Efrem Ostrowsky family papers

Efrem Ostrowsky (1919-2009) was the son of artist Samuel and Anna (née Israelson) Ostrowsky. He was a trained artist in sculpture. During World War II, he was a specialist in deactivating landmines with the 103rd Infantry Division. His unit helped in the liberation of France, and was among the first U.S. troops to enter the Dachau concentration camp. After the war he continued his studies in art in France at the Ecole Nationale de Beaux Arts and the Sorbone. Efrem later worked in industrial design. He married Thelma Horner and had three daughters: Lenore, Saula, and Julie. Samuel Ostrowsky (1885-1946), was born near Kiev and studied art from an early age. He immigrated to the United States in 1903 and settled in Chicago. He married Anna Israelson in 1912, and continued to take frequent trips to Paris to study and exhibit. He also began to design theatre sets. He had a studio in Paris and was there when World War II began. Samuel had difficulties leaving France, but was eventually able to secure passage back to the United States due to assistance from his friend Leon Blum (who was later arrested and survived internment in Dachau). The collection primarily consists of wartime photographs taken by Efrem Ostrowsky and others as well as liberation photographs taken at the Dachau concentration camp by Ostrowsky. The photographs depict Allied troops in Austria, France, and Germany, captured German soldiers, liberated concentration camp survivors, cannons, tanks, and aircraft. The captured German soldiers include Major Wilhelm Oxenius, Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, and Colonel-General Alfred Jodl. Documents primarily relate to Efrem’s father Samuel Ostrowsky’s art career, including clippings, a program from a Spertus Museum exhibition on his work, publications, photocopies of correspondence, and a list of Jewish artists. Also included are two broken glass negatives.