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Joseph Bau

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Joseph Bau
יוסף באו
Joseph Bau
Born(1920-06-18)18 June 1920
Kraków, Poland
Died24 May 2002(2002-05-24) (aged 81)
Tel Aviv, Israel
NationalityPolish, Israeli
EducationJan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts
University of Plastic Arts
Spouse
Rebecca Tennenbaum
​
​
(m. 1943; died 1997)​
Children2

Joseph Bau (Hebrew: יוסף באו; 18 June 1920 – 24 May 2002) was a Polish-born Israeli artist, philosopher, inventor, animator, comedian, commercial creator, copy-writer, poet, and survivor of the Płaszów concentration camp.[1]

Life

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Bau was trained as a graphic artist at the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, Poland. His education was interrupted by World War II and he was transferred to the Płaszów concentration camp in late 1942 from the Kraków Ghetto. Having a talent in gothic lettering, he was employed in the camp for making signs and maps for the Germans. While in Płaszów, Bau created a miniature, the size of his hand, illustrated book with his own poetry. He also forged documents and identity papers for people who managed to escape from the camp.[2]

During his imprisonment, Bau fell in love with another inmate, Rebecca Tennenbaum. They were secretly married, despite the prohibition by the Germans, in the women's barracks of Płaszów. This was dramatized in Steven Spielberg's Academy Award-winning movie Schindler's List, where he was played by Rami Heuberger. Bau himself appears in the film's epilogue placing a stone on Oskar Schindler's grave in Jerusalem, along with his wife Rebecca.[3][4]

After Płaszów, Bau was transferred to Gross-Rosen concentration camp and then to Schindler's camp where he stayed until the end of the war, while Rebecca was sent to Auschwitz.[5] After liberation, Bau was reunited with his wife and finished his degree at University of Plastic Arts in Kraków. In 1950, he immigrated to Israel together with his wife and three-year-old daughter, Hadassah, where their other daughter, Clila, was born. He worked as a graphic artist at the Brandwein Institute in Haifa and for the government of Israel. Bau opened his own studio in 1960 in Tel Aviv, which is now a museum managed by his daughters. He was well known for creating graphic fonts and drawing titles for Israeli films in the 1960s and 1970s. He also authored a number of Hebrew books and wrote poetry.[6]

Bau's wife Rebecca died in 1997. Bau died from pneumonia in Tel Aviv on 24 May 2002, at age 81.[1][7]

Works

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The English version of Joseph Bau's memoir, Dear God, Have You Ever Gone Hungry? came out in June 1998. It was first published in Hebrew and Polish and was published in several languages, including Chinese.

Joseph Bau also created his own animated films, for which he has been referred to in the press as the "Israeli Walt Disney"[3] or as the "founder of Israel's animation industry".[1] His paintings and drawings have been listed by Sotheby's as significant contributions to the art of the Holocaust and his works have been shown in galleries in the US.[4]

Joseph Bau's art is filtered through the prism of his own experiences. It reflects both the brutal reality of life during the war, as well as the joy and humour he observed in later years in Israel. Joseph Bau was nominated for the Israel Prize in 1998.[4]

Joseph Bau House Museum

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The Joseph Bau House Museum, located at 9 Berdichevsky Street in Tel-Aviv, is an authentic artist workshop that conveys to the visitor the incredible life story of Joseph Bau, reflected in the wide range of his creativity, which includes paintings, graphics, movies, animation, and literature—all with the humor of his optimistic point of view.

Joseph Bau museum in Tel Aviv

The museum is unique. It is the only one of its kind and combines animation, cinema, graphic art, Holocaust remembrance, photography, espionage, poetry, the love of Israel and the Hebrew language. Through Joseph’s humorous paintings, you get acquainted with a rich and sophisticated language where every word has a deep meaning. Through the graphic and advertising works, you learn about the beginnings of film, press, and television in the country.

Visitors are exposed to a fascinating and exciting life story that includes the rescue of Jews during the Holocaust, seeing the positive side of life, and learning how humor, love, and optimism can help a person survive even the most difficult situations.

Visiting the museum leaves a lasting impression. You are exposed to the values that guided Joseph during the Holocaust and led him to be one of the first graphic artists and animators in Israel. Only after his death was it discovered that he worked as the chief graphic artist for the Mossad, and as part of his job he forged various certificates for spies, including those for Eli Cohen, an Israeli spy in Syria, and by contrast—for Eichmann and the team sent to capture him. Joseph never spoke of these activities.

The museum exhibits animation devices and the tiny cinema that he built with his own hands. On the walls are fonts he designed for Israeli movies. Joseph’s work has gained international recognition and has been displayed in many galleries around the world, in places such as the UN building in New York, the Oskar Schindler Museum in Krakow, the Spanish Parliament in Madrid, and the Museum of Tolerance in Moscow. His paintings of the Hebrew language have been exhibited in the Israeli Knesset as well as internationally.

Many tourists, students, soldiers, and the elderly have visited to hear the story of the museum and about the lives of Joseph and Rebecca Bau. In 2020, they received the prestigious certificate of “Jews who saved Jews” during the Holocaust by B’nai B’rith International.

In 2023, Trip Advisor designated the Joseph Bau House Museum in the top 1% of best attractions worldwide. This recognition highlights the museum’s impactful tribute to the life and work of Joseph Bau, a personal glimpse into his story, blending humor, resilience, and creativity. In 2024, the museum was designated as “Best of the Best” winner by TripAdvisor.

Unfortunately, the Joseph Bau House Museum now faces an uncertain future, as the building has been sold and is scheduled for demolition. A new permanent location must be secured to assure the legacy of Joseph and Rebecca Bau. To ensure the museum’s survival, a $100,000 feasibility study with Gallagher and Associates is planned to explore potential sites and sustainable business plans for relocation. Your support can help preserve this invaluable legacy. Visit the museum in person or check out our virtual tour to learn more.

Host the Joseph Bau Traveling Exhibition

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Joseph Bau: Artist, Counterfeiter and Mossad Agent

An exhibition of Joseph Bau, artist, counterfeiter, and Mossad agent. Saved by Oskar Schindler, Bau's hidden access to pen and ink during the Holocaust allowed him to forge documents, saving his life and countless others.

Over 40 pieces of Joseph Bau's art, including oil paintings, prints and lithographs, and storyboards are included in this traveling exhibition which has been hosted in Boca Raton, FL, Davie, FL, and other cities..

"Bau, Artist at War"

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Bau, Artist at War depicts the extraordinary lives of Rebecca and Joseph Bau. This moving tale is about Joseph Bau, a Holocaust survivor who uses his artistic talents and humor to survive and help others escape the camps, finding love amid unimaginable hardship.

The historical drama film from director Sean McNamara (Reagan) is set to hit theaters on Jan. 24, 2025, with distribution from Showbiz Direct and Republic Pictures. Bau, Artist at War has succeeded on the festival circuit, having been named best picture at the Sunscreen Film Festival, Myrtle Beach Film Festival, and Tarzana International Film Festival.

Film Synopsis: Based on the true story of Joseph and Rebecca Bau whose wedding took place in the Plaszow concentration camp during WW2. Bau, Artist at War is a war drama/love story/espionage tale that needs to be told in this era where survivors are dying, and the Holocaust is slipping from memory. Using his artistic skills in the camps, Joseph stays alive and helps hundreds to escape. Miraculously, he finds love in the midst of despair. A love that will last a lifetime. Years later, when called to be a key witness in the trial of the brutal Nazi officer who tortured him and killed his father, he is thrust back into vivid memories of the Holocaust. Now, he calls upon this love and resilience of spirit to face the ultimate demon of his past.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Joffe, Lawrence (10 July 2002). "Obituary: Joseph Bau". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
  2. ^ Ko, Michael (3 November 1998). "Artist's Work Defies The Horror". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
  3. ^ a b "Joseph Bau, 81". The Chicago Tribune. June 14, 2002. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
  4. ^ a b c "Joseph Bau". The Daily Telegraph. 6 June 2002. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
  5. ^ Hundley, Tom (19 December 1993). "'Schindler' Couple Recall Terror". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
  6. ^ "Joseph Bau". www.josephbau.com. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
  7. ^ McLellan, Dennis (2002-06-13). "Joseph Bau, 81; Israeli Artist, Animator, Holocaust Survivor". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
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