SUPER-CREATOR TEAM-UP: NEAL ADAMS, JOE KUBERT and STAN LEE FIGHT FOR RETURN OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR'S ART
By Bruce MacIntosh

Legendary comic artists Neal Adams and Joe Kubert, and renowned wordsmith Stan Lee, himself – are teaming on an important project that will involve Marvel, Dark Horse, and… a movie? The three have joined to tell a story 65 years in the making – about a Jewish woman forced to paint for the Nazis in order to save hers and her mother from the gas chambers of Auschwitz during WWII. That woman, Dina Gottliebova Babbitt – now 85 – has tried for the last 35 years to secure the return of seven of those portraits to preserve her legacy and the memories of the subjects who were sent to death, but the museum possessing them has steadfastly refused.

Sounds like a great plot for a graphic novel, doesn't it? Well, it is… but this story really happened! These three superstars of the comics universe have united with 450 other cartoonists, artists, writers, the U.S. Congress, and other media and activist organizations, to ensure that this tale – with its horrific beginnings, will finally have a happy ending.


Followers of Joe Kubert may recognize the similarities between this story and Kubert's Yossel: April 19, 1943, published in 2003. In that fictional graphic novel, Joe ("Yossel" in Yiddish) imagines his life had his family not emigrated from Poland prior to the Nazi pogroms of the 30s and 40s.

That, however, was where the fiction ended and the startling real-life story began for 19-year-old Dina Gottliebova, who – like thousands of Jews – was captured and awaited imminent death in the gas chambers of Auschwitz in 1944.

Dina Babbitt's Story
Like millions of Jews across Eastern Europe, Dina and her Mother were collected and crowded into primitive barracks until their number came up to be herded into the gas chambers and eliminated. An artist before her capture, she used her cartooning talents to paint a mural on the wall of the children's barracks of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The movie had been released in Europe several years earlier and was a familiar and calming influence the children in her camp.


Because of the mural, Dina's talents came to the attention of the infamous Dr. Josef Mengele. The inaptly-named "Angel of Death" was pure evil incarnate, whose abominable experiments on human patients (Romany and Jew) would be too much for even the most sinister comic criminal.

Among his other monstrous pursuits, Mengele tried to prove the genetic inferiority of Eastern European Gypsy (Roma) population – thereby supposedly justifying their extirpation at the hands of the Nazis. Dissatisfied with the quality of photography at the time, the real-life mad doctor called on Dina to paint portraits of the Roma prisoners, to accurately depict their darker skin colors. While Dina painted, Mengele spared her and her mother from execution. Her subjects were not spared, however, and after Dina had completed each portrait, each gypsy inmate was sent on to their death.

After the prison camp was liberated by the Allies in 1945, Dina met Art Babbitt - a former Disney artist, who coincidentally had been the lead designer for the character of Dopey in Snow White. Art was working at Warner Brothers in Paris, and hired Dina as his assistant. They married and soon moved to Hollywood, where she worked for many years at Warner Brothers, working on characters such as Wily E. Coyote and Tweety Bird.

In 1973, six of the portraits were donated or sold to the Holocaust Museum in Auschwitz, Poland. (A seventh painting was later donated or sold by an similarly unidentified benefactor.) The Museum determined that Dina had been the creator of those paintings, and contacted her to fly – at her own expense – to verify this. Since she was their creator under the most extreme duress Dina naturally assumed that the Museum would be releasing the paintings and she would be returning with them to the United States. Although she fully intended to grant the Museum full rights to reproduce and display them, she was shocked and disappointed when the Museum refused to refused to release the portraits to her.

Imagine first, what it was to be Dina – imprisoned in Auschwitz – knowing that she had merely postponed the death of each of the subjects of her paintings. Then imagine Dina today, knowing that these portraits are all that remain of these people. Dina captured their essence – their soul, as it were – but can never hold the paintings again, give them to her children – to honor the memories of these gypsy victims of the Holocaust.

Irresistible Force: Joe Kubert, Neal Adams, and the Comic Community
Mrs. Babbitt's first contact with the Auschwitz Museum was a 35 years ago, and despite her repeated requests the Museum is resolute in their position that she relinquished possession of the portraits during her captivity during World War II. This is where Dina Babbitt's plight came to the attention of comic artists, writers and cartoonists all over the world. Dina's story came to the attention of the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, whose mission, according its Founding Director, Rafael Medoff, is to, "teach the lessons of America's response to Nazism and the Holocaust."


Artist Neal Adams picked up on the Institute's involvement, and how it led to the involvement of the comic community: "They were focused on Dina Babbitt … once it came to their attention, an injustice that harkens back to Nazism. So they were making an effort to get her paintings returned to her. So they called upon Rafael Medoff, who it turns out is a comic book fan!" Getting the cartoonist community involved seem to be a natural step, given Medoff's affinity for comics and the fact that Dina had been a cartoonist for many years.

Medoff contacted Joe Kubert because of his intimate connection to the subject of the Holocaust: "The ironic part of this was… one of the reasons Rafael had contacted me was that I had done [Yossel]… After having visited the [U.S. Holocaust] Museum in Washington, I was so taken by the things I had seen and heard there, the thought struck me: What would have happened if my folks hadn't come out of Europe, didn't leave Poland at the time they did, back in 1926, which was prior to the Holocaust and all the things that occurred: I would still be a cartoonist, I would still love to do these kinds of drawings, but under vastly different circumstances."

Joe Kubert was an infant when his parents saw the writing on the wall and emigrated from Poland. However, most Eastern European Jews were not so prescient – or lacked the resources – to escape. He was a teen in New York as the Nazis cut a destructive path with one goal: The extermination of the Jews. "It was a horror. As a matter of fact, despite the fact that my parents took us out in 1926 – myself and my older sister – their family stayed. My father's family was completely wiped out: Cousins, father, mother, my grandfather, my grandmother, my uncle, everybody. Not only did they kill all the people in the town, but the town was wiped off the map."


As he was unaware of Dina Babbitt's story, Kubert relied only on his knowledge of the fate of his relatives when he concocted his own hypothetical tale of Yossel. Nevertheless, the parallels are uncanny between his imagined fate in that graphic novel, and the actual experiences of young Dina Gottliebova: "In Dina's story, the fact that she could draw saved her life and her mother's life, as well. That was the only thing that stood between her and going to the gas chamber. In my story, the fact that I could draw– according to my 'What If…?' story – intrigued the Nazis within the town, within the area they were taking all the people and killing people. The only thing that had saved the kid, me – Yossel, in the book – was the fact that he could draw."

After reading Medoff's outline of Dina's story, Neal Adams realized it would be much more inspiring as a narrative story in the form of sequential art: A comic! "I read his outline, and I noted that the outline – although it was just done in a series of paragraphs – it was very efficiently written. There was no appeal to emotion; it was just facts. A listing of events: From this point – when she was a little child – to this point now, today. I read it, and I thought, 'You know what? That would make a good comic book story.' Just like that.

"[I]t only makes a six-page comic book story, but I didn't want him to do it any longer. I didn't want him to enter anything alien into it, or push it in a direction. I thought, if it just takes six pages, it just takes six pages. So I said to [Medoff], 'Look, I would like to draw this.'

Once Adams had completed the six-page comic, it was Joe Kubert's turn to ink it. This was not the first time that Kubert had inked over Adams' pencils, but their previous collaborations took place in a much more innocent time – the early 1970s: Coincidentally, about the same time that Dina Babbitt first learned that her portraits had survived the liberation of Auschwitz at the end of World War II. Kubert recalled, "I've done work with Neal before. A good number of years ago, he had penciled an entire book for me when I was editing some stuff – just because he wanted me to ink it. Which I did. So I've known his work for years and years" (For comic completists that book was Star Spangled War Stories (DC) #144 (May 1969) "Death Takes No Holiday" (23 pages) Written by Bob Kanigher, pencils by Adams, inks by Joe Kubert. This story can be found in the black-and-white reprint volume, Showcase Presents: Enemy Ace, Vol. 1.)

Kubert and Adams also worked together on Brave and the Bold #84 (June 1969), which told the story of another unusual "team up" between Batman of the 70s and Sgt. Rock in the middle of WWII. (Reprinted in, Showcase Presents: The Brave and the Bold Batman Team-Ups Vol. 2.) Oddly, Kubert only inked one page (19), perhaps as a tip of the hat from Adams for Kubert's signature character, Sgt. Rock. Well acquainted with Adams' work, therefore, Kubert was pleased with the modern collaboration: "When I saw the work he had done" on the Dina Babbitt story, Kubert commented, "I saw that it was up to – if not beyond – any work that he had done before."


The core group was formed, but one member of comics' founding fathers was missing from the mix. Stan Lee, who has been called the father of modern superhero comics, was brought in to complete the triumvirate. The Wyman Institute contacted Lee, "asking if I'd be willing to be listed as a supporter of Mrs. Babbitt's cause. I replied that I would and so it began." He realized the historical and cultural importance of bringing her story to light and immediately jumped on. "When an interesting or worthwhile project or cause comes along, it's difficult not to want to become involved."

The man who some call the father of modern comics, was delighted to pitch in: "I'm always interested in being involved in any worthwhile project," Lee stressed, and Dina Babbitt's cause was no exception. The creator of comics and pop culture icon such as the Fantastic Four and the Amazing Spider-Man, has written the introduction to Adams and Kubert's comic strip collaboration. Lee's intro will be included with the publication of the comic.

The response from the comics and cartooning community was incredible, as Adams commented that Medoff worked tirelessly to raise awareness of Babbitt's problem and garner support: "[He] came to us, and he collected 450 signatures for this petition."

Immovable Object: The Auschwitz Museum
The Auschwitz Museum has refused to soften their stance, however, despite public pressure and three decades of pleas from Mrs. Babbitt. "To date, the Museum's Director has not responded to the petition by the 450 artists and comic book creators that we sent, more than two years ago," commented the frustrated Medoff.

In fact, only Neal Adams has received any written response from the Museum: "They've written me two letters, and apparently I'm the only person who they've written letters to… They explain their position, and unfortunately for them, I have had some experience in this whole idea of returning artwork to people who created it, and under what conditions. I'm not the right person to write this stuff to! So, I write letters back, and try to explain it..."


The Museum's response is shocking, as their letters to Adams detail their justification for keeping the paintings. The Museum, he said, is "defending a position that is un-defendable: That perhaps the art belongs to Mengele." Medoff was equally incredulous: "Museum officials made matters even worse with their grotesque and insulting remarks about Dr. Mengele supposedly being the real, or only legal owner of the artwork."

Mrs. Babbitt has always offered to allow the display of Museum-quality reproductions, but the Auschwitz Museum has responded that this is insufficient. In its correspondence with Adams, it asserts that the interest of the public can only be served by displaying the original paintings. "So far, the Museum dug in its heels," lamented Medoff. "But they do not have a reasonable case. The fact that they already sometimes display reproductions of the paintings rather than the paintings themselves blows a gigantic hole in their position."

"Dina was not hired to do this," Adams stressed. "She did it under threat of death, and she managed to save her mother's life by doing it. That doesn't give anybody the right to own these, but her."

Medoff is hopeful, however, that increased public awareness will turn up the heat on the Auschwitz Museum: "[I]t's just a matter of whether the public will just forget about it and go away. My sense is that when Neal Adams' comic strip is published, there will be another significant wave of public interest and public attention that will hopefully force the Museum to sit up and take notice."


Although Dina Babbitt is one of the few living survivors of the global and historical tragedy known as the Holocaust, it is important first to recognize that Dina Babbit is a human being. Although she serves as an historical legacy of a tragic period, her personal goal is simply to provide a personal legacy for her family – a reminder of who she is and where she came from. Rafael Medoff stated it succinctly: "She does not want to be pitied. She does not see herself as a victim, she sees herself as someone who simply is trying to regain what she created with her own hands. She is deeply grateful to the community of comic book creators, artists, writers and cartoon animators who have rallied to her side. She herself was a cartoon animator for many years, and she told me again and again how appreciative she is that today these cartoonists and animators regard her as a kindred spirit, and have tried to help her."

Campaign through Comics
What is the future of six-page comic drawn by Adams and Inked by Kubert? "We're talking to Marvel Comics, who… is going to print the story in one of their comic books. So, many, many people - hundreds of thousands of people - will be able to see it... and possibly send copies all over the world."

Adams added that the story will not stop at Marvel: "I am told that Dark Horse is interested in doing a similar thing. I am told that conversations are happening with an arm of Disney, who is considering doing it as a small book, and possibly as a documentary."

In addition, Medoff noted, "the Wyman Institute is organizing an auction of original artwork, original comic strip and comic book artwork, to raise money for the campaign to get her paintings back. We have received contributions from many prominent artists, but we're still in the process of soliciting contributions of artwork. Then probably it will be an online auction in the near future." He noted that J. David Spurlock of Vanguard Publications is helping to organize the auction.


Medoff stressed that only increased publicity and pressure will persuade the Museum to return to Dina her rightful possessions. It is "going to stand still until the point where the public pressure and the publicity is so embarrassing that they realize that it's not worth paying that price any more. So, to a certain extent, the outcome of this struggle is in the hands of the public and interested groups like the comic book community. Like any museum, like any government institution, they will respond if there is sufficient pressure, if there is sufficient mail, phone calls, email, Congressional interest, and the like."

"[T]here is a great deal that can be done by the comic art community and the public in general," stressed Medoff. "The Museum is beginning to feel the pressure, but they have not felt enough pressure yet. The Neal Adams comic strip, which I had the honor to help create, has generated a new wave of public interest in this issue, and we hope that as the strip gains further attention when it is published, that the Museum will finally reconsider and undo the injustice that they have committed."

Activist Neal Adams was more effusive: "We will be doing anything and everything to cause this thing to end! So, anybody who wants to help, we will be glad to beg... and allow you to print my work for free, and show it, and tell the story. We're also asking people on a regular basis, with any of these things we do: Please send letters. We're not giving you a form letter to send. What we're doing is we're telling you the story, so that you 100% know the story from this little comic book, and now you can send your own letter."


As all the people interviewed for this article have stated, the Museum has no credible reason for retaining the original pieces, and by doing so diminishes its own purpose and the sacrifice and memories of millions Roma and Jews murdered in the Holocaust. It is time for the Museum to reconsider their position and return the original portraits to their creator and rightful owner, Dina Gottliebova Babbitt, and to do so immediately.

Time is of the essence, as Dina's children and grandchildren stress in her website (www.dinababbitt.com) the status of her health is tenuous – aggravated by her advanced age: "Dina, who is now 85, has just been diagnosed with an aggressive form of abdominal cancer." She went through a lengthy and intense surgery last summer, which her family stressed, "is very risky under the best of circumstances."

Her family continued on the website: "We pray to the Museum to return Dina's artwork to her now. We further implore the Museum to not prolong this struggle for years to come after Dina passes from this earth."

As this article and all those interviewed stated, there is something that you, the reader, can do: Write a short email to the Director of the Museum, demanding that it return Dina's original paintings.

The Museum's intransigence is pointless and inhumane, and defeats their stated mission to honor the memories of the millions of Jews and Romany exterminated by the Nazis during the Holocaust. It also deprives one woman – one of the few to have survived that global tragedy to tell her story. The original paintings must be returned to their creator, and in return Dina Gottliebova will gladly grant the Museum the continued right to display high-quality reproductions. The Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum should not be allowed to continue to perpetrate the tragedy that was the Holocaust.

Please direct your emails to the Director of the Auschwitz Museum:
Mr. Piotr Cywinski, Director
Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum
Oswiecim, Poland

Here is the Museum's email address.

muzeum@auschwitz.org.pl

Please send an brief appeal to the Director. It need not be extensive: A couple of sentences would be sufficient to get the point across! Your help is greatly appreciated.

Sorry, Bruce! I have the e-mail link in there but for some reason I can't make it become "visible".

Jen

What's all the fuss, here? If the museum director doesn't wanna play ball, just throw him in a gas chamber.

You kid, of course - but I really wonder why the Museum can't see the bitter irony in this. Makes me wonder if there isn't more to this (on the Museum's end) than they let on, because their position simply isn't rational!

Never thought about that angle.

I just heard from Dina's daughter, Michele Kane, in response to my request for an update:



I'm convinced that public pressure is the only way to get the Museum to do the right thing. So, don't hesitate to email the Museum at the address above and spread the word!

This is horrible.
Jen

I just learned of Dina. Yes, I have been a bit out of the loop. I wonder if the "museum" is still in possession of all of the originals? They are known to rotate the originals with prints. Anyone know when they were all last seen together at the same time?
Do you think these originals would fetch a few clams on the black market?
I think it is time to put my humble shoulder behind this. We must not let this injustice stand. Man, I am pissed!