Isabel Wachenheimer in kamerjas staand voor de toegang tot een openlucht ziekenhuiskamer in het Joods sanatorium Etania in Davos, april 1946 1946

This photograph shows Isabel Wachenheimer, in April 1946, standing in a dressing gown in front of an open air hospital room at the Jewish sanatorium Etania, in Davos. The image speaks to the post-war moment and its aftermath, and can be understood in the context of the social and political history of the time. The sanatorium in Davos, Switzerland, existed to treat tuberculosis patients. Its location in the mountains was chosen for its clean air and sunshine, believed to be beneficial for the patients. The photograph can be viewed as a testament to the strength and resilience of the Jewish community in the wake of the Holocaust. It suggests the determination to rebuild lives and seek healing after unimaginable trauma. Careful investigation into the history of the sanatorium, the lives of its patients, and the broader context of post-war Europe will undoubtedly enrich our understanding of this image. It reminds us that art and photography are deeply embedded in the social and institutional contexts in which they are created and viewed.