Sofie Schneider
7 August 1891 | Sidra, Poland – 1942/43 | Riga
Painter & graphic artist
Sofie Schneider was born the sixth child of Hillel Schneider and Chana Schneider, née Adelski. Sofie grew up with nine sisters and one brother. In 1898, the family emigrated to Leipzig, where her father took up a post as cantor at the Brody Synagogue in Leipzig – now the synagogue of the Israelite Religious Community on Keilstrasse. Her mother worked as a wig-maker. Following her mother’s early death (1864–1911), her father remarried.
In 1909, Sofie Schneider began her artistic training at the Academy of Graphic Arts and Book Trade in Leipzig. In March 1914 – before the outbreak of the First World War – Sofie travelled to Jerusalem, where she was enrolled as a student at the Betzalel Academy until August 1916. This academy was opened in Jerusalem in 1906 as a state school of art and design. It taught a full range of arts and crafts, from woodcarving to painting. Due to her lack of knowledge of Hebrew, Sofie was unable to take all the courses on offer, as some were taught exclusively in Hebrew.
After the First World War, Sofie was able to resume her studies in Leipzig as normal. After graduating, she worked as a freelance painter and graphic artist – a career path that was still unusual for women at that time. Only a few of her works have survived; many are considered lost.
In July 1937, Sofie moved to 37 Eisenbahnstrasse. As early as 1933, the Jewish population had been systematically discriminated against, dispossessed and excluded from public life by the Nazis; career opportunities dried up … Sofie Schneider was conscripted into forced labour. In April 1939, a law was enacted abolishing tenancy protection for Jewish people, resulting in numerous evictions. The Nazis established so-called ‘Judenhäuser’ (Jewish houses), into which Jewish people were forced to move, including Sofie. In 1942, Sofie was deported and taken to the Riga ghetto. Nothing is known about the exact circumstances of her death.
In 2013, Frauenkultur e.V. Leipzig laid a Stolperstein in memory of Sofie Schneider. Following this, her family, scattered across the globe, contacted Frauenkultur Leipzig – leading to an intensive exchange… which gave rise to this website – “https://www.verzweigungen.com/”.
NOTE: Due to the exhibition format, the biographical details mentioned above had to be abridged. Visitors to the exhibition can read a more detailed version of her biography in the exhibition folders provided. For many further biographical insights into Sofie Schneider – see this website… under “-> Sofie Schneider”:/en/sofie-schneider/
The entire, very extensive project includes further biographies, additional content and research … is in progress – also online…