By Sylvia Brooke
Tribune Correspondent
Toronto artist Herman Grunfeld’s story is an example of art’s potential to liberate a soul, and to save a life. At a recent event at the Lodzer Centre Holocaust Congregation, Hanna Grunfeld, Herman’s wife, shared his remarkable story, which brought him from the despair of Bergen-Belsen, through to prominence as an elite jeweller, to his current status as a respected and admired artist.
Grunfeld was born in Klaussenberg, Transylvania, to a wealthy family. His father was a skilled watchmaker. At a young age, Grunfeld developed a love for the arts – music and opera. With restrictions impinging on the family business, there was not enough money to send him to school. He had a natural aptitude and eye for beauty and began work as a jeweller’s apprentice at the age of 14. When he took his jeweller’s exam, his final work was so distinguished that the board was forced to begrudgingly give him his jeweller’s status, though there was a quota on the number of Jews.
As the part of Transylvania where the Grunfelds resided was annexed by the Hungarians, the Grunfeld family was deported to Austria, where his parents and a brother perished.
Another brother and Grunfeld were transported to Bergen-Belsen. It was there that his artistic abilities served him well in helping to survive. He fashioned a pair of earrings from some coins found for a Kappo and later got work in an indoor workshop. The earrings further served to supply proper soup to Grunfeld and his fellow inmates. It was there that he met Hannan, an iron artist. “Hannan was a miracle among many miracles that made it possible for Herman to survive,” noted Hanna. Grunfeld would cut steel pipes and polish them to look like rings of white gold, much desired. This was yet one more example of his skill aiding him.
After the war, he and his brother Denny went with the Red Cross to Sweden. Grunfeld began to search for a way to satisfy an artistic longing. After studying the violin and voice, it was eventually painting that became a “medium to let out his feelings and creativity.”
Working primarily in the vivid colours of oil pastels, music continued to be an important theme in his works, either in the depiction of instruments or musicians. Birds, too, a symbol of freedom, figured prominently. He admired them when he was at the camp.
In dealing with his demons, Grunfeld configures the Holocaust into some of his work. As Hanna explains, “It’s so difficult to live with the memories; everyone who comes from the Holocaust needs to make some kind of therapy.”
“This is a gift from HaShem, that I can do that, I feel a big responsibility,” adds Grunfeld. It is his legacy to the family that he lost. His vibrant paintings, so intricately woven are reminiscent of the work of Picasso. Through their charm, they stir up deep feelings of awe. As artist Heather Hennick said of his work, “his message is depicted in a form that is uplifting and positive, so it will live forever and so that we will never forget.”
For further information about Herman Grunfeld’s work, his web site is www.hermangrunfeld.com.
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