=LQRYLL7RONDWFKHY·V´-HVXVLQ0DMGDQHNµ $6RYLHW-HZLVK$UWLVW&RQIURQWLQJWKH+RORFDXVW* E\0LUMDP5DMQHU =XVDPPHQIDVVXQJ =LQRYLL 6KHQGHURYLFK 7RONDWFKHY ² HLQ VRZMHWLVFKHU .QVWOHU MGLVFKHU +HUNXQIW NUHLHUWH HLQH HLQGUXFNVYROOH 6HULH YRQ IQI %LOGHUQ PLW GHP 7LWHO ´-HVXVLQ0DMGDQHNµ'LH6HULHZDUGHU+|KHSXQNWYRQ7RONDWFKHYVLQWHQVLYHU$XV- HLQDQGHUVHW]XQJPLWGHQ(UIDKUXQJHQGLHHUDOV6ROGDWGHU5RWHQ$UPHHZlKUHQG GHU%HIUHLXQJGHU.RQ]HQWUDWLRQVODJHU0DMGDQHNXQG$XVFKZLW]JHPDFKWKDWWH6FKR- FNLHUWYRQGHPGRUW*HVHKHQHQ]HLJWHU-HVXVDOV/DJHULQVDVVHQGHUHLQHJHVWUHLIWH 8QLIRUPWUlJWGLHDOOHQXUP|JOLFKHQ'LIIDPLHUXQJV]HLFKHQDXIZHLVW²GHQMGLVFKHQ gelben Stern, das rote Dreieck politischer Gefangener und die individuelle Gefange- nennummer. Die numerische Tätowierung am Unterarm ist auch zu sehen. Die ver- schiedenen Abschnitte des Lagerlebens werden als die der traditionellen Passion Christi GDUJHVWHOOW:lKUHQGGHU.QVWOHUGLHYHUVFKLHGHQHQ3KDVHQGHV/HLGHQV-HVXNDQR QLVFKSRUWUDLWLHUWEDVLHUWVHLQNQVWOHULVFKHV6FKDIIHQDXI GHQGHUEHNDQQWHQ0DOHUHLHQ der europäischen Renaissance. Der Artikel platziert Tolkatchevs Bilderserie in einem EUHLWHUHQNXOWXUHOOHQXQGYLVXHOOHQ.RQWH[WGDHUVRZRKOGLH(QWZLFNOXQJGHVÄKLVWRUL- VFKHQ-HVX¶W\SLVFKIUGDV'HQNELOGGHV(XURSDVGHV-DKUKXQGHUWVXQGGHU.XQVW GHV5XVVLVFKHP5HDOLVPXVDOVDXFKGHQ(LQÁXVVGHUGHXWVFKHQ$YDQWJDUGHXQWHUVXFKW 'DGXUFKELHWHWVLFKHLQWLHIVLQQLJHUHV9HUVWHKHQYRQ7RONDWFKHYV$UEHLWXQGLKUHUXQL- versellen Botschaft. Abstract ,Q=LQRYLL6KHQGHURYLFK7RONDWFKHY ² D6RYLHWDUWLVWRI -HZLVKRULJLQ FUHDWHGDVWULNLQJVHULHVRI ÀYHLPDJHVHQWLWOHG´-HVXVLQ0DMGDQHNµ7KHVHULHVZDVWKH FXOPLQDWLRQRI 7RONDWFKHY¶VLQWHQVLYHSUHRFFXSDWLRQZLWKWKHH[SHULHQFHKHDVD5HG * 0DQ\WKDQNVWR3URI-RKQ(%RZOW8QLYHUVLW\RI 6RXWKHUQ&DOLIRUQLDIRUUHDGLQJDQGFRPPHQ- WLQJDQHDUOLHUYHUVLRQRI WKLVDUWLFOHDQGWR'U9LWD6XVDNDQG'U(YJHQ\.RWO\DUIRUWKHLUKHOS ZLWKVRPHRI =LQRYLL7RONDWFKHY¶VLPDJHV 60 MIRJAM RAJNER Army soldier, endured upon taking part in liberation of the concentration camps Maj- GDQHNDQG$XVFKZLW]6KRFNHGE\WKHDFWXDOVLJKWVKHZLWQHVVHGKHGHSLFWHG-HVXVDV an actual camp inmate, wearing a striped uniform marked by every possible defamation VLJQ²WKH-HZLVK\HOORZVWDUWKHUHGWULDQJOHRI SROLWLFDOSULVRQHUVDQGWKHLQGLYLGXDO prison number, the numerical tattoo on his lower arm can also be seen. The different stages of camp life are portrayed as the traditional Passion of Christ:KLOHVKRZLQJWKH DFWXDOVLWXDWLRQVWKHDUWLVWEDVHGKLPVHOI XSRQWKHZHOONQRZQ(XURSHDQ5HQDLVVDQFH SDLQWLQJVFDQRQLFDOO\GHSLFWLQJ-HVXV¶VXIIHULQJ7KHDUWLFOHSODFHV7RONDWFKHY¶VVHULHV LQDEURDGHUFXOWXUDODQGYLVXDOFRQWH[WE\H[SORULQJWKHGHYHORSPHQWRI WKH¶KLVWRULFDO -HVXV·LQWKHthFHQWXU\(XURSHDQWKRXJKWDQG5XVVLDQUHDOLVWDUWDQGE\H[DPLQLQJ the impact of the German avant-garde. By doing so, a deeper understanding of the XQLYHUVDOPHVVDJH7RONDWFKHY·VZRUNVHQWDLOLVRIIHUHG ,QWURGXFWLRQ $WWKHEHJLQQLQJRI -XO\WKH5HG$UP\OLEHUDWHG0DMGDQHNWKHFRQFHQ- WUDWLRQFDPSVLWXDWHGQHDU/XEOLQ3RODQG)LUVWFRQFHLYHGLQ2FWREHUDV DIRUFHGODERUFDPSIRU6RYLHWSULVRQHUVRI ZDUDIWHUWKHLQFHSWLRQRI 2SHUD- WLRQ5HLQKDUGLQDLPHGDWWKHDQQLKLODWLRQRI 3ROLVK-HZV0DMGDQHN EHFDPHDQH[WHUPLQDWLRQFDPS7KHUDSLGRQVODXJKWRI WKH6RYLHWDUP\GLG QRWOHDYHHQRXJKWLPHIRUWKHFDPS·VFRPPDQGHUVWRGHVWUR\WKHHYLGHQFH WKXVWXUQLQJ0DMGDQHNLQWRWKH´EHVWSUHVHUYHGµFRQFHQWUDWLRQFDPSZKLFK presented the liberators with a detailed picture of the Nazi death machine.1 =LQRYLL 6KHQGHURYLFK 7RONDWFKHY ² D 6RYLHW DUWLVW RI -HZLVK RULJLQVHUYLQJLQWKH5HG$UP\FDPHZLWKKLVXQLWWR6RNRORZDWRZQOHWQH[W to Majdanek.2 Acting under the orders of the Political Department of the 1 :LœQLHZVND$QQD5DMFD&]HVâDZ0DMGDQHNWKH&RQFHQWUDWLRQ&DPSRI /XEOLQ7UDQVODW- ed from the Polish by Anna Zagórska. Lublin 1999. 2 =LQRYLL6KHQGHURYLFK7RONDWFKHY ² ZDVERUQLQD-HZLVKDJULFXOWXUDOVHWWOHPHQW 6KFKHGULQ%HODUXV+HUHFHLYHGWKHDUWLVWLFWUDLQLQJLQ.LHYDWD-HZLVKDUWLVDQ·VVFKRRODQG DW9N+87(0$6 7KH+LJKHU6WDWH$UWLVWLFDQG7HFKQLFDO:RUNVKRSV LQ0RVFRZ$VD PHPEHURI WKH<RXQJ&RPPXQLVW/HDJXH7RONDWFKHYVWXGLHGDWWKH&RPPXQLVW,QVWLWXWH LQ.KDUNRYDQGVHUYHGLQWKH5HG$UP\+HODWHUWDXJKWDWWKH,QVWLWXWHRI )LQH$UWVLQ.LHY 'XULQJWKH::,,7RONDWFKHYVHUYHGDVDQRIÀFLDODUWLVWRI WKH5HG$UP\DQGMRLQHG6RYLHW IRUFHVLQOLEHUDWLQJ0DMGDQHNDQG$XVFKZLW]+HFDSWXUHGWKLVVKDWWHULQJH[SHULHQFHLQQXP- EHURI DUWZRUNV+RZHYHUDIWHUWKH:DUWKH6RYLHWDXWKRULWLHVGHQRXQFHGKLPDQGKLVDUW ZDVGHFODUHGGHIHFWLYH2QO\LQWKHODVWGHFDGHRI KLVOLIHKHZDVDJDLQUHFRJQL]HGDQGKLVDUW H[KLELWHGDQGSXEOLVKHG ZINOVII TOLKATCHEV’S JESUS IN MAJDANEK 61 )LUVW 8NUDLQLDQ )URQW VWDWLRQHG DW /XEOLQ KH SURGXFHG RYHU WKH QH[W WKLU- W\ÀYHGD\VDERXWWKLUW\ZRUNVRI DUWGHSLFWLQJWKHKRUURUVKHVDZDQGOHDUQHG about in the camp.37KHVHZRUNVZHUHWKHÀUVWDFFRXQWE\DQDUWLVWRI 1D]L DWURFLWLHVDQG7RONDWFKHYXVLQJKLVSUHYLRXVH[SHULHQFHZLWKLPDJHVGHSLFWLQJ the Russian civil war (1921) and the German occupation (1941), created highly individualized, emotionally charged art works that immediately became identi- ÀHGDVYLVXDOV\PEROVDVVRFLDWHGZLWKWKH+RORFDXVW8SRQVKRZLQJWKHPWR DPHPEHURI WKH3ROLVK6RYLHW1D]L&ULPHV,QYHVWLJDWLRQ&RPPLVVLRQ7RO- katchev was urged to complete the series prior to the opening of the trial of 0DMGDQHN·VFDSWXUHGSHUSHWUDWRUVZKLFKZDVSODQQHGWREHKHOGLQ/XEOLQLQ WKHDXWXPQRI :KLOHWU\LQJWRIROORZWKHLQIRUPDWLRQSURYLGHGE\WKH FDPS·VVXUYLYRUV DW WKH WLPH RI LWV OLEHUDWLRQ LQ WKH 0DMGDQHN VHULHV 7RON- atchev showed scenes from the time it was still active, thus creating powerful DUWLVWLFLQWHUSUHWDWLRQVRI KXPDQVXIIHULQJ7KHDUWLVW·VUHPLQLVFHQFHVRI WKHVH ÀUVWHQFRXQWHUVDSSHDUHGLQSULQWPDQ\\HDUVODWHULQ ´,VWRRGDORQJWLPHQH[WWRWKHFUHPDWRULXPWKDWWXUQHG5XVVLDQVDQG-HZV3ROHV DQG8NUDLQLDQV*UHHNVDQG)UHQFKLQWRDVKHV²SHRSOHRI GLIIHUHQWQDWLRQDOLWLHV different ages, and different religions that had been brought here from all over RFFXSLHG(XURSHµ4 $OWKRXJK VXFK DQ XQLYHUVDOLVWLF DSSURDFK UHÁHFWV 6RYLHW SROLF\ 7RONDWFKHY must have been aware at the time he was working on his series that more WKDQSHUFHQWRI 0DMGDQHN·VYLFWLPVZHUH-HZV7ZRRI WKHZRUNVKHFUH- DWHGZKLOHVWDWLRQHGLQ6RNRORZFOHDUO\H[SUHVVKLVLGHQWLÀFDWLRQZLWKWKHP DQGDFNQRZOHGJPHQWRI WKHLUVXIIHULQJ2QHRI WKRVHZDVDKLJKO\V\PEROLF SDLQWLQJ ´7DOHVNRWHQµ ÀJ ZKLFK LV WKH <LGGLVK SURQXQFLDWLRQ RI D JDU- ment – tallit katan²WKDWPDOHUHOLJLRXV-HZVDUHREOLJHGWRZHDUXQGHUWKHLU FORWKLQJ,WLVVKRZQKHUHDVÁXWWHULQJLQWKHZLQGOLNHDORQHO\ÁDJFDXJKWRQ WKHFDPS·VEDUEHGZLUH%\GHSLFWLQJWKLVFOHDUO\UHOLJLRXVDUWLIDFWXVXDOO\ZRUQ RQDSHUVRQ·VERG\²ZKLFKLVPLVVLQJKHUH²7RONDWFKHYSRZHUIXOO\SUHVHQWHG WKHORVVDQGWUDJHG\WKDWKDGEHIDOOHQWKH-HZV5 3 Private Tolkatchev at the Gates of Hell. Majdanek and Auschwitz Liberated. Testimony of DQ$UWLVW>H[KLELWLRQFDWDORJXH@(GE\<HKXGLW6KHQGDU-HUXVDOHPSS² 4 4XRWHGLQ0XUDYLQ*'YRHL]PQRJ\NKW\V\DFK0RVFRZS 5 7KHRWKHUZRUN´1RYHPEHUµVKRZVWZRRUSKDQHGFKLOGUHQOHIWDPRQJERGLHVRI NLOOHGYLFWLPV7KHWLWOHRI WKLVZRUNUHIHUVWRWKHÀUVWGD\RI WKH*HUPDQRSHUDWLRQNQRZQ DVWKH´+DUYHVW)HVWLYDOµZKLFKPDUNHGWKHHQGRI 2SHUDWLRQ5HLQKDUGDQGZKLFKZDV 62 MIRJAM RAJNER )LJ=LQRYLL7RONDWFKHYÅ7DOHVNRWHQ´JRXDFKHFKDUFRDODQGFUD\RQRQSDSHU [FPFROOHFWLRQRIWKH<DG9DVKHP0XVHXP-HUXVDOHP*LIWRI6LJPXQG$5RODW New York, in memory of his parents Henryk and Mania, who perished in the Holocaust, LPDJHQR 7KH 0DMGDQHN VHULHV ZDV FRPSOHWHG DQG H[KLELWHG DW WKH /XEOLQ $UW 0XVHXP MXVW EHIRUH WKH RSHQLQJ RI WKH WULDO RI 0DMGDQHN·V FRPPDQGHUV ZKLFKEHJDQRQ1RYHPEHU7KHH[KLELWLRQUHYHUEHUDWHGWKURXJKRXW 3RODQGZDVH[WHQVLYHO\UHYLHZHGLQWKHSUHVVDQGGXULQJWKHIROORZLQJ\HDU LQWHQGHGWRHOLPLQDWHWKHODVW-HZVLQDQXPEHURI FDPSVLQFOXGLQJ0DMGDQHN%HWZHHQ DQG-HZVZHUHNLOOHGWKHUHLQDVLQJOHGD\6HH.UDQ]7RPDV]'DV.RQ]HQWUD- WLRQVODJHU0DMGDQHNXQGGLH´$NWLRQ5HLQKDUGWµ,Q´$NWLRQ5HLQKDUGWµ'HU9|ONHUPRUG DQGHQ-XGHQLP*HQHUDOJRXYHUQHPHQW²(GE\%RJGDQ0XVLDâ2VQDEUFN SS²)RUDQDQDO\VLVRI 7RONDWFKHY·V+RORFDXVWDUWHVSHFLDOO\WKHDOEXPV´7KH6KHWO Auschwitz”, DQG´7KH)ORZHUVRI $XVFKZLW]µVHHP\IRUWKFRPLQJDUWLFOH)URP´7KH6KHWOµ ² WR´7KH)ORZHUVRI $XVFKZLW]µ ² DQG%DFN7KH&UHDWLRQ5HFHSWLRQ DQG'HVWLQ\RI =LQRYLL7RONDWFKHY·V$UW,Q,PDJHVRI 5XSWXUHEHWZHHQWKH(DVWDQGWKH :HVW7KH,FRQRJUDSK\RI $XVFKZLW]DQG+LURVKLPDLQWKH$UWVDQG/LWHUDWXUHRI (DVWHUQ (XURSH (GE\8UV+HIWULFK5REHUW-DFREVHWDO&RORJQH ZINOVII TOLKATCHEV’S JESUS IN MAJDANEK 63 was shown in a number of Polish towns and cities. Hundreds of thousands VDZLW,Q)HEUXDU\WKHÀUVWWKRXJKWIXOO\GHVLJQHG´0DMGDQHNµDOEXP ZDVSXEOLVKHGLQ:DUVDZLQDQHGLWLRQRI FRSLHV7KHLQWURGXFWRU\WH[WV ZHUHZULWWHQLQ3ROLVK5XVVLDQ(QJOLVKDQG)UHQFKDQGWKH3ROLVK*RYHUQ- ment sent these albums to the heads of the Allied states, government minis- WHUVDQGPLOLWDU\RIÀFHUV6 +RZHYHU WKH 0DMGDQHN H[SHULHQFH ZDV RQO\ DQ LQWURGXFWLRQ WR ZKDW ZRXOGKDSSHQRQ-DQXDU\ZKHQ7RONDWFKHYQRZDFFRPSDQ\LQJWKH 3ROLVK6RYLHW 1D]L &ULPHV ,QYHVWLJDWLRQ &RPPLVVLRQ DUULYHG DW $XVFKZLW] only hours after the liberation of the camp by the Red Army.7 Although the Nazis had emptied the camp of its prisoners and destroyed far more of the GHDWKPDFKLQHWKDQWKH\KDGDW0DMGDQHNWKHFDPS·VVL]HDQGVLWHVZHUHPXFK more devastating. Along with the bodies of the dead, there were more than 7,000 living prisoners, most of them sick and in a state of collapse.8 Arriving without art supplies and lacking the seclusion of Sokolow, Tolkatchev began WRGRFXPHQWRQWKHVSRWZKDWKHVDZDQGKHDUG,QWKHFDPS·VIRUPHUKHDG- TXDUWHUVKHIRXQGDVXSSO\RI SDSHU²RIÀFLDOVWDWLRQHU\ZLWKSULQWHGOHWWHU- heads – and used them for his pencil-drawn testimonies. It is in the same year, following his encounter with the atrocities of Aus- FKZLW]WKDWKHFUHDWHGDKLJKO\PRYLQJVHULHVHQWLWOHG´-HVXVLQ0DMGDQHNµ ZKLFKDVLQWKHFDVHRI KLV´7DOHVNRWHQµXVHVUHOLJLRXVLPDJHU\WRUHVSRQG WRWKHKXPDQFDWDVWURSKHKHZLWQHVVHG&RPSULVHGRI ÀYHZRUNVWKHVHULHV VKRZV-HVXVDVDFDPSLQPDWHVXIIHULQJWKURXJKDOOWKHVWDJHVRI KXPLOLDWLRQ stigmatization, hard work, and death, which are depicted in such a manner WKDWWKH\UHFDOOWKHVWDJHVRI &KULVW·V3DVVLRQ9 In one of the scenes, offering DVWULNLQJYHUVLRQRI DWUDGLWLRQDO¶(FFH+RPR·LPDJH-HVXVZHDULQJDSULV-