Internment camp almanac inscribed by Kurt Schwitters. The Camp Almanac 1940-41 is a special end-of-year double issue of The Camp newspaper, produced by detainees of Hutchinson Internment Camp on the Isle of Man, intended to showcase the work of émigré artists and writers detained there whilst also reflecting on the first six months of life at the camp. It includes contributions by several prominent artists, including Kurt Schwitters, who contributed a portrait of The Camp editor Michael Corvin (pseud. Leo Freund). This copy belonged to Siegfried Oppenheimer, a German art dealer interned at Hutchinson; many of the contributions are inscribed to him and are accompanied by several related items, including original examples of artwork produced by internees at the Hutchinson Camp on the Isle of Man and correspondence.

Initially, art materials were scarce in the camp, and all the artists had to improvise to continue to work while interned. Lavatory paper, newspapers, wallpaper, napkins, and tablecloths were all used to write, draw, and print on. Linocut prints were made using strips of linoleum removed from kitchen and bathroom floors, which were cut into using kitchen utensils, and printed using a crude ink made using crushed graphite from pencils or ground brick dust mixed with margarine or the olive oil from tinned sardines. The inked blocks were passed through a laundry mangle, which applied enough pressure to make a satisfactory print onto whatever paper could be found.

Siegfried Oppenheimer, an art dealer associated with the well-known Margraf firm in Berlin, took it upon himself to represent the Hutchinson visual artists and approached the camp commander to accommodate their needs. Oppenheimer was able to secure a promise that the camp commander would supply materials and studio space for 'his' artists, and in exchange, they would stage an exhibition of their work. Two art exhibitions were held at Hutchinson, the first in September, followed by a second in November 1940. After his release, Oppenheimer seems to have remained in Britain and continued to operate as an art dealer, representing the work of his fellow internee Erich Khan and lending support to the Ben Uri Art Society and the Friends of the Arts Museums of Israel.

All copies differ in terms of their content due to the ad hoc nature in which they were assembled and are down to the personalised choices by the person making each copy. Our copy has 22 contributions on 25 sides.

The following contributors have signed or inscribed their pages:

Michael Corvin, Fritz Kramer, Fred Uhlman, Kurt Schwitters, Erich Kalman, Paul Hamann, O. Wenzel, Adolf 'Dol' Mirecki, Fritz Solomanski, Ernst Müller-Blensdorf, K. Simmel[?], Erich Kahn, Bruno Ahrends, and Hellmuth Weissenborn.

Oppenheimer's own contribution, 'Mission of Art', is signed by the following: Peter Fleischmann, Fritz Solomanski, Ernst Schwitters-Guldahl, Fritz Kraemer, Klaus Hinrichsen, Dol. A. Mirecki, [?], Fred Uhlman, Bruno Ahrends, [?], Ernst Müller-Blensdorf, Erich Kahn, Richard Friedenthal [?], Heinrich Fraenkel, and Curt Sluzewski.

20 mimeographed foolscap leaves (343 x 216 mm), with an additional two leaves present in duplicate. 16 pages partially coloured in pastels and watercolour by the artists. 15 leaves are signed or inscribed to Siegfried Oppenheimer, additionally Oppenheimer's own contribution 'Mission of Art' is signed by 15 of his fellow internees. Light wear and occasional foxing to leaves. Loose in the worn original manila wrappers (400 x 240 mm) with 'HC' monogram in pastel to front and offsetting from a taped letter to inside of the wrapper.

[With the following additional items:]

MÜLLER-BLENSDORF, Ernst. An original drawing (230 x 165 mm) mounted on paper (338 x 212 mm); wear and stain to mount. Inscribed by Blensdorf to Siegfried Oppenheimer in pencil on the mount and signed Ernst M. Blensdorf / Hutchinson / 24.12.1940.'

MÜLLER-BLENSDORF, Ernst. Another original drawing (177 x 207 mm) mounted on paper (338 x 212 mm); wear and stain to mount. Inscribed by Blensdorf to Siegfried Oppenheimer in pencil on the mount and signed Ernst M. Blensdorf / Hutchinson Camp / 29.12.1940.'

WEISSENBORN, H. Linocut print on paper (image 91mm x 182 mm; paper 345 x 224 mm); edges creased signed: 'Douglas 1940 / H. Weissenborn'.

DOL [A. Mierecki]. Caricature print of Hitler as a snowman (115 x 87 mm) [1940].

WEISSENBORN, Helmuth. 'Le Petit Souper Menu' for 26 December 1940. (265mm x 206 mm), hand-coloured and addressed to S. Oppenheimer, Helmuth Weissenborn's London address in black ink on the verso.

One leaf (338 x 212 mm) from the previous issue of The Camp, with what appears to be a
letter drafted in pencil on the verso.

RAWICZ, Maryan. Autograph letter signed 'Maryan Rawicz' to Siegfried Oppenheimer's wife, written shortly after Rawicz was released. London. 25 October, 1940. 8vo (232 x 172 mm), [2]pp on 1 sheet, written in black ink on recto and verso; torn along horizontal and vertical folds, strengthened with yellowing tape.

MÜLLER-BLENSDORF, Ernst. Autograph letter signed 'Ernst M-Blensdorf' to Siegfried Oppenheimer, in which he discusses life in England after his release from Hutchinson Camp. Strathaven, Lanarkshire. 9 August, 1941. 8vo (228 x 177 mm), [4]pp on two sheets, written in black ink on recto and verso; creased where folded.