Arnold Daghani

Arnold Daghani was a multifaceted individual, born in Romania, who expressed himself through art and writing. His life took a dramatic turn in 1941 when he, along with his wife Anisoara, was arrested and deported to the Mykhailivka labor camp in Ukraine. During his time in the camp, Daghani played witness to the construction of Durchgangsstrasse IV, a significant military road, by the inmates. Despite the harsh conditions, he found solace in chronicling his experiences through diary entries and artwork.

Daghani's resilience ultimately led to his escape to Budapest in 1943, where he managed to smuggle out his diary and artwork. These poignant records of his time in the labor camp were later published in 1947, first in Romanian as Groapa este în livada de visini, and subsequently translated into English as The Grave is in the Cherry Orchard. The English version was featured in the ADAM International Review. Following the war, Daghani led a peripatetic life, residing in various countries including Israel, France, Switzerland, and England, as he continued to navigate his experiences as a Holocaust survivor and artist.