Bat-El Tours Team
Holocaust Research
Interviews, archives and more.
How it started:
Friendship with survivors and personal commitment.
Our team was founded by the renowned researcher Pavel Batel, who brings over a decade of experience researching history of Terezín.
Like many people in post-communist countries, he learned about his Jewish roots later in life. His first visit to Terezín came in a professional role, as a close protection expert during a U.S. government visit. The site, however, soon became his life’s mission. As he uncovered his own family connections to Terezín, his relationship to the place deepened, and he began forming close, long-term bonds with survivors.
Like many people in post-communist countries, he learned about his Jewish roots later in life. His first visit to Terezín came in a professional role, as a close protection expert during a U.S. government visit. The site, however, soon became his life’s mission. As he uncovered his own family connections to Terezín, his relationship to the place deepened, and he began forming close, long-term bonds with survivors.
Today, Pavel curates an international team of young academics and established researchers and founded a dedicated institute focused on collecting, preserving, and researching the history of Terezín and the Holocaust from a deeply human, research-based perspective.
This work forms the foundation of all our educational tours.
Pavel Batel interviewing Prof. Felix Kolmer.
Prof. Kolmer dedicated his life to Holocaust commemoration.
Traveling to meet survivors and eye witnesses.
Pavel Batel’s dedication to preserving Terezín’s legacy led him to travel extensively, forming trusted connections with Holocaust survivors and their families.
Over the past 15 years, he has traveled to more than ten countries to interview key figures who lived through Terezín, as well as relatives of individuals who held significant roles in the ghetto, gaining a unique and multifaceted perspective.
Over the past 15 years, he has traveled to more than ten countries to interview key figures who lived through Terezín, as well as relatives of individuals who held significant roles in the ghetto, gaining a unique and multifaceted perspective.
Pavel’s research also led him deep into archival collections, where he uncovered interrogation files, children’s diaries, and other rare primary sources related to Terezín.
Today, Pavel is regarded as one of the most respected experts on the Terezín Ghetto within international Holocaust institutions.
He regularly lectures in museums, and educates our team, ensuring that new research and perspectives continue to contribute to the study of Terezín.
Achim Belinsky
in Israel with Achim Beginsky, who survived Terezín under harsh conditions, was known for his exceptional stealth. His skill at sneaking into various block kitchens ensured he was never hungry during his time in the ghetto.
Petr Erben
In Israel, Petr Erben provided a powerful and unforgettable testimony about Fredy Hirsch, Terezín’s sports events, and the care of children and youth in the ghetto. He described the Terezín experience as the most significant part of his life.
Amos Hausner
In Israel, Amos Hausner explained how his father, Gideon, became the main prosecutor in the 1961 trial of Adolf Eichmann. As Israel's Attorney General, Gideon prepared the case, presenting over 100 witnesses.
Peter Lang
In Israel with Peter Lang, a survivor of Terezín, Auschwitz, and Kaufering, spent two and a half years in Terezín. He shares crucial insights into daily life in the ghetto and the events leading up to his transportation to Auschwitz.
Jehuda Bakon
Israeli artist and survivor, Jehuda Bacon, witnessed the heroism of Fredy Hirsch and the compassion of Přemysl Pitter. After years of effort, Pavel Batel fulfilled his dream of interviewing this remarkable figure in Jerusalem.
Jeremy Adler
in London with Jeremy Adler, British writer and philosopher, and son of H. G. Adler, a Terezín and Auschwitz survivor whose works were pivotal in Holocaust studies and used in Adolf Eichmann’s interrogation.
Wolf Murmelstein
In Rome Wolf Murmelstein, liberated at the age of 8, is the son of Benjamin Murmelstein, the last Elder of the Terezín Ghetto.
Ruth Bondy
Pavel Batel interviewed Ruth Bondy, a legendary historian, Terezín and Auschwitz survivor, and renowned Czech writer and translator. Bondy is best known for her book Jakob Edelstein, a crucial work for anyone studying Terezín.
Vera Maiseles
Vera Maisels, the author of renowned Terezín poetry, is pictured recounting her harrowing experiences—stories following her arrest, her transportation to Auschwitz, and the children’s plays performed in Terezín.
Rueben Fisherman
At age 15, Rueben Fisherman from Denmark helped his family escape the Gestapo, but was later arrested and sent to Terezín. He never saw his father and brother again, learning of their tragic fate years later.
Museum of Holocaust in Los Angels, USA
Chinese University in Hong Kong - Department of Media Studies
Aardvak - Tel Aviv, International Student Program
Beit Terezin Archive, Israel
Visiting Archives
As many survivors did not live to share their testimonies, Pavel Batel had to gain access to archives to continue his research. In Israel, the Beit Terezín Museum holds a significant collection of documents from Terezín, transferred by Hechalutz right after the war. Additionally, the archive in Litoměřice, where Nazis from Terezín and other collaborators were prosecuted, also provides crucial historical materials for his work.
Who leads our tours?
Pavel Batel and his team
To educate a wider audience about Terezín, Pavel Batel established a team of educators within our organization. This team helps visitors and tourists gain accurate historical information, ensuring a deeper understanding of Terezín's significance and the lives affected by it.
Terezin Private Tours
by Pavel Batel's team
Phone: 00 420 608 931 093
Email: office@jewish-prague-tours.com
by Pavel Batel's team
Phone: 00 420 608 931 093
Email: office@jewish-prague-tours.com
