Willie Wind

Who is Willie Wind?

Willie Wolf Wind was a graphic artist and graphic designer.

Born in Berlin, Germany, he showed a talent for art as a child and studied art in school. After Kristallnacht, Willie fled from Nazi Germany to the British Mandate of Palestine, while his brothers Edward and Julius fled to the United States, his brother Hy to Shanghai, China. All later moved to the US. Another sister, Shoshana, also fled to Palestine.

Willie's younger sister, Margot Wind, stayed in Germany with her parents Jacob and Sima Wind. All three were forcibly deported to Tarnów, Poland in 1939. On June 10, 1942, Margot came home to an empty apartment, her parents apparently taken by the Nazis. Soon thereafter, she married Charles "Chaskel" Schlesinger, 10 years her senior. Through a series of she called "miracles," she and her husband were both rescued by Oskar Schindler.

Margot is incorrectly listed as "Hania Schlesinger" on List 2, Line 233, and Chaskel is listed by his Hebrew name, "Abraham Schlesinger" on List 1, Line 37 on Schindler's List. After traveling safely to France after World War II, they emigrated to the USA.

In Palestine, he joined the Palmach and pursued his art career.