Collection of Documents from the Archive of Hanna Rovina - Letters from Else Lasker-Schüler, Alexander Penn ...

Collection of Documents from the Archive of Hanna Rovina - Letters from Else Lasker-Schüler, Alexander Penn, Arthur Wauchope and Others / Photograph Signed by Chaim Weizmann
Collection of items from the archive of theater actress Hanna Rovina. 1930s to ca. 1975.
Hanna Rovina (1888?-1980), Israeli theater actress nicknamed the "First Lady of Hebrew Theater", recipient of the Israel Prize for her accomplishments in the theater (1956).
Rovina was born in the town of Byerazino (Minsk District of the Russian Empire, today in Belarus). From a young age she took an interest in theater and acting, but intended to become a kindergarten teacher and studied in a course for Hebrew-speaking kindergarten teachers directed by Yehiel Halperin in Warsaw. There, through Halperin, she met the theater director Nahum Tzemach and joined the "Hebrew Stage" troupe under his direction. The troupe's activities ceased and were renewed in 1917, when Tzemach founded, together with Rovina and Menachem Gnessin, the Habima Theater in Moscow. In 1928 Rovina immigrated to Palestine with the actors of the Habima theater, quickly becoming Habima's star and the symbol of Hebrew theater in general. Above all she was identified with the character of Leah'le in the play "The Dybbuk". Rovina gained renown and became an admired personality in Israel. She dedicated her life to the theater and appeared onstage almost until her dying day.
This collection includes personal documents belonging to Hanna Rovina and letters sent to her.
Letters sent to Hanna Rovina:
1. Three-page letter handwritten and signed by poet Else Lasker-Schüler. Jerusalem, November 1941. German. Written in pencil.
"Great and honored actress, I was surprised that you did not answer my letter yourself but rather incidentally; since I am familiar with Mrs. Brandstetter only superficially, and you said you would not come to the lecture. I assume there was some mistake, in light of the many invitations you sent me later… please, I don't wish to write more on these matters. I ask for peace of mind, in solitude at home, and therefore I remain alone… I was invited to the home of Professor Dov Lev Kastenberg, to deliver a lecture there in the beginning of December. I was delighted that you and Mr. Meskin and others attended. But I cannot understand the way in which Meskin, whom I respect greatly, and all the important artists, suddenly came to ignore me". The letter is signed: "Ihre Else Lasker-Schüler, schön Adonah" [yours Else Lasker-Schüler, beautiful Adonah (adonah meaning "her Sir." in Hebrew). On the first page Lasker-Schüler added a small drawing of flowers in purple pencil.
Enclosed is the original envelope in which the letter was posted, and a printed page with a Hebrew translation of the letter.
2. Letter from High Commissioner Arthur Wauchope, in which he expresses his condolences on the death of Habima actor Yaakov Avital. Printed on official stationery of the Government House and signed in Wauchope's hand. Jerusalem, June 1937.
Enclosed is the original envelope in which the letter was posted.
3. Handwritten letter by poet Alexander Penn, [1932?]. Russian.
Interesting 7-page letter in which Penn expresses harsh criticism of the play "The Treasure", then staged by "Habima", the "Friends of Habima" circle and its control of the theater, and of the Habima theater in general, which, seeking to please the "Friends" organization, produces plays of low artistic standards.
Alexander Penn (1906-1972) was the father of Rovina's daughter, singer Ilana Rovina.
Enclosed is the original envelope in which the letter was posted.
4. Typed letter by Yehiel Halperin, signed in his hand. Sent from the "Kindergarten Teachers' School" in Tel Aviv, September 1940. Hebrew.
In the letter Halperin asks Rovina to assist his son, Uriel (Yonatan Ratosh), and ensure that he is employed by the "Habima" theater as a translator. "If you haven't yet forgotten the period of your early youth, that period of 'before Adam', 'before Habima' and before Hanna Rovina the magnificent actress - you will certainly not have forgotten your old teacher, who has now grown completely old and his powers have weakened, and he is now what is called a 'weakly Jew'. And if you recall all these you will surely recall that I had a small boy name Uriri… and now this Uriri has grown and become 'Uriel', and he is now about thirty years old, and he is blessed by God with literary gifts that are undoubted, his opinions are strong, his ideas are like sharp arrows and his style - the improved style of a highly gifted writer, and his friends, those of the circle of young literary men, predict a glorious future for him… that's all fine… but there is one thing he lacks - a source of income for himself and his wife…"
Enclosed is the original envelope in which the letter was posted.
5. Handwritten letter by the painter Menachem Shemi (Schmidt). Written on aerogram. [Italy, 1944]. Signed: "Schmidt". Hebrew.
In this letter, sent while Shemi was in the British Army, he tells of his stay in Italy [his company, earlier active in Suez and Benghazi, was transferred to Italy in 1944] and of his longing to see Rovina: "We shall meet again and sit in 'Kassit' together… and perhaps I will yet work on a play with you. I'm sick of myself as a soldier. This is a paradox that has gone on for a bit too long. I just want to go home, I miss it like a child. Italy is beautiful. No wonder poems have been written about it. But now it is also sad and forlorn…"
6. Short letter handwritten and signed by Avraham Shlonsky - an invitation to dine at "Kassit".
Personal documents belonging to Hanna Rovina:
7. Identity Card (Government of Palestine), with a photograph of Rovina. Damaged.
8. Advertising leaf for the play "The Dybbuk", staged by "Habima" Theater at the Carltheater in Vienna. Vienna, 1926. German.
In this period the "Habima" actors performed throughout Europe. Two years later they immigrated to Palestine.
9. Photographed portrait of Chaim Weizmann, with a signed dedication in his handwriting to Hanna Rovina: "To Chana Rovina, affectionately Ch. Weizmann" (dedication slightly erased).
10. Photographed portrait of Hanna Rovina, signed in her hand in Hebrew and English.
11. Photograph of Hanna Rovina on the stage.
12. Short letter in the hand of Rovina to the mayor of Jerusalem, Mordechai Ish-Shalom, in which she regrets being unable to come to the cornerstone laying ceremony of the Jerusalem Theater [1964]. Hebrew. Unsigned.
13. "My Very Short Biography", two pages in Rovina's handwriting, in which she describes her life and professional achievements. February 1975. Hebrew.
· Enclosed: letter in English, signed: Elizabeth.
Total of 14 items. Size and condition vary.
Provenance: Shlomo Shva collection.