Fireflies in the Dark: The Story of Friedl Dicker-Brandeis and the Children of Terezin Hardcover – March 1, 2000

Excellent and poignant record of an art teacher (sent off to a concentration camp) who teaches the children to express themselves through imagery.Before leaving, she filled her suitcases with art supplies, rather than clothes. Beautiful and imaginative pictures by the children she helped, most of whom perished along with their teacher before 1945.

What makes this book wonderful and great is that it consists of the story of young children, many of whom perished in a Nazi concentration camp, yet while they lived there they produced beautiful art, pictures they drew and colored to reveal their life in that place. The tragedy of these children, and their art teacher, Friedl who showed them how to make beauty and truth in a place of despair, is heart breaking and inspiring. It persuades us that the human spirit can be so powerful that it can shine brightly even in the darkest of places.

This is the story you never hear about. Friedl Dicker-Brandeis could arguably be called a founder of art therapy. She fundamentally understood art as a necessity for mental health and emotional outlet. Read this book. Think about how it would have been had she not brought along her art supplies to use and share and teach. In this way, I believe that she saved the children's lives.

Amazing photography and touching story

I first heard about Friedl Dicker-Brandeis at a 2007 exhibition in Vienna titled "Austrian Art Between the Wars" - where she was honored for her remarkable ability to run art classes for children in the concentration camp at Theresienstadt (Terezin). "Fireflies" offers a glimpse of Friedl's ability to bring joy and light into the unbelievable horror of children's lives during the Holocaust.

This would be so much sweeter if it weren't for the circumstances. It is so sad.

Even though the story itself was impressive, the writing style was bland. I had expected to feel more emotion reading about the art produced by the children in this prison camp but my reaction was surprisingly dry. It is a pity that the writer did not do justice to this important topic.

Beautiful book!

Well presented account of the work of Friedl Dicker- Brandeis before her tragic death in a concentration camp. Moved me to tears.

Humbling and a privilege to have.

1987年ポーランドのトレブリンカ絶滅収容所での神式による慰霊祭に参列して以来、1999年にはチェコのテレジーンと関わる団体に所属することになり、4度に亘る訪問をしました。2012年からは、団体所属者のために、生存者の歴史的研究資料(英文)および収容所内での音楽活動の記録(英文)の翻訳に携わってきました。今回、この書物によって収容所内で絵画を通しての教育活動があったことを知り感動を新たにしています。