us-005578-irn614013-irn619221
archival history: The painting was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2018 by Deborah Pearson, the daughter of John Waldman and the granddaughter of George and Betsy Waldman.
conditions of access: No restrictions on access
has record set type: Item
is or was included in: us-005578-irn614013
has or had identifier: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn614013-irn619221/alternateIDs/1
has or had holder: us-005578
title: Watercolor still life painting created by David Goychman while imprisoned in Compiègne internment camp
physical characteristics and technical requirements: Watercolor painting of apples and a pitcher against an indistinct pastel colored background. In the foreground are six apples: the far left, is small, green colored with brown shading and a long stem, the second from left is yellow with green shading on the top and left, the third is green with a short stem, the fourth is greenish-yellow with brown shading on the left side and a short stem, the back right is red with yellow shading and the lower right is small and red. Behind the apples is a white pitcher with the pouring spout on the left and a handle on the right side. Each corner of the paper has a small pushpin hole, and the back of the paper is slightly yellowed with small brown stains throughout.
record resource extent: overall: Height: 7.125 inches (18.098 cm) | Width: 10.125 inches (25.718 cm)
conditions of use: Restrictions on use. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum does not own copyright to this material. No information about the copyright was included on the Deed of Gift.
type: RecordSet
identifier: irn619221
results or resulted from: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn614013-irn619221/acquisitions/1
has or had subject: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/vocabularies/ehri-camps/1976
has or had subject: http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/vocabularies/ehri-camps/0
scope and content: Watercolor still life painting of fruit and a pitcher created by artist David Goychman while he was a prisoner in Compiègne internment camp in 1941. The painting was acquired by George Waldman, who was held in Compiègne from December 1941 to July 1943. George, Betsy, and their teenage son, John, were American citizens who lived in Paris to manage their paper import-export business. In response to the German invasion of Poland, France declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939. In May of 1940, Germany invaded and quickly defeated France, occupying the northern half of the country. In 1941, the Germans began rounding up foreign born Jewish residents. Goychman, a native of the Soviet Union, was arrested in Paris in June 1941 and detained in Compiègne internment camp. In the camp he continued to paint and took part in an art exhibition held in the camp. On December 12, 1941, a day after Germany declared war on the United States, George Waldman was arrested and detained at Compiègne as an enemy alien and later joined his wife and son in Vittel internment camp. In 1942, the Germans began to systematically deport foreign born Jews to concentration camps in the east. On September 11, 1942, Goychman was transferred to Drancy internment and transit camp. Three days later, he was deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau killing center in German-occupied Poland under the name Leizer Goychman. Goychman was killed at Auschwitz on September 19, 1942. This may be the only known surviving Goychman painting from his time in the camp.
biographical history: George Louis Waldman (1890-1972, b. Jules Chazanoff) was born in Stepan, in the Russian Empire (now, Ukraine) to Boroch (1856-1941) and Bella Spelman Waldman (1860-1949). George had 3 younger brothers and a younger sister. In 1910 he immigrated to the United States via Montreal, Canada, on the Allen Train Line. George worked as a plumber before starting a paper import-export business. He married Betsy Stackowitz (1898-1970) on March 28, 1917 in Boston Massachusetts. Betsy was born in London, England, and immigrated to the United States in 1906. They had two sons, Milton Albert Waldman (1918-2002) and John Robert Waldman (1928-1973). As part of their paper business, the Waldmans established an office in Paris, and split their time living in France and the U.S. At the onset of World War II George, Betsy, and John were staying in France. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland and two days later, France and Britain declared war on Germany. In May 1940, Germany invaded France and occupied the northern half of the country. After the conquest, the Germans did not bother American citizens living in France, including the Waldman family, despite their Jewish heritage. Jewish citizens from the United States and western enemy states were exempted from the German anti-Semitic policies because of their potential prisoner exchange value during the war. On December 11, 1941, four days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Germany declared war on the United States. The next day, George was arrested and detained in Compiègne internment camp as an enemy alien. While in Compiègne George lived in military style barracks. On January 11, 1943, Betsy and John were arrested and detained at Vittel internment camp. In July, George was removed from Compiègne, taken to Vittel, and reunited with his family. In Vittel, the Waldman’s had hotel-like accommodations with running water and heat. They were able to send and receive mail, and received weekly Red Cross packages. The Germans pub…
date: 1941 June 17-1941 December 31