Early in 2008 I found some minutes of the Government Committee for Symbols from 1950. The Committee invited five designers, including Shamir Brothers, to submit a proposal for a President's banner.

Franz Kraus wrote to the Secretary of the Committee, saying that he heard that he won first place and therefore deserves the first prize which was higher than the participation fees he received to date. I concluded that the current President's banner is the work of Kraus (I did not find a letter informing him that he had won). Kraus's son, Michael, is now trying to find his father's proposed design.

Further browsing through the files brought to light a letter from Dr. Michael Simon, head of the Foreign Ministry ceremony office in which he said: “I was instructed by the President, Haim Weitzmann, to inform the Committee that its decision did not seem right to him”. Dr. Simon added: “The President asked to see all the designs submitted to the Committee and he selected the attached proposal” (which was not attached to copy of the letter in the State Archives). Simon said that he wanted to return the matter to the Committee which should consider the President's wishes. I photocopied the material and passed a copy to Shenkar.

The minutes of the following meeting of the Committee stated: “Errel's proposal was accepted”. Errel's' a graphic designer working for the Government Printer,was a consultant to the Committee. The wording was not clear on whether Errel recommended acceptance of one of the tender proposals or a design he himself created.

A few days ago (spring 2009) I sent an e-mail to the deputy of the State chief archivist, Yemima Rosenthal, and asked for her help in solving the mystery. Michal Shaft, director of the reading room, collated a number of files from the office of the President and the Foreign Ministry. I went to Jerusalem to review the files and meet Yemima who showed an interest in my research into the Shamir brothers. I also contacted Yad Weitzmann - and did not find an answer.

Today, 12 April, I received a letter from my friend Tammy Arbel with an attached three-page article from “Yedioth Ahronot” 21/09/84. Shlomo Shamgar interviewed Arel (85) formerly Richard Levy in Germany. He returned to Germany in the 70s.. Arel said that he himself designed the President's banner and Weitzmann himself approved its design. The mystery was solved.

My son Opher believes that we need to find another source to confirm Errel's claim.

In the Errel said that he knew the Shamir Brothers during their studies in Berlin. He also spoke about the selection process of Israel emblem of of state.

In the Pevsner collection at the Mehlman Library, Tel Aviv Univesuty, I saw several posters signed by Arel. Posters by him could possibly be kept in the Central Zionist Archive.

In April 2011 Errel's home town in Germany held a retrospective exhibition of his works. I suggested to his son, Jonathan,

to include the banner of Israeli President in the exhibition. Jonathan forwarded my proposal to the curator in December 2010 and was told that it is too late.

2008  Yoram Shamir