Azriel Awret
(1910- 2010)

 

Azriel Awret was born in Lodz, Poland, and moved to Belgium where he lived in Brussels. He married an Aryan woman, Anna Louisa Bonhiere, which saved him from deportation. But in January 1943 he was interned in Malines camp. Awret was an engineer, so he was given employment as an electrician. While in Malines he met Irène Spicker, who was working in the Mahlerstube (art workshop). They married after the war and moved to Israel, settling in Safed and continuing their artistic activity. Today they divide their time between Israel and the United States.

The Beit Lohamei Haghetaot (The Ghetto Fighters’ House Museum) art collection includes works by Awret from his time in Malines. These works depict various aspects of life in Malines, including figures of internees. They were donated by the artist.