Selected dates:

July 5, 1902

Born in the town of Molodechno (Vilna province, Russian Empire, now the Republic of Belarus).

At the beginning of the First World War, after the tsarist government evicted the Jewish population from the front line, the family moved to Tambov.

1916—1917

Attended the evening class at V. N. Perelman’s drawing school.

1919

The family attempted to return to Molodechno, but by that time the city had already become Polish, as a result the family settled in Minsk, where Axelrod made a living by advertising posters for cinemas and graduated from college.

1919—1920

He served as a draftsman for the Communications Department of the Western Front of the Red Army in Minsk, attended the Proletkult art studio under the direction of V.F. Shtranich in Smolensk, and taught drawing in Minsk schools.

1921

For the first time I took part in an exhibition of Belarusian artists.

1921—1927

Studied at VKHUTEMAS.

1928—1932

He taught at VKHUTEIN (Higher Art and Technical Institute) and the Textile Institute.

1930—1931

Twice he visited the agricultural commune "Voyo Novo" (named in Esperanto), founded by Jews returning from Palestine; observations and sketches in the commune had a strong influence on the artist's further work.

Since 1931

Together with many famous artists, he fell under the campaign to combat formalism. He was forced to switch to book illustration and work in the theater.

1932

Joined the Moscow Union of Artists.

1941

Axelrod's family was evacuated to Tambov, where they were during the First World War. Meer Axelrod himself remained in Moscow.

1941—1943

He was evacuated to Almaty, where he provided support to Jewish refugees from Poland.

1944

A personal exhibition of the artist took place in Almaty.

1966

After the war, he participated in a group exhibition in Moscow on Kuznetsky Most.

1968

Personal exhibition in Rostov-on-Don, Russia.

January 10, 1970

He died of an undiagnosed heart attack and was buried in the old, Jewish part of the Vostryakovsky cemetery.