« HW40 3 Brothers Sacrifice their teenage years to Help their Family Survive | Main | HW42 podcast link »
Extra: took a trip to the USHMM
By pianofanatic | April 14, 2008
This past weekend I went along with a group of people to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC. Some people were Holocaust Studies Minors, while others were simply going along for the ride, the adventure and the new experience. I have now taken one full class in Holocaust studies and will complete my second at the end of this month. Though the trip was not very long, (only Friday afternoon to Sunday morning) I did still feel I had an introduction to the museum. The last time I went was when I was twelve years old. At that time I went through with my father. I remembered some of the Daniel’s Story exhibit, an exhibit for children that brings the children through a boy’s life. Starting with his life before World War II and progressing into the hardships he and his family faced as the Nazis gained more and more power and influence. Food shortages, ghetto life and the loss of his mother and sister are portrayed visually through a tour of his recreated ghetto house. The scenes reminded me of both a universal haunted house tour and a Waldorf child’s’ world. I thought this exhibit was perhaps the most effective of all because it brought this boy’s life to reality through all the visual aids and recreations.
Before I went through Daniel’s Story I started on the fourth floor with everyone else. Some people combed through the museum reading every single note and going quite slowly, but I went through with a less fine comb. We first had about two hours on our own to browse at our own pace. I read about the pre-war years, 1933 to 1939. These years were the ones during which Hitler rose to power and the exhibit then described the reasons around it. Then on the third floor was the deportations, 1940 to 1945.
The most powerful and moving part of the entire museum was the hall of pictures. These pictures told stories of over 100 families from one town in Europe and all were unique. The few survivors from this town collected these pictures; the two new parents with their infant daughter, the teenage girl lighting a cigarette, the eight brothers and sisters lined up from youngest to oldest. All these pictures were so incredibly moving. They made me think of what life would be like if everyone you held close to your heart was wrenched away from you and killed. I stood and imagined the lives behind the different photos. The adorable babies, the sisters, the mothers, fathers, families, all smiling, laughing, swimming, the photos are timeless. Two girls in tutus made me think of when I was young and did ballet. Tears came to my eyes when I thought of how empty I would feel without every one of my family members.
Topics: Uncategorized |