The Lost Voices of Serbian Modernism: Miša Manojlović and Isak Azriel

Abstract

Architects Miša Manojlović (1901-41, Belgrade) and Isak Azriel (1903-?, b.Belgrade, d. Israel after 1949) were professionally very active during the interwar period. They focused on avant-garde designs and were at the forefront of Serbian Modernism. However, their work has remained mostly marginal in scholarly research. As a member of the Sephardic Jewish community in Belgrade, Manojlović and his family were victims of the Holocaust. Azriel was a survivor, and after the war immigrated to Israel with his wife and son. This paper critically analyzes newly discovered historical sources and archival documents in order to correct problematic issues regarding the life and work of Miša Manojlović and Isak Azriel. It also provides a contribution to Holocaust studies in Serbia and the cultural history of Belgrade, with the aim of uncovering additional historical data about members of the Jewish families (Manojlovic, Manoilovitz, Manuel), Azriel (Azrijel), Munk, and de Majo (Demajo).

Arhitekte Miša Manojlović (1901-41, Beograd) i Isak Azriel (1903-?, r. Beograd, r. Izrael posle 1949) bili su profesionalno veoma aktivni u međuratnom periodu. Oni su se fokusirali na avangardne dizajne i bili su predvodnici srpske moderne. Međutim, njihov rad je ostao uglavnom marginalan u naučnim istraživanjima. Kao član sefardske jevrejske zajednice u Beogradu, Manojlović i njegova porodica bili su žrtve Holokausta. Azriel je preživeo, a posle rata emigrirao u Izrael sa ženom i sinom. U radu se kritički analiziraju novootkriveni istorijski izvori i arhivska dokumenta u cilju ispravljanja problematičnih pitanja u vezi sa životom i radom Miše Manojlovića i Isaka Azriela. Takođe daje doprinos proučavanju Holokausta u Srbiji i kulturnoj istoriji Beograda, sa ciljem da se otkriju dodatni istorijski podaci o članovima jevrejskih porodica (Manojlović, Manoilovitz, Manuel), Azriel (Azrijel), Munk i de Majo ( Demajo).