Many adults produced poignant drawings and paintings as well. A number of talented artists were interred at Terezin, most of whom were kept occupied in architectural and graphic arts departments. The latter was often commissioned by the SS to create posters and materials for pro-Terezin propaganda. When away from the SS’s prying eyes, however, these artists used their talents and supplies to create a record of the real situation within the camp. In the absence of cameras, which were strictly forbidden among the prisoners, the skilled hands of artists like Bedrich “Fritta” Taussig, Otto Zucker and Frantisek Zelenka captured the horrors of their accommodations, rations, and lifestyles. In July of 1944 a number of these artists were caught creating their gritty and graphic depictions of camp life when some paintings were discovered to have been smuggled out of the fortress. Accused of dispensing a false “Propaganda of Horror,” they were swiftly questioned and sent to the Small Fortress with their families. Most did not survive, but the careful stowing away of their artwork allowed their visual messages to persist to this day.

"Terezin Street"
Drawing by Leo Haas

Paintings and drawings weren’t the only forms of creative expression at the camp. Although such activities were banned at the start of Terezin’s occupation, secret concerts,  recitals, and cabarets provided an active musical life. As in the case of the painters, many musicians, composers, conductors, and singers had been imprisoned. In order to provide some distraction from the woes of the day, and because most were so dedicated to their craft that it was painful to abstain, these productions were presented in basements and attics with instruments that had been smuggled in. After a time, the SS-Commandery officially approved these sorts of activities and actually encouraged them—solely for their propaganda benefits, of course. The department of the Freizeitgestaltung, or Free Time Activities, was officially created to spearhead these sorts of activities, as well as theatre performances, sports, chess competitions, poetry readings, and lectures.

Such lectures were presented on a variety of topics since numerous great intellectuals were among the prisoners of Terezin. Anything from famous historical figures to scientific discoveries might be discussed. Another common topic was Jewish politics as members of several movements, including Zionism and Revisionist Zionism, were present at the camp. Sometimes such differences in political ideologies caused dissent among the population, particularly in the running of the administration and the education of the children. However, these differences were nothing compared to the lines drawn between Czech Jews and German Jews. There was a palpable mistrust between these two groups, as oftentimes the Czech Jews felt the German Jews were imposing on their territory and the German Jews felt superior over the Czech Jews.

Communication barriers, both real and contrived (some Czechs would pretend to not know German) made for relatively little intermixing between the two groups among the common populace. While of smaller numbers, groups of Polish, Hungarian, and Danish Jews also tended to promote isolationist natures. Initially the Czech Jews headed most of the administrative duties, but as time marched on at the camp, the SS-Commandery saw opportunities to capitalize on the enmity between the groups. The head of the Council of Elders, Jakub Edelstein, was replaced by a German Jew, Paul Eppstein, in early 1943, who was himself replaced by Benjamin Murmelstein at the end of the year. A puppet government though it was, these changes kept the administration further inharmonious and less powerful.