Leo Haas

Leo Haas (April 15, 1901 – August 13, 1983) was a German-Czech artist, graphic designer, and caricaturist. Born in Opava (Troppau), then part of Austria-Hungary, Haas is best known for his artistic work created during his imprisonment in Nazi concentration camps, particularly Theresienstadt (Terezín) and Auschwitz.

Haas, of Jewish descent, studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin. He was a politically engaged artist, creating satirical drawings and posters critical of Nazism and fascism prior to World War II. As a result of his political activities and Jewish heritage, he was arrested by the Gestapo in 1938 and subsequently imprisoned.

He was deported to Theresienstadt in 1942, where he was involved in various artistic activities, including creating propaganda for the Nazis while secretly documenting the grim realities of the camp. He was later transferred to Auschwitz in 1944 and then to the Mauthausen concentration camp.

After the war, Haas returned to Czechoslovakia. He became a prominent artist and graphic designer. He dedicated much of his post-war work to documenting and commemorating the Holocaust, often using his experiences in the concentration camps as inspiration. He also testified in war crimes trials. His artwork serves as a powerful testament to the horrors of the Holocaust and a reminder of the importance of resisting oppression. His work is held in numerous museum collections and archives.