A recently released booklet From Latvia to the Mediterranean, which was compiled and published by members of the Association of Latvian and Estonian Jews in Israel, features the late brothers Gabriel and Maxim Shamir, who in 1935 founded the Society of Hebrew Graphic Artists in Eretz Israel.

The brothers, whose original surname in Latvia was Sheftelowitz, each studied graphic design at the Charlottenburg School of Arts in Berlin. From Berlin they returned to Riga and openned a Graphics studio. In 1943/5 they moved to Tel Aviv where they opened the Shamir Brothers Studio on Rothschild Boulevard. Following the establishment of the state, they designed the state’s emblems, medals, stamps and currency notes, including the official emblem containing the menorah and the olive branch. They also designed stamps for countries in Africa, Asia and South America – and of course produced many designs for consumer product advertisements in Israel.

In their native Latvia, the Shamir brothers, though deceased for well over 20 years, are so highly regarded that an exhibition of their works under the title of “Independence” has been on view at the National Library of Latvia since early February, and will remain on view till April 4. A special medal was minted for the occasion. The exhibition was curated by Gabriel Shamir’s son Yoram E. Shamir, who aside from having a family interest in the works of his father and uncle, has a professional interest as someone who was in the public relations / advertising industry.

In their designs, the Shamir brothers, who were icons in their day, reflected the elements that created Israel’s independence: symbols of sovereignty, immigration, absorption, security, economic development, language and national culture. These are also the subjects of the exhibition. The most famous and enduring of their designs is the official emblem of the State of Israel, though it is doubtful that a random quiz would find many people, if anyone, who could correctly answer who was responsible for the design.

Among the works on view in Riga is the sketch for a monument dedicated to Jewish soldiers who fell in the Latvian War of Independence. The monument is located at the New Jewish Cemetery in Riga, but the sketch dates back to 1934.

In 1974 the brothers decided to work separately and closed the studio. They remained on good terms with each other, but each wanted to work as an individual rather than as part of a team. They continued to each work separately for nearly 20 years.

In Israel the Shamir brothers were called “national designers,” but in fact they were very international. In addition to their work in Latvia and Israel, they also worked for 18 other countries.

The exhibition in Riga was organized by the Embassy of Israel to Latvia in cooperation with the National Library of Latvia and was produced with significant support from United Israel Appeal, the Israel State Archives, the Zionist Central Archives, the Academic Library of the University of Latvia, the Eretz Israel Museum and private collections. After April 4, the exhibition will be opened in Liepaja, where the brothers were born, and Daugavpils. The opening of the exhibition coincided with the launch of the book Shamir Brothers – Designers Who Became Icons.

2-3 minutes are absolutely fine – These were my instructions from our gracious moderator.

The medal was awarded by the Israeli embassy in Latvia in 2018 to government ministers, heads of cultural institutions and the sons of the Shamir brothers