Public lifeארנה שטיין-בלומנטל

Erna Stein-Blumenthal

Erna Stein-Blumenthal was a German-Israeli art curator who directed the Jewish Museum in Berlin from 1933 to 1935 and later worked as an art critic in Israel.

1903 to 1983Directing the Jewish Museum in BerlinSupport for Jewish artists in Nazi GermanyArt criticism in the Israeli press

Born: 23 November 1903, Emden
Died: 5 June 1983, Hefer Valley Regional Council
Occupation: curator

Erna Stein-Blumenthal was born in 1903 in Emden

Erna Stein was born in November 1903 in Emden, Germany.

She studied art history at the University of Breslau in Silesia. She earned a doctorate with a dissertation on baroque columns.

She worked as an assistant to Karl Schwarz, director of the Jewish Museum in Berlin. When he moved to the Land of Israel in 1933, after the Nazis came to power, she took over as director. Under her, the museum presented itself as a way to show Jewish history and gave more support to Jewish artists who could no longer exhibit in German galleries and museums.

She held the post until 1935 and then moved to the Land of Israel. In 1936 she joined Kfar Yedidia, a village meant for immigrants from Germany, and lived there for the rest of her life. In Israel she wrote art criticism for the press.

She had 2 children, Reuven and Lilit. She died on June 5, 1983, and was buried in the cemetery shared by Kfar Haim, Kfar Yedidia and Hadar Am.