Atlantic board: start of installation

Yariv Dahan

Leo Kramar, Peretz Beda Mayer’s nephew, near Beda’s Self-Portrait

Czech catalogue cover

2. Dečin Synagogue

The show in the Decin synagogue was opened in March 2006 and lasted till mid-May. A very special interior of the place called upon a series of original design decisions.

3. Prague Manes Gallery/Diamant Gallery

The more significant event, however, took place in central Prague in July 11 – August 27, 2006 . The exhibit was presented in two places simultaneously. The Mauritius story with Fritz/Beda’s graphics was told at the Manes-Diamant gallery in Spalena street 4), whereas the major corpus of Mayer’s painting was displayed at Adam Hoffmeister Millenium gallery, Trziste Street 5.
On the 11th of July, the show was opened at Manes-Diamant gallery by the curator/director of the exhibit Elena Makarova; the honorable guests included the Israeli Ambassador, the Mayor of Prague 1, the Chairman of the Manes Society, friends and journalists.
In her speech Elena Makarova thanked producer Tomas Hlavacek and his assistant Zuzana Pospichalova, designer Georg Schrom, designer assistant Maria Makarova, the Israeli Embassy in Prague and other sponsors and contributors of the project.
His Excellency Mr. Arie Arazi emphasized the importance of the project for Israeli-Czech cultural cooperation.
Mr. Leo Kramar ( Sweden ) paid tribute to the organizers and guests, and shared his memories about his uncle, Peretz Beda Mayer.

Among the sponsors and contributors, along with the Israeli Embassy, were Par Stenberg ( Sweden ), Municipality Praha 1, Ustek Synagogue and Cemetery Society, Prague Jewish Museum, Salans Co., T-Systems Company, and others.

4. Ostrava Dul Michal Gallery

The next station of the voyage is Ostrava. The former Michal mine building is a unique exposition space, enabling an extravagant installation. And so it was: the ship’s skeleton, on whose ribs the display elements were arranged. The display lasted from 7 to 30.10 .2006.

5. Liberec Severoceske Museum

Born in 1910 in Vienna, Fritz Haendel nonetheless considered his native town to be Reichenberg (now Liberec). Alfred Deutsch, his grandfather from mother’s side, came to Reichenberg as early as 1875. The family ran a shipping business and was well-off. His parents were buried at the local Jewish cemetery. Fritz’s mother Marianne married his father Samuel in Vienna, but Fritz was brought to Reichenberg as a child and the family resided there over 20 years.

Today Liberec is a significant cultural center of Northern Bohemia . The exposition was shown from February 7 to April 1, 2007 and received good responses from public and media.

6. Vienna Danube Ship Landing Station Reichsbrucke

In Vienna the exhibit opened May 15, 2008 marking the 60th Anniversary of the State of Israel. The venue was most spectacular: the Danube Ship Landing Station Reichsbrucke. Just from here, on the 4th of September 1940, the river-steamer Helios set course to take, together with two other steamers, 3,500 Jewish refugees to Palestine. Beda Mayer and Fritz Haendel were among the passengers, but soon turned to ‘artistic reporters’ of the perilous journey. To Beda, it took four and a half years to reach the destination, while Fritz never made it: he committed suicide in January 1945, a few months prior to the detainees’ return to the Holy Land. The exhibit, built into a grandiose ship installation at the Danube quay (see the photos), was shown until mid-July, then it traveled home to Israel.

7. Ein Harod Art Museum, Israel (January-April 2009)

On January 17, 2009, the exhibit opened at Israeli Ein Harod Art Museum (http://www.museumeinharod.org.il/english/) where it stayed until April, 15. The photos give a short glimpse at this display, massively visited by Israeli public.

8. Ghetto Fighters’ Museum (Lohamei HaGetaot) http://www.gfh.org.il/eng/

From June 2009 to November 2010 the exhibit is on display in this museum near Acre, one of the most innovative and brilliantly designed museums in Israel. The first unofficial opening was timed to a conference of ex-Mauritius Refugees’ Society in Israel.