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Closing a life circle, Vinkovci July 2013
Flying Birds, Exhibition in the Town Gallery

I was born in Vinkovci in March 1936 and spend there the first five years of my life. Those years where happy, peaceful and full of hope for a good future. But suddenly, in April 1941 the horrors of the Second World War started. Yugoslavia capitulated and my father who was a reserve officer in the Yugoslavian army was imprisoned. He spent the years 1941- 1945 in a German prisoner camp where the Jews were separated from all the other prisoners. The camp was under the Geneva Convention.

Dina Merhav

To save our lives, the entire family started to run away, my mother, myself, my brother, the mother of my mother and my father’s parents.

Dina Merhav

First to Srkvenica then Split and Coconato Italy and at last smuggling out to Switzerland where they said Jews are not allowed. It was only after my mother assured them that we had money in a bank that they let us in.
In 1945 we returned to communist Yugoslavia, reunited with father and settled in Belgrade.

Dina Merhav

In 1949 we immigrated to the State of Israel. Until 2010 I did not have any connections to Croatia or to Vinkovci.
In the summer 2010 I visited Vinkovci for the first time after 69 years.

Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav

All the memories came back especially stepping into our house. It is a very special building built in the Bauhaus style and earmarked for preservation. The house is totally ruined from inside and stands empty as an icon indicating the cruel fate of its builder. This was the right moment to establish new connections and cooperation with the people of Vinkovci. Three years later all the dreams and plans were fulfilled.
After the successful exhibition “Flying birds” in the Gliptoteka Hazu Gallery in Zagreb it was transferred to Vinkovci. I was welcomed in Vinkovci with great appreciation and love.

Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav

The day before the exhibition I had an evening with the people of Vinkovci. I was very surprised to find a big hall full with of about 80 people anxious to hear the story of my life.

Dina Merhav

Dina Merhav . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Drazen Svagelj

Dina Merhav

It was a very exciting experience. Many people approached after the talk sharing with me that their father or grandfather had been working in the factory Ferolim that my Great grandfather founded in Vinkovci.

Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav

My family Gross settled in Vinkovci in the middle of the 19 century and contributed a lot to the development of the city and the whole area.
Dr. Drazen Svagelj who was my host and organized the talk, asked the people who is the fifth generation here? Nobody raised his hand.
Only I, Dina Gross Merhav am the fifth generation in Vinkovci. This was a very exciting moment. The next day Dr. Drazen Svagelj organized a nice surprise a horse carriage drive through Vinkovci and a visit to his aunt Evica Lesar, 99 years old.  

Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav Evica Lesar

She remembers all the members of the Gross family.


The opening of the exhibition together with my close friend Toni Franovic, a famous Croatian painter was a fantastic success.

Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav

Dina Merhav Director of the town Museum Daniel Petkovic

Dina Merhav Gallery Curator Ivica Belamaric . . . . . . . . . .

Dina Merhav . . . . . . . Toni Franovic

Dina Merhav
Dina Merhav

Some people said that our exhibition is the best one ever held in Vinkovci. A lot of people attended the Gallery and I was overwhelmed with appreciation and love.
This was the real deep feeling of closing a life circle. The near future still gives me some good opportunities to improve this closing of life’s circle. After the exhibition, I am donating all my works to the city of Vinkovci to establish a Sculpture park in memory of all the distinguished members of the Gross family.
This will be another good opportunity to visit Vinkovci and improve my connections and relationships with its people.
Dina Merhav August 2013

 

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