Frederich Mechner Barnard Collection

This collection consists of notebooks, including photographs and ephemera, from Barnard’s years in the Labor Zionist youth movement Tchelet Lavan (1932-38), notes from his years at Manor House, Tingrith, Bedfordshire (1939-40), and a biographical sketch provided by the donors of the collection. One of the Tchelet Lavan notebooks includes notes from other members of Barnard’s study group.

Folder 1 contains a notebook, entitled פנקס [notebook] and dated 1932 -1938. Essentially a home-made scouting manual, this notebook supplements handwritten materials with photographs of camping activities and ephemera concerning subjects of interest, such as statistics concerning Czechoslovakia and Palestine. A printed label on the front flyleaf reads "Svaz židovských skautů 'Techeleth-Lavan' v Československé republike Praha I" ["The Association/Union of Jewish Scouts 'Techeleth Lavan' in the Czechoslovak Republic, Prague 1"]. Inserted into this notebook is a postcard of an encampment with the printed inscription "לבך מדשבת קיץ תכלת // LETNÍ TÁBOR TECHELET LAVAN BHOUSOVÁ" ["from the blue summer of your heart // SUMMER CAMP TECHELET LAVAN BOHOUSOVA"].

Folder 2 contains a notebook with the title "אנחנו בונים ארץ ישראל // סטודנטים עברים [Hebrew students // we are building a land of Israel]. This notebook, dated 1936-1937, contains minutes documenting each “sichah” (study session) of Barnard’s study group; “chaverim” (friends) took turns writing these minutes. In addition to Chajim (Fritz) Mechner [i.e., Barnard] these included Mosché (Kurt) Slatner, Robert Wulkan, Ernst (Šimen) Melcer, Wolfgang (Biser) Šedivý, Frits Kohn, Rudi Mȁrz, Hans (Moishe) Fischer, Ichuah Goldsand, Karl Lewicki. Subjects discussed included Labor Zionist ideals such as the creation of a classless Jewish society and Zionist heroes such as Theodor Herzl and Joseph Trumpeldor. They also read Erich Kȁstner's Emil und die drei Zwillinge together.

The back side of the second notebook contains an unfinished manuscript by Barnard entitled “Kikeriki! Die Grűndung einer Hühnerfarm” [Cock-a-doodle-do! The Founding of a Chicken Farm].

Folder 3 contains a notebook entitled “Sommerlager Tagebuch 1936” [summer camp diary 1936] that documents, with notes and photographs, a Tchelet Lavan gathering from 29 June through 26 July of that year. The gathering was based at Bohousová, an area within Záchlumí, a village in the Ústí nad Orlicí District, Pardubice Region, Czech Republic. Activities included extended hikes through the Orlické Mountains of the Central Sudetes, heading about 35 miles north-northeast to the Polish border and back to Bohusova. Inserted into this notebook are a printed invitation to Barnard’s bar mitzvah and a bank book, dated 1949, of his first wife, Rachel née Zeisler.

Folder 4 contains assorted papers formerly contained, according to the donors, in a file folder labeled "Manor Farm." Some are labeled "Chajim Mechner, 1939-40"; some must date to at least 1947, because they include a printed schedule of classes at a teacher's training college dated 1947.

Folder 5 contains a brief biographical sketch provided by the donors.