Otte Wallish

Otte Wallish (Hebrew: אוטה וליש; 1906–1977) was a Czech–Jewish artist and émigré to Mandatory Palestine who established himself as a graphic designer and contributed to the symbolic self-representation of the newly founded State of Israel as a Jewish state. Born in Znojmo, Austria-Hungary, Wallish studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna before emigrating to Mandatory Palestine in 1934. He played a significant role in shaping the visual identity of the nascent State of Israel, most notably by designing the scroll for the Israeli Declaration of Independence and the country's first postage stamps, known as the Doar Ivri series. Wallish's work extended to various aspects of Israel's national symbolism, including the design of coins, banknotes, medals, and logos for major corporations. He also created posters promoting Zionism and Jewish immigration to Israel. His contributions to Israeli visual culture spanned from the pre-state period through the early decades of independence, making him a key figure in the development of Israeli graphic design and national iconography.