Haim Goldberg (Haggai) facts for kids

Haim Goldberg (Hebrew: חיים גולדברג; Yiddish: גאָלדבערג; 1888 or 1890 – 1943), also known by his artistic name Haggai (Hebrew: חַגַּי), was a very talented Jewish-Polish artist. He was a graphic designer, photographer, illustrator, and printer. He also wrote poems and stories in both Yiddish and Hebrew. Goldberg was born in Łuków, a town in Poland, and sadly passed away in the Białystok Ghetto during the Holocaust.

Haim Goldberg's Life Story

Haim Yisroel Goldberg was born in a small town called Łuków in Poland. His family followed Hasidic Judaism, a traditional Jewish religious group. He received a traditional Jewish education and studied in a yeshiva (a Jewish school). However, he showed a strong talent for art. So, he left the yeshiva and traveled to Germany to study art in workshops and schools.

In 1912, Haim returned to Poland and settled in Warsaw. There, he opened his own photography studio. Soon after, a publishing company hired him. His job was to create greeting cards and postcards. Goldberg made unique colored cards. He would first photograph scenes he set up in his studio, using amateur actors and costumes. Then, he would add painted and drawn elements. He also wrote short, rhyming greetings in Yiddish for the cards. This way, he created many popular postcard series, like "Shana Tova" (Happy New Year) cards.

Artistic Works and Innovations

During these years, Haim Goldberg also published funny collections and leaflets for Jewish holidays. He used his artistic name, "Haggai," for these works. Starting in the late 1910s, he began illustrating children's books in Yiddish and Hebrew. One famous series he illustrated was Shibolim ('Ears'), which included 70 illustrated booklets of adapted folktales. He also designed and printed books for the "Tarbut" Hebrew library for toddlers.

In the 1920s, Goldberg opened his own printing house and art studio in Warsaw called "Grafikon." Here, he worked with his wife, Esther. They designed Hebrew fonts and printing decorations. They also made plates for many publishing houses and newspapers.

Haim Goldberg loved making letters and improving Hebrew typography (the art of arranging type). He believed that the Hebrew fonts used in Poland made reading difficult. He wanted to create new, modern fonts that would make reading more enjoyable. In 1922, he wrote an article about the need to update Hebrew fonts. He spent a lot of time sketching new letter designs, which showed his great imagination.

Later Life and Legacy

In the 1930s, Haim Goldberg published poems and stories for children. These appeared in magazines like Olami hakatan ('My Little World'). Some of his poems and stories were also published in books. He often illustrated and printed these books himself, using his new font designs. Goldberg was also a founding member of the Association of Visual Artists of the Jews in Poland.

He wanted to publish Yiddish books in a European style, with original artwork by famous Jewish artists. In 1931, he published a book about the artist Moshe Appelbaum. This book included high-quality pictures of Appelbaum's art. In 1935, a publishing house in Paris released an album of 50 of Goldberg's paintings. These paintings focused on Jewish themes. Even though the themes were specific, his paintings were considered modern and realistic.

When Germany invaded Poland in September 1939, Haim Goldberg escaped to the city of Białystok. The Soviet Union then occupied Białystok. He continued to work in printing there. In 1941, the Germans occupied Białystok. Haim Goldberg was then forced into the Białystok Ghetto. In the ghetto, he was in charge of drawing official posters for the Jewish Council. These posters were elegant and displayed on the Council's building.

Haim Goldberg died in 1943 in the Białystok Ghetto. Some sources say he died in the Treblinka extermination camp. His wife, Esther, and their only son, Max, also died during the Holocaust. Max had followed in his parents' footsteps and studied graphic design and photography.

An album containing 32 of Goldberg's postcards was found among the ruins of the Warsaw Ghetto. These postcards were printed between 1912 and 1918. Today, these pictures are kept in the collection of the National Library of Poland.