Finding Beauty in Nature while Writing about Ugly History

Salzburg Global Seminar, with support from the Bush Foundation and the McKnight Foundation, is proud to host at Schloss Leopoldskron artist residencies from selected Fellows from the Cultural Innovators Forum, a program that since 2013 has brought together cultural innovators and creative practitioners from around the world.

Artist and Fellow Dina Mousa spent three weeks at Schloss Leopoldskron toward the end of 2022, working on her debut novel. Dina reflects on her experience below.

The Dew of Men, my debut novel, was inspired by my mother's life and the harsh childhood she endured, only to become an adult in a war-torn country.

Egypt, our beloved home, has gone through horrific and bloody events in our recent history. My parents lived through five wars in their youth.

As I started researching my novel's period, from 1946 to 1973, the story quickly got bigger and became larger than my parents' hardships and poverty. I found a history of our governments, previous and present, refusing to be held accountable. They label their crimes against humanity with words like "nationalism," "the true Egyptians," and "pure blood.”

I buried myself in research, trying to understand the drastic social and political changes in society and how the country turned from a cosmopolitan destination to a dictatorship, from a welcoming place for any faith to a place with only one.

I wanted to know what happened to the Egyptian Jewish community, once thriving, now a single-digit population in the country. Why did the Chalom series of movies by the Egyptian Jewish actor Leon Angel never air on national TV? Why did Egyptian Jewish actors and singers convert in the 1950s, flood the newspapers with images of their newfound faith, and declare their vows of loyalty to the new Arab republic, and why did those who didn't convert disappear? Why does Egyptian media sponsor antisemitic movies, TV shows, and written press?

I had many whys, and the answer, as heartbreaking as it is, wasn't a surprise, and it couldn't have been more relevant right now. During the presidency of Nasser from 1954-1970, the Arab nationalist president led a vicious campaign against Egyptian Jews, with tactics Hitler had already deployed 15 years earlier. "Them, They, Jewish wealth, the Jews are responsible for the crashing economy."

Soon the forgotten tragedy of Egyptian Jews started with the forced emigration of Jews. Nasser's regime stripped Egyptian Jews of citizenship and nationalized their wealth. Those who fought to stay in their homeland as their ancestors did were imprisoned and tortured. And those who had no other choice but to leave signed a "no-return" statement involuntarily.

Some argue that Egypt was in active war with Israel, and for "national security" reasons, the government did what they had to do. To this, I answer Egypt was at war with France and Britain, and we aren't in a cold war situation with either nation. The irony is those who use this excuse are ready to crucify the United States for the internment of Japanese Americans, as they should, but I find the hypocrisy laughable, as America issued an apology. As shallow as the apology is, it remains a step in the right direction. My country, to this day, denies any wrongdoings.

I found my novel taking a shape that would spark the Egyptian government's wrath. My historical fiction story is a mix of my mother's life woven with the modern and enforced exodus of Egyptian Jews, the unjust treatment of Copts, and the imprisonment of Muslims who refused to follow Nasser's path. I tell the stories of three families of a different faith who once co-existed peacefully, but with the political unrest in Egypt, their friendship scattered around Egypt, Palestine, Israel, and France.

I read the history of the Arab Nazis closely, and it saddens me that the pattern is repeating itself on a larger scale. Social media carry and spread hatred and misinformation targeting Jews. Famous singers use their platforms to normalize antisemitism. This time, it's a global plague carried by Trump and right-wing media in America and nationalists in Europe, and it never stopped in Egypt. Now I live in the United States and see a similar movement in the West.

I agonized over the darkness in our history. Watching soul-crushing documentaries like "Jews of Egypt" by Amir Ramses and "The Forgotten Refugees" by Michael Grynszpan, I wondered how we could ever heal from such a tragedy. But, being a resident here in Schloss Leopoldskron proves healing is possible. I learned about the Schloss' history and how the Nazis confiscated it during World War II. The beauty and peacefulness of this place stand as a testament to overcoming hate and that nature will always shine a light over darkness.

A short walk from my room to the pond soothes my soul. There, I don't think of the news or social media. I watch the swans swimming gracefully. I watch the ducks playing in the water and listen to the rustling trees, and I know deep in my bones that there is a space for love and togetherness.

I read memoirs like The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit by Lucette Lagnado while sitting in Max Reinhardt's Library. It's a beautiful library built by a Jewish director who emigrated to a foreign land due to persecution and the taking of Jewish properties by the Nazis. He died far away from home. It's a fitting place to read a book about an Egyptian Jewish family in exile, where the father dies in a foreign land without fulfilling his dream of seeing home one last time.

I struggle to express these tragedies in words. However, I find solace in the fact that the Schloss became a place of celebration for the arts and a venue for an open dialogue, a destination that is welcoming to all and a dedicated space for artists at risk.

And it is my hope that Egypt will confront its history and apologize, and bring home Egyptians in exile.

Before my residency at the Schloss, and with everything going on in the world, from the rise of antisemitism to the COVID-19 pandemic and the return of cholera in 2022, I found my words dry. How can one be creative when operating in survival mode?

Now that I'm in Salzburg, this breathtaking part of the world, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude. I grew up in the backstreets of Cairo in a cement box apartment shared by eight family members. I remember vividly when I was five years old. My mother placed the cooking pots on the floor to collect the rain dripping down from our damaged roof. Now, here I am, breathing fresh air and seeing the Alps. I am lucky, and I am grateful. Being surrounded by such beauty recharges my creativity and encourages me to continue my writing journey.

I want to thank Salzburg Global Seminar for this fantastic opportunity to work on my passion project and to see a world of magical beauty around me. It's an experience I will carry dear to my heart. And special thanks for actually helping artists who need the most help. While many international organizations offer fellowships and residencies, they often exclude people like me, Arabs, and Africans. Those opportunities are usually catered to Western passport holders. Thank you for including us and for taking a chance on us.