Ricarda Schwerin (1912-1999), was a photographer and an active Communist. She was born with the name Ricarda Meltzer, on January 30, 1912, in Göttingen, Germany. Meltzer started her studies in photography at age 18 at the Bauhaus in Dessau during the summer of 1930, where she studied under Walter Peterhans. She was subsequently banned from continuing her studies in the spring of 1932 along with other openly Communist students, including her future husband, Heinz Schwerin. Meltzer and Schwerin moved to Frankfurt am Main to continue their studies at the College of Fine Art and Applied Art, but soon after fled to Prague because Schwerin was arrested for the illegal distribution of Communist propaganda. For a time the couple ran an advertising agency in Prague called ‘Hammer und Pinsel.’ They then emigrated to Switzerland, and then to Pécs, Hungary, where they married in 1935. In August of that year they emigrated once again, as refugees, to Palestine where they created 'Schwerin Wooden Toys' workshop in 1936. The couple had two children, a daughter Jutta and son Tom, born in Jerusalem in 1941 and 1948 respectively.

Following her husband’s death in 1948, Ricarda Schwerin opened a privately run home for refugee children while also returning to her passion for photography. For nearly 20 years she collaborated with Alfred Bernheim, eventually becoming involved with him romantically. The two published a photo book titled ‘Jerusalem – Rock of Ages’ in 1969, and Schwerin independently had a successful photographic career. Her works included photos in the children’s books 'Sippurim LeNivi' (stories for Nivi) and 'Nono,' as well as a photographic collection on contemporary Israeli architecture in the cultural magazine ‘Ariel.’

Ricarda Schwerin came to know Hannah Arendt during Arendt’s visit to Jerusalem in 1961. The women became well acquainted, and Schwerin made some portrait photographs for Arendt. In 1963 the two women took a trip to Greece, accompanied by Heinrich Blücher and Charlotte Beradt. During this trip Schwerin created a series of photographs that she later sent to Arendt and Blücher.

The collection also includes a small “pocket book” exhibition catalog, Vom Bauhaus nach Palästina. Chanan Frenkel, Ricarda und Heinz Schwerin given to the archives by the author in 2013. Photos from this collection, along with a portrait of Arendt by Schwerin, are on pages 122 - 128.

Sources: https://www.bauhauskooperation.com/knowledge/the-bauhaus/people/students/ricarda-schwerin/ https://www.fembio.org/biographie.php/frau/biographie/ricarda-schwerinCommunication with the Bard Archivist via email from Ines Sonder at the University of Potsdam.