Between 1933 and 1945, whether for religious, political or artistic reasons, over 300 painters, sculptors and graphic artists fled into exile or immigrated to Great Britain from Nazi Germany. This followed the appointment of Adolf Hitler as German Chancellor in January 1933, the introduction of anti-Semitic legislation and the foundation of the Reichskulturkammer (the Reich Chamber of Culture) to which all professional artists and designers had to belong and which effectively banned all Jews, Communists, Social Democrats and ‘avant-garde’ artists from working in Germany.


This exhibition brings together paintings, drawings and graphics by a number of primarily German-Jewish artists who made such ‘forced journeys’ during this era.

Artists featured in this Curation: Max Liebermann (1847–1935), Ludwig Meidner (1884–1966), Martin Bloch (1883–1954), Heinz Koppel (1919–1980), Erich Kahn (1904–1979), Harry Weinberger (1924–2009), Adèle Reifenberg (1893–1986), Else Meidner (1901–1987), Julius Rosenbaum (1879–1956), Pamina Liebert-Mahrenholz (1904–2004), and 17 more
28 artworks
Storyline Album Showcase
Self Portrait
Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Self Portrait 1927

Max Liebermann (1847–1935)

Oil on board

H 48 x W 38 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Portrait of a Girl
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Portrait of a Girl 1921

Ludwig Meidner (1884–1966)

Charcoal on paper

H 68 x W 50.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

House in Normandy (or Varengeville)
© Martin Bloch Trust. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

House in Normandy (or Varengeville) 1939

Martin Bloch (1883–1954)

Oil on canvas

H 63.5 x W 79.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Sennen
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Sennen 1960

Heinz Koppel (1919–1980)

Oil on canvas

H 61 x W 91 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Composition
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Composition

Erich Kahn (1904–1979)

Oil on canvas

H 126.5 x W 101.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

In Winter, Manchester
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

In Winter, Manchester

Harry Weinberger (1924–2009)

Oil on canvas

H 60 x W 90 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Portrait of the Artist's Sister-in-Law, Elise Reifenberg (Gabriele Tergit)
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Portrait of the Artist's Sister-in-Law, Elise Reifenberg (Gabriele Tergit) c.1928

Adèle Reifenberg (1893–1986)

Oil on canvas

H 46 x W 36 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Woman with Hat
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Woman with Hat

Else Meidner (1901–1987)

Oil on canvas

H 82 x W 67 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Charlotte
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Charlotte 1945

Julius Rosenbaum (1879–1956)

Oil on canvas

H 80 x W 52 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Two Female Nudes
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Two Female Nudes

Pamina Liebert-Mahrenholz (1904–2004)

Oil on board

H 60.5 x W 60.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

The Dance
© The Estate of Hans Feibusch / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

The Dance c.1950

Hans Feibusch (1898–1998)

Gouache on paper

H 48.5 x W 75 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Dr Barnett Stross (1899–1967), MP
© estate of Margarete Marks. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Dr Barnett Stross (1899–1967), MP 1936

Margarete Marks (1899–1990)

Lithograph on paper

H 42.5 x W 31 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Michael
© the artist. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Michael 1990

Frank Helmuth Auerbach (b.1931)

Etching on paper

H 20 x W 16.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Flight III
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Flight III 1983

Willy Tirr (1915–1991)

Watercolour on paper

H 75.8 x W 55.7 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Federn
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Federn c.1926

Dorte Bürgner (Dodo) (1907–1998)

Watercolour on paper

H 46.5 x W 32 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Hands at Your Service – Ticket Collector
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Hands at Your Service – Ticket Collector 1946

Hans Schleger ('Zero') (1898–1976)

Colour lithograph on paper

H 63.5 x W 63.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Walking About
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Walking About 1985

Peter Baer (1924–1996)

Lithograph on paper

H 72.5 x W 57 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Girl in Red
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Girl in Red 1990

Klaus Meyer (1918–2002)

Colour woodcut on paper

H 45 x W 36.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Girl behind Barbed Wire
Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Girl behind Barbed Wire

Alfred Lomnitz (1892–1953)

Watercolour on paper

H 36.5 x W 27 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Boy with a Basket
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Boy with a Basket 1904

Julius Rosenbaum (1879–1956)

Drypoint & etching on paper

H 16.5 x W 11.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Donkey
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Donkey 1965

Rudi Lehmann (1903–1977)

Woodcut on paper

H 15.5 x W 10 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Miriam
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Miriam 1963

Jack Bilbo (1907–1967)

Gouache on paper

H 46.6 x W 35 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Frau Trautl Schranz
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Frau Trautl Schranz 1951

Hilde Goldschmidt (1897–1980)

Pastel on paper

H 50 x W 37.4 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Still Life
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Still Life 1945

Lotti Reizenstein (1904–1982)

Watercolour on paper

H 49.5 x W 66 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Lenin (1870–1924)
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Lenin (1870–1924) 1943

Hermann Fechenbach (1897–1986)

Woodcut on paper

H 21.6 x W 16 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Hampstead Heath
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Hampstead Heath

Henry Sanders (1918–1982)

Oil on board

H 48 x W 59 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Piccadilly Circus
© The Estate of Josef Oppenheimer. All rights reserved. DACS 2024. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Piccadilly Circus c.1950s

Joseph Oppenheimer (1876–1966)

Pencil, chalk & watercolour on paper

H 37.8 x W 49.3 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Berlin: Crisis? What Crisis? 1960–1966

Victor Weisz (1913–1966)

Pen, ink & wash on paper

H 21 x W 24 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Explore artists in this Curation

View all 27
  • Black Snow
    Harry Weinberger (1924–2009)
  • JYM1
    Frank Helmuth Auerbach (b.1931)
  • Miriam
    Jack Bilbo (1907–1967)
  • Bullfight, Barcelona
    Heinz Koppel (1919–1980)
  • Self Portrait
    Pamina Liebert-Mahrenholz (1904–2004)
  • Charlotte
    Julius Rosenbaum (1879–1956)
  • Victor Weisz (1913–1966)
  • Taormina, Sicily
    Hans Feibusch (1898–1998)
  • Kurfürstendamm, Berlin, Germany
    Martin Bloch (1883–1954)
  • Apocalyptic Vision
    Ludwig Meidner (1884–1966)
  • View all 27
View all