The Jewish Museum Vienna offers diverse programs for kids and families. For further information, please see our event calendar.
The Jewish Museum Vienna for at home
Celina tells it like it is
Can dolls actually travel? Yes, of course. They accompany their owners on vacation or on a weekend trip. Can museum dolls also travel? No. They have to remain in the museum and in the showcases. It would be an unpleasant surprise if the museum dolls embarked on a journey at the beginning of the holidays...
Yet it happens nonetheless. The “Puppe mit Sterntichl” (“The Doll with the Forehead Kerchief”) took a trip from Vienna to Vorarlberg. It traveled with several other objects from the Jewish Museum Vienna via Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Feldkirch to Hohenems to be shown at an exhibition there. Because Celina really likes this “Sterntichl” doll, she was very irritated at first. Where was the doll? And who was Celina supposed to have a chat with at night in the museum?
This problem was easily solved, since Celina, after all, knows how to use the computer and the museum inventory. Searching for dolls, she found a photo of Ilse Neufeld. A young girl with a doll in her arms. Celina couldn’t find out much about Ilse. The photo is part of a gift given to the Jewish Museum Vienna by a friend of Ilse’s. This friend writes that Ilse, who was from Germany, wanted to study art BY ALL MEANS, so she moved to Vienna and then married Morris Rubin, who was also an artist. The two were Jewish; they fled to Switzerland in 1938 and then to England.
This problem was easily solved, since Celina, after all, knows how to use the computer and the museum inventory. Searching for dolls, she found a photo of Ilse Neufeld. A young girl with a doll in her arms. Celina couldn’t find out much about Ilse. The photo is part of a gift given to the Jewish Museum Vienna by a friend of Ilse’s. This friend writes that Ilse, who was from Germany, wanted to study art BY ALL MEANS, so she moved to Vienna and then married Morris Rubin, who was also an artist. The two were Jewish; they fled to Switzerland in 1938 and then to England.
© Jewish Museum Vienna
© Jewish Museum Vienna
© Jewish Museum Vienna
© Jewish Museum Vienna
Albert Rothschild had two interesting hobbies: ice skating and photography. He and his wife Bettina had seven children. Sadly, Bettina died of breast cancer when she was only 34 years old. Unfortunately, we don’t know who the girl with the doll is. Maybe a daughter of Albert? Perhaps Valentine? She also liked to be photographed and went hunting as well. Albert did that, too, but he didn’t kill any animals, he just took photos – quite simply photo shooting!
This girl, we don’t know her name, has flowers in one arm and a doll in the other. Is that her own doll? The photo was taken in 1947, maybe somewhere outside of Linz or near Ebensee. This picture is one of a series of photos showing people who survived one of the horrific concentration camps and were then provided for and looked after in the DP camps. Who knows what the girl and the doll have experienced? A DP camp is a camp for displaced persons, people who have lost everything and no longer have their own place or home.
© Jewish Museum Vienna
The Doll with the Forehead Kerchief from the Jewish Museum Vienna wears a special head covering, like that worn by Jewish women in Eastern Europe on special occasions – for weddings or important holidays. It is interesting that this doll comes from Vienna’s old Jewish museum. People were interested in Jewish things from other cities and countries. Quite logical, right?
© Jewish Museum Vienna
The exhibition at the Jewish Museum Hohenems, where Celina’s girlfriend is currently located, also makes thoughts about what Jewish museums should exhibit in the future. We will probably only know that as time goes on.
Perhaps these dolls might have seemed very futuristic to the famous Dr. Sigmund Freund? Or maybe not.
Perhaps these dolls might have seemed very futuristic to the famous Dr. Sigmund Freund? Or maybe not.
(Hi)story with Celina
Travel with Celina around the world
If you can’t or don’t want to travel far, you can accompany Celina on her world tours in the Jewish Museum Vienna. She walks through the floors and travels from Vienna around the globe. Once you can come to visit us at the museum again, then look for her usual spot in the museum and take a photo of her. Because Celina loves photos. And so do we.
You can send us your stories and photos of your creations either per post or via E-Mail.
Jewish Museum Vienna
c/o Vermittlung
Dorotheergasse 11
1010 Vienna
Austria
Jewish Museum Vienna
c/o Vermittlung
Dorotheergasse 11
1010 Vienna
Austria
© JMW
