Abgedreht!

More about the book

In February 1937, Heinz Fenchel arrived in Haifa after crossing the Mediterranean from Italy. Once a prominent set designer in Germany, he had crafted spaces for 45 films, including love stories, action movies, and crime dramas, many set in the vibrant world of cabaret. However, his career ended in 1933 due to his Jewish heritage, which barred him from working. Unlike many peers who fled to Hollywood, Fenchel chose Eretz Israel, aware that he could not pursue set design in a country lacking a film industry. In Tel Aviv, he reinvented himself as an innovative architect and interior designer, gaining recognition for his work in urban coffeehouses, bars, and private residences. He later became renowned for designing luxury hotels, not only in Israel but also in West Africa, where he created large hotel complexes. His architectural style was deeply influenced by his earlier experiences in film set design. Following the exhibition "An Artist’s Paintbrush: Chaim Heinz Fenchel" at the Rubin Museum in Tel Aviv in 2012, Fenchel's film and living space designs will be showcased for the first time in Germany at Berlin’s Centrum Judaicum – New Synagogue Foundation.