U.S. Holocaust Museum
Please your thoughts about our visit to the museum. What stood out to you? Why? Were there any things you feel you understand better from seeing the exhibit than just reading books. Was there anything that you found particularly emotionally moving?
April 14th, 2008 at 9:00 am
I think the museum achieved the right balance between educating visitors on the politics behind Hitler/the Nazi party’s rise to power (their propaganda etc.), and on the atrocities/degradation the Jews suffered. I would not have wanted to see too much attention paid to the Nazi’s themselves. Hearing the 1st-hand survivor accounts is a critical piece in the education process for visitors.
For me, the videos depicting the Allied rescues were the most emotionally moving aspect of the experience. The video showed prisoners being loaded onto stretchers to receive help–hard not to cry watching that. They could not believe their ordeal was finally over.During the tour, we read about Jews who died “weeks” before the Allied invasions. The obvious reaction is “why couldn’t it have been sooner?”
Also, the synagogue arc that was knifed up by the Nazi’s; they destroyed the Hebrew words that said, “Know before whom you stand.” I was struck by the viciousness of the knife marks scratching out those words–I won’t forget that.
The crematorium exhibit was so detailed, it left nothing to the imagination. We’ve done a lot of reading on the subject but nothing compared to actually seeing the crematorium model.
April 14th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Overall, I have to say that I was quite impressed with the Holocaust Museum. The layout is very user-friendly, even for those who know nothing of the Holocaust. From the rise of Nazism to anti-semitism, exterimination, rescue and survivor’s stories; it is all there.
For me, the most moving exhibit were the shoes. Immediately upon entering the room I could smell the old leather. As I looked at the shoes; ballet slippers, men and women’s work shoes, children’s shoes; I imagined the feet that once occupied them. I had a lump in my throat the whole time and struggled with my emotions. For me, the shoes told the whole story!
Another exhibit that stood out was the clay exhibit of the extermination process. It was so detailed; if one looked close you could even see expressions on the faces of the inmates.
I also found myself glued to the stories and picture accounts of the Allied forces entering and rescuing surviviors of the camps. Eisenhower stated that he wanted to be there to be an eye-witness so that there could never be any denial of the existance of the camps.
Another moving moment was when I was looking at the drawings of the Children in the Ghettos. They were very detailed and told the whole story! I was reading their names and birth dates and of all the ones on the wall I only found one survivor; VERY VERY SAD!!!!
Certainly the survivors stories was a very relevant part of the exhibit. Their eye-witness testimony can never be denied and it is the sorrow in their voices that radiates the truth of what happened and what should never happen again!
Bravo to the architects, founders and members of the Museum who have put together quite an impressive exhibit that I certainly will want to visit again. (when it is less crowded, if that is possible!)
April 14th, 2008 at 10:02 am
I thought the museum was the perfect way to conclude our studies in this class because it encapsulated everything we’ve read about and provided visuals to go with the material that in many cases we’ve only imagined so far. I agree with Jamie that the resin model of the gas chambers and crematoria, showing everything in such detail, really was extremely impactful and drove home the horror of what the victims went through in such precise detail. I liked the way the museum was organized so that the visitor flowed through the material in chronological order, and I liked how it ended in the memorial hall.
For me, the most impactful material in the museum were the video accounts by the survivors. To listen to them tell the stories of what they went through and to see the emotion in their eyes, and hear the emotion in their voice, was the best way for the victim’s experience to be conveyed.
I agree with Jamie that the synogogue argue with the scratched out Hebrew statement really made such a statement about the vicious sentiment of the Nazis. And for me also the cattle car and the shock I felt at seeing how small it was and imaginging 100 people in there and the suffering they must have endured.
It was a great experience, and also a great day to connect with my classmates - there is nothing I didn’t like about it (except the crowds and the cranky staff at the cafeteria!
April 14th, 2008 at 10:03 am
…synogogue ARCH, not argue! Boy my brain must be tired today.
April 14th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
I had been to the Museum many years ago when I was playing a soccer tournament in D.C. We went to the museum in between games, as a way to pass time, or stay warm or whatever- not for its educational purpose. I have always remembered the weight of the museum, as well as the impressive design. What other museum do you walk into, and immediately have the sensation of being in a busy factory?
This time however was different. I was packed full of information, in no rush, and ready to see the culmination of our class experience. It was an equally weighted visit, but this time there were faces, stories, and historic pictures that I had learned about and come to value. I really enjoyed the the end, where there were the names of the people who helped people to survive- Irene (the Catholic woman we read about) was on there.
I think the most difficult part of the whole experience was the shoes, the hair, and then the pictures and models of the camp life. That made everything more real. To see what some one ate out of, and slept on was hard. Makes things personal. It was visible misery.
Im glad I went… who knows, maybe I have a third visit in me. I want to see the Olympics exhibit.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
One of the most interesting facts I learned during Sunday’s trip to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum was that the Jewish population in the 1930s in various parts of Europe was shockingly minuscule. In most cases, Jewish citizens made up less than 1 percent of the total population. This was surprising to me given the fact that Jews were portrayed as “international threats” to both economic and social order. Another fact that saddens me is that 50 percent of prisoners who were alive in Auschwitz at the time of liberation, died within a few days for various reasons, including sickness and overeating.
However, for me, the most compelling part of the museum was hearing the voices and seeing the faces of Holocaust survivors. For example, in “Voices of Auschwitz,” a female survivor explained how she couldn’t quite describe the extent of the hunger she experienced. She said, “How do I describe hunger to someone who’s probably had lunch and dinner?…hunger is when you’re willing to sell your soul for a piece of bread.” The recordings of survivors ensure that 100 years from now, the Holocaust will not be a faded memory; their stories will still be told and they will continue to have an impact on future generations.
April 15th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
This visit to The Holocaust Museum was my first. I was struck by a sense of serenity and dignity throughout the building and the planning and presentation of each and every exhibit was well thought out and perfectly appropriate to its theme.
Two things stood out: one was the exhibit on the resistance fighters from all over Europe. To see the faces and read their stories was inspiring and profound. But the deepest impact was the footbridge re-creation from the Warsaw Ghetto and the ghetto displays. I stood for a long time at the Warsaw Ghetto documentary and was in disbelief at the images I saw. To think that someone stood at these places and filmed. Who exactly were they? and how could they film little children sitting in the street, too weak to move or cry? In still photos, we see the emaciated faces and tattered clothing, but to see the victims moving through their difficult life was hard and gave me a remorseful feeling of ingratitute for the life I have.
I will return to the Museum to see more, to understand things better and to try to become a better person from knowing this.
April 16th, 2008 at 8:16 am
I thought I had submitted a blog already but it’s not here now.
Anyway, I had said that I thought the museum was visitor-friendly as you really didn’t need to know anything about the Holocaust. It was layed out in such a way that it took you through the events that led to the “Final Solution” and beyond.
I was emotionally disturbed by the shoe display. Looking at the shoes of the children, ballet slippers, work boots; I found myself fighting back tears and had a lump in my throat. I will never forget the smell of the old leather and the thought of all the innocents that those shoes at one time belonged to!
Other striking exhibits included the detailed model of the crematorium. You could even see the expressions of the faces of the clay figurines. The children’s paintings in the ghettos held a special place in my heart. I really was amazed at the talent of the children’ their detail of the life in and about the ghettos. I could only find one child that actually survived.
I definitely will re-visit the museum, hopefully when it isn’t as crowded.
Bravo to the museum architects, curators and others that were involved in the formation of the Holocaust Museum. It is a magnificent museum!!
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:40 am
There were many things in the museum that stood out to me, but what I found most interesting were the artifacts. These were also the most emotionally moving aspects of the museum. The display that featured small personal items, such as glasses, scissors, combs, clothes hangers and etc., caught my attention. These were items that were once a part of the everyday lives of many people. These normal everyday items were taken away from people signaling the end of their normal everyday existence. Another artifact that stood out for me was the cattle car. The look and smell from the inside was haunting. It made me wonder how many people were forced into this one car and how many may have been killed. The most disturbing and emotionally moving artifacts were the Zyklon-B canisters. I don’t know if anyone cannot be moved when they see this display. I just could not stop thinking that these canisters were responsible for the deaths of thousands. This trip to the museum was an experience that I’m thankful that I had and I have encouraged others to make the same trip.
April 27th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
I was impressed with how tasteful exhibits were, consdiering how awful they could have been. If anything was particularly graphic it was secluded or located in a way that you would have to make an overall effort to see it. There was a perfect combinbation of text and graphics and the artifacts that were on display were well-placed and very effective. I have been to DC many times but I guess had never been “in the mood” to spend a great deal of time at the Holocaust Museum. I am very glad that a visit to this museum was a part of the course.