arthur Spektor, Rivka's brother. He left Vilna for South Africa in the 1920s. Before emigration became impossible during the Nazi occupation, Arthur was able to get his brother-in-law (his sister Zlata's husband) out of Vilna. In the piece depicting the family being forced out of their home, Arthur's parents, Zlata and her children are pictured.
In 1944, Arthur tried to find out the fate of his family. The International Red Cross returned Arthur's postcard to him with the words,
"not found". (Arthur signed the card with his childhood name, Avromke.) The postcard is pictured below.
The house in these paintings belonged to David Labkovski's wife, Rivka Spektor Labkovski's family. Labkovski depicts the family and house prewar (right) and during the Holocaust (left). What do you notice? How does he use color? space?
Background:
The little boy in the prewar image is Arthur Spektor, Rivka's brother. He left Vilna for South Africa in the 1920s. Before emigration became impossible during the Nazi occupation, Arthur was able to get his brother-in-law (his sister Zlata's husband) out of Vilna. In the piece depicting the family being forced out of their home, Arthur's parents, Zlata and her children are pictured.
In 1944, Arthur tried to find out the fate of his family. The International Red Cross returned Arthur's postcard to him with the words,
"not found". (Arthur signed the card with his childhood name, Avromke.) The postcard is pictured below.
Below is a description of the house from the testimony of Arthur Spektor
Floor plan of the house drawn by Arthur Spektor
"The cottage consisted of 2 ½ rooms, with thick outside walls. The roof was covered with wood, and a porch. It also had a small cellar. My mother added on two extra rooms, enlarged the cellar to twice its original size. With the enlarged space, we had a large industrial oven built in the cellar. My mother was able to switch over to manufacture various products. She soon had the grounds fenced in and began to lay out beds for a vegetable garden. I recall the days she taught me that each potato has at least 6 or 8 eyes and each eye is a potential plant for a potato. There is no need to put a whole potato in the ground, each potato can be cut into little pieces. She also taught me that potatoes do not like to grow next to tomatoes. Carrots like to grow next to radishes. Cabbages do not mind the smell of onions, and that pumpkin and cucumbers are always thirsty.
My secret hiding place was inside that thick tall bush at the end of the garden, which was not far from our bucket-toilet. Inside there, I fitted myself with a straw mattress, cushions and a box for food for myself and my best friend, our faithful dog, Zucky. I used to spend many pleasant hours in that little hideout. I used to tell him all of my problems, ambitions and wishes."
My secret hiding place was inside that thick tall bush at the end of the garden, which was not far from our bucket-toilet. Inside there, I fitted myself with a straw mattress, cushions and a box for food for myself and my best friend, our faithful dog, Zucky. I used to spend many pleasant hours in that little hideout. I used to tell him all of my problems, ambitions and wishes."
Background: Formation of the Ghetto
Map of the
Vilna Ghettos.
The Vilna Ghetto was formed in September, 1941. It is interesting that Labkovski depicts it as a winter day. Most of his pieces of the Holocaust are portrayed in the winter. Consider why he might have made that choice.
Read more about the creation of the Vilna Ghetto in Yad Vashem's online exhibit, The Jerusalem of Lithuania: The Story of the Jewish Community of Vilna.
Read more about the creation of the Vilna Ghetto in Yad Vashem's online exhibit, The Jerusalem of Lithuania: The Story of the Jewish Community of Vilna.
