BELA SHAGAL (BELLA ROSENFELD CHAGALL)

BELA SHAGAL (BELLA ROSENFELD CHAGALL) (December 15, 1895-September 2, 1944)

            She was the author of stories, born in Vitebsk, Byelorussia, and the wife of Marc Chagall.  She graduated from a women’s high school in Vitebsk and university in Moscow.  In 1922 she was living in Paris.  She published two volumes of memoirs: Brenendike likht (Burning light) (New York: Fraternaler folks-ordn, 1945), 254 pp., in English translation by Norbert Guterman as Burning Lights (1946); and Di ershte bagegenish (The first meeting) (New York: Fraternaler folks-ordn, 1947), 230 pp.—both volumes were published in French translations (1947).  She also translated into French Marc Chagall’s Ma vie (My life).  She died in New York.

                                                    Bella beside her portrait by Marc 

                                      

                                                            With her husband Marc

Sources: Elkhonen Vogler, in Di goldene keyt (Tel Aviv) 28 (1957); Leyvik Khanukov, Literarishe eseyen (Literary essays) (New York, 1960), pp. 68-74; Yitskhok-Elkhonen Rontsh, in Morgn frayhayt (New York) (September 3, 1964).

Beyle Gottesman