Klaus Friedeberger: drawings from an Australian Internment

Interesting small exhibition at the British Museum of drawings and watercolours by Klaus Friedeberger made in an internment camp in the Second World War.

I knew that Britain had camps for “alien enemies” during the war but I hadn’t realised that some of them were shipped to camps in Australia. The ship Friedeberger sailed on included 2000 people like him, Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany. I was shocked and it reminded me of ideas of flying asylum seekers to Rwanda.

The pictures were charming and were donated to the museum by Friedeberger’s widow. The work included beautiful drawings in grey wash of life in camp and a poster for a show in the camp. I loved a watercolour of corrugated iron panels with plants which reminded me of a Nash surreal landscape.

Closes 21 May 2023


 

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