Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1943-1995 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1 box
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Peter Kien was born in January 1919 in Warnsdorf, Czechoslovakia, the son of a textile manufacturer, whose business collapsed during the economic crisis of 1929. He began painting whilst a student at the German Realschule in Brünn and continued his schooling in art at the Prague Academy where he studied under Willi Nowak. The situation in Czechoslovakia got steadily worse particularly for Jews after the annexation of Austria in March 1938. During this time he met Ilse Stransky. They married in September 1940. In December 1941 he was deported to Theresienstadt.
In Theresienstadt he met many more artists and writers whilst working in the graphics department. He became increasingly active as a portrait artist and sketcher of fellow inmates. Above all he immersed himself in the theatrical and musical life of the camp.
In July 1942 he was joined by his wife and in January 1943 by his parents. He wrote poetry and several plays and his libretto for the opera Der Kaiser von Atlantis oder der Tod dankt ab which had its premiere in Amsterdam in 1975.
He was sent to Aushwitz on the last transport in October 1944 along with his wife and parents where he was murdered.
Repository
Archival history
The collection was begun in the mid 1980s on the initiative of Käthe Fischel, a cousin of Peter Kien, and consists of a number of separate deposits from different sources all of which apparently came via Käthe Fischel.
GB 1556 WL 1365 1943-1995 Collection level 1 box Fischel , Kaethe
Peter Kien was born in January 1919 in Warnsdorf, Czechoslovakia, the son of a textile manufacturer, whose business collapsed during the economic crisis of 1929. He began painting whilst a student at the German Realschule in Brünn and continued his schooling in art at the Prague Academy where he studied under Willi Nowak. The situation in Czechoslovakia got steadily worse particularly for Jews after the annexation of Austria in March 1938. During this time he met Ilse Stransky. They married in September 1940. In December 1941 he was deported to Theresienstadt.
In Theresienstadt he met many more artists and writers whilst working in the graphics department. He became increasingly active as a portrait artist and sketcher of fellow inmates. Above all he immersed himself in the theatrical and musical life of the camp.
In July 1942 he was joined by his wife and in January 1943 by his parents. He wrote poetry and several plays and his libretto for the opera Der Kaiser von Atlantis oder der Tod dankt ab which had its premiere in Amsterdam in 1975.
He was sent to Aushwitz on the last transport in October 1944 along with his wife and parents where he was murdered.
The collection was begun in the mid 1980s on the initiative of Käthe Fischel, a cousin of Peter Kien, and consists of a number of separate deposits from different sources all of which apparently came via Käthe Fischel.
Kaethe Fischel
Papers relating to Peter Kien, 1943-1995, including original and copies of manuscripts and transcriptions of Kien's writings, personal documentation and sketches; publicity material relating to the performance of the Der Kaiser von Atlantis oder der Tod dankt ab, for which Peter Kien wrote a libretto; articles about his life and work and transcript of Petra Kiener's radio programme 'Peter Kien nicht vergessen'.
1365/1 contains Peter Kien's original writings; 1365/2 contains Peter Kien's copy and transcript writings; 1365/3 contains copy personal documentation about Peter Kien and copies of sketches and writings arranged by source of deposit; 1365/4 contains publicity material relating to the opera, Der Kaiser von Atlantis oder der Tod dankt ab, 1365/5 contains biographical information about Peter Kien; and 1365/6 contains the transcript of Petra Kiener's radio programme Peter Kien nicht vergessen.
Open
Copies can be made for personal use. Permission must be sought for publication.
German
Description exists to this archive on the Wiener Library's online catalogue www.wienerlibrary.co.uk.
Entry compiled by Howard Falksohn.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
February 2008 Wars (events) Artists Concentration camps Czechoslovakia Drawings Eastern Europe Genocide Holocaust Humanitarian law Jews Kien , Peter , 1919-1944 , artist Nazism Opera Political doctrines Religious groups Theatre Theresienstadt concentration camp x Terezin Third Reich Totalitarianism Visual materials War crimes World wars (events) World War Two (1939-1945) Europe Performing arts Illustrations
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Kaethe Fischel
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers relating to Peter Kien, 1943-1995, including original and copies of manuscripts and transcriptions of Kien's writings, personal documentation and sketches; publicity material relating to the performance of the Der Kaiser von Atlantis oder der Tod dankt ab, for which Peter Kien wrote a libretto; articles about his life and work and transcript of Petra Kiener's radio programme 'Peter Kien nicht vergessen'.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
1365/1 contains Peter Kien's original writings; 1365/2 contains Peter Kien's copy and transcript writings; 1365/3 contains copy personal documentation about Peter Kien and copies of sketches and writings arranged by source of deposit; 1365/4 contains publicity material relating to the opera, Der Kaiser von Atlantis oder der Tod dankt ab, 1365/5 contains biographical information about Peter Kien; and 1365/6 contains the transcript of Petra Kiener's radio programme Peter Kien nicht vergessen.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open
Conditions governing reproduction
Copies can be made for personal use. Permission must be sought for publication.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
German
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Description exists to this archive on the Wiener Library's online catalogue www.wienerlibrary.co.uk.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Artists
- Humanitarian law » War crimes » Concentration camps
- Visual materials » Drawings
- Humanitarian law » War crimes » Genocide
- Humanitarian law
- Religious groups » Jews
- Political doctrines » Totalitarianism » Nazism
- Theatre » Opera
- Political doctrines
- Religious groups
- Theatre
- Political doctrines » Totalitarianism
- Visual materials
- Humanitarian law » War crimes
- Performing arts
- Visual materials » Illustrations
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English