Frans Weisz

A letter unlocks the secrets of the 'real' Charlotte Salomon, deported to Auschwitz after creating her autobiographical masterpiece.

LEBEN? ODER THEATER? That is the name Charlotte Salomon gave to her painted autobiography. In 1943, just before she was deported to Auschwitz she gave it to a friend. While the feature film CHARLOTTE (1980) was being made, Charlotte's stepmother handed the filmmaker a letter, but asked them not to use the contents in the film. In this letter Charlotte describes the circumstances in which LEBEN? ODER THEATER? was created and provides us an insight into the 'real' Charlotte.