Dr Karel Fleischmann: The story of an artist and physician in Ghetto Terezin

Dr Karel Fleischmann (1897–1944) was a Jewish dermatologist and noted Czech artist. During World War II, Fleischmann was confined by the Nazis in Ghetto Terezin (Theresienstadt), which was located in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. While at Terezin, Fleischmann became a leader of the ghetto's health care system and administered programs that helped to dramatically reduce the high mortality rate of the Jewish population from disease. In his spare time, Fleischmann drew works of art that portrayed the daily life and suffering of the Jews in Ghetto Terezin. Although Fleischmann perished in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, his artwork survived the war. This article pays tribute to Dr Karel Fleischmann by telling the story of his life and by citing selections from his art, poetry and prose.