Born in Riga, Russian Empire, in 1909. Died in Tel-Aviv, Israel, in 1988.
"In addition to his talent as an artist, Arthur also exhibited compassion. […]. It was as if he had been sent to us to inspire each one of us with a touch of bravery and infuse us with vitality: as long as we are still alive, we are not to lose faith in the Jewish people and their survival."
Meir Levinstein, On the Edge of the Abyss, (trans. from Russian) Hebrew edition, Moreshet, Israel, 1975, p. 56.
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Self-portrait, Riga Ghetto, 1943](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/main_image_1block/public/Ritov_2193_01.jpg?itok=dw1maypt)
Charcoal on paper
31.8x23.3cm
Collection of the Yad Vashem Art Museum, Jerusalem
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Self-portrait, Riga Ghetto, 1943](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Ritov_2193_01.jpg?itok=wQh8_Z24)
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Philip Hirshberg, 1944](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/main_image_1block/public/Ritov_2193_3.jpg?itok=dHJJE2or)
Conscripted to forced labor in the Fahrbereitschaft unit in the ghetto. Sent to the minefields, where he was murdered.
Charcoal on paper
29x21 cm
Collection of the Yad Vashem Art Museum, Jerusalem
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Philip Hirshberg, 1944](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Ritov_2193_3.jpg?itok=Ipd1BFCt)
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Max Hirshberg, Riga Ghetto, 1944](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/main_image_1block/public/Ritov_Rotation-of-2193_4.jpg?itok=4nr9DG2m)
Conscripted to forced labor in the Fahrbereitschaft unit in the ghetto. Sent to the minefields, where he was murdered.
Charcoal on paper
30x21 cm
Collection of the Yad Vashem Art Museum, Jerusalem
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Max Hirshberg, Riga Ghetto, 1944](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Ritov_Rotation-of-2193_4.jpg?itok=-bzcjCRt)
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Schliffmann, Riga Ghetto, 1944](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/main_image_1block/public/Ritov_2193_10.jpg?itok=FRCkjevH)
Conscripted to forced labor in the Fahrbereitschaft unit in the ghetto.
Sent to the minefields, where he was murdered.
Charcoal on paper
34.5x25 cm
Collection of the Yad Vashem Art Museum
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Schliffmann, Riga Ghetto, 1944](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Ritov_2193_10.jpg?itok=Xs0flQLl)
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Michael Rapoport, Riga Ghetto, 1943](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/main_image_1block/public/Ritov_2193_16.jpg?itok=WL5iPYjz)
Engineer. Conscripted to forced labor in the Fahrbereitschaft unit in the ghetto.
Born 1906 in Riga, Latvia. Married Ella Levinstein and had a son, Itchak, who was born in the ghetto, and was later murdered in the Kinderaktion. His wife was murdered in a killing pit, in Riga. Michael was murdered in the Ghetto.
Charcoal on paper
34.8x25 cm
Collection of the Yad Vashem Art Museum
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Michael Rapoport, Riga Ghetto, 1943](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Ritov_2193_16.jpg?itok=sYLZuISM)
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Benjamin Blumberg, Riga Ghetto, 1942](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/main_image_1block/public/Ritov_2193_20.jpg?itok=HDpOJSCy)
Businessman. Conscripted to forced labor in the Fahrbereitschaft unit in the ghetto.
Arrested in the ghetto for receiving a slice of bread through the ghetto fence. After a week in jail, he succeeded in escaping from the ghetto. After the war, lived in Belgium.
Charcoal on paper
34x25 cm
Collection of the Yad Vashem Art Museum
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Benjamin Blumberg, Riga Ghetto, 1942](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Ritov_2193_20.jpg?itok=krerE_5M)
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Buveic, Riga Ghetto, 1944, Murdered in the Riga Ghetto.](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/main_image_1block/public/Ritov_2193_23.jpg?itok=tf6HEifQ)
Charcoal on paper
29.5x21 cm
Collection of the Yad Vashem Art Museum
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Buveic, Riga Ghetto, 1944, Murdered in the Riga Ghetto.](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Ritov_2193_23.jpg?itok=RjHvWASR)
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Nehamkes, Riga Ghetto](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/main_image_1block/public/Ritov_2193_26.jpg?itok=RBAi7uGm)
Conscripted to forced labor in the Fahrbereitschaft unit in the ghetto.
Sent to the minefields, where he was murdered.
Charcoal on paper
34.8x25 cm
Collection of the Yad Vashem Art Museum
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Nehamkes, Riga Ghetto](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Ritov_2193_26.jpg?itok=ni2e7B5H)
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Zemach Weinrich, Riga Ghetto, 1944](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/main_image_1block/public/Ritov_2193_33.jpg?itok=suqiJ9iq)
Butcher. Conscripted to forced labor in the Fahrbereitschaft unit in the ghetto.
Born in Tukums, Latvia. In the ghetto, his role was to load German trucks onto railroad cars bound for the front. Caught for sabotage and punished by hanging in the ghetto.
Charcoal on paper
35.2x25.3 cm
Collection of the Yad Vashem Art Museum
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Zemach Weinrich, Riga Ghetto, 1944](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Ritov_2193_33.jpg?itok=RpJPN6lI)
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Meir Levinstein, Riga Ghetto, 1943](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/main_image_1block/public/Ritov_2193_35.jpg?itok=6n3KMOdd)
Conscripted to forced labor in the Fahrbereitschaft unit in the ghetto.
Born in Kuldiga, Latvia. Sent to the Kaiserwald Concentration Camp and from there, by ship to Germany, to the Stutthof Magdeburg Concentration Camp. Liberated April 21, 1945. Immigrated to Israel and settled in Jaffa.
Charcoal on paper
34.3x25 cm
Collection of the Yad Vashem Art Museum
![Arthur (Alter) Ritov (1909-1988), Meir Levinstein, Riga Ghetto, 1943](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/Ritov_2193_35.jpg?itok=W2-S9uQ-)