Israel admits Ukraine’s ownership of Bruno Schultz frescos, promising to return them only in 20 years

March04200813:33

Ukraine and Israel have finally settled the conflict over the murals painted by Drohobych-born Bruno Schultz. A protocol, transferring the frescos for temporary use by the Yad-Vashem museum in Israel, was signed during the visit of a Ukrainian delegation headed by Vice Premier Ivan Vasiunyk, the Deutsche Welle radio station reported March 3.

Ivan Vasiunyk began his visit to Israel by discussing economic cooperation. Specifically, he raised the issue of a free trade area with Israel in preparations for the Euro-2012 soccer tournament in Ukraine

Humanitarian issue were high on the vice premier’s agenda. In Jerusalem, Vasiunyk signed an agreement giving Israel a 20-year lease of Bruno Schultz murals.

Both sides have also agreed to launch cooperation among historians within Pres Yushchenko’s initiative “Dialog of Truth for the Sake of the Future.” In addition, the Ukrainian delegation held talks with the Diaspora Museum in Tel Aviv. Ukraine’s Institute of National memory is keen to maintain closer links with this highly reputable institution.

Oleksandr Deko, head of the Union of Ukrainian Writers of Israel, who was present at the meeting with Ivan Vasiunyk, said:”Exhibits of some Israeli museums dedicated to Ukraine are so outdated that it can hardly bolster up friendship between out countries.”

Ukraine is slated to open several large exhibitions in Israel, O. Deko confirmed.

Comment by ZIK

Bruno Schultz frescos were found by accident in 2001 in a private apartment taken by the Kaliuzhnys family. Same year, Yad-Vashem museum employees smuggled some murals out of Ukraine to Israel. When the incident went public, the Israelis said the murals had been presented to them by the Kaliuzhnys family.

Born in Drohobych on July 12, 1892, Bruno Schultz was a Polish artist and writer of Jewish origin. He studied art in Vienna and published his first book in 1934. He was killed by the Nazis in 1942 during a pogrom in Drohobych.
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