I took a road trip to Washington, D.C. this week for two reasons. Cherry Blossoms and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Beauty and the Beast. One a gift from Japan to further enhance a growing friendship. The other a place to never forget one of the world's most horrific atrocities. My visit was defined by diametrically opposed destinations.
We are the shoes from grandchildren and grandfathers
from Prague, Paris and Amsterdam.
And because we are only made of fabric and leather
and not of blood and flesh,
each one of us avoided the hellfire."
-Moses Schulstein (Yiddish poet)
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, D.C.
(miniscule sampling of victim's confiscated shoes)
I had previously visited the United States Holocaust Memorial in 1993. The same year the museum opened its doors. I hesitate to say it is my "favorite" museum because that connotes happy feelings. But it truly IS my favorite museum because I have never been moved emotionally within the walls of a museum, as I am here. So I wanted to revisit, and to take Thing #2 with me.
"Face to Face with History"
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, D.C.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, D.C.
The Holocaust. A very complex system of mass extermination driven by not so complex motives...intolerance and hate.
"Tower of Faces"
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, D.C.
(single small town on the border of Poland and Lithuania where the Jewish population was wiped out)
I was not disappointed after my second visit. Instead, I was even more moved. More years of life and a more mature perspective. More years of seeing both the best AND the worst in people. I share with you just a couple of photographs of displays that impacted my emotions most profoundly. Some are simple. Some quite complex.
"Ray of Light"
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, D.C.
(interior of German transport railway car)
"Never Forget"
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, D.C.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, D.C.
Jews: 6 million
People with disabilities: 250,000
Roma (gypsies): 220,000
Jehovah's Witnesses: 2,000
Repeat criminal offenders and so-called "asocials": 70,000
"Those who can not remember the past are doomed to repeat it" (George Santayana). Never forget.
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I feel the memories through your screen. I was once there at 10. I think it's time for a return trip.
ReplyDeleteWe say "zachor" (remember) - the last survivors are dying, it's our turn to keep their memories alive.
Touching post. I would love to visit someday.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are very moving. I can't imagine how it would feel to be in the actual museum. I spent many months in D.C. as a student. I didn't have the opportunity to visit this museum. Since the museum is free, you have to go early to get entry tickets. i twas always sold out when I tried to enter.
ReplyDeleteWhat sobering photos. You captured the story well, even though it is a horrible chapter in human history.
ReplyDeleteI have been there. How we grieve the heart of God by the things we do to each other. Words such as "tragedy" and "atrocity" don't begin to describe the horrible enormity of these events.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing here. I hope you will link up at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-endless-variety-of-orchids.html.
We must never forget.
Very moving. I've been to a concentration camp in Europe and it was heart breaking.
ReplyDeleteI hate to say that these are beautiful images, but you have captured them so beautifully. When I lived in Germany, we traveled a lot and one of the places we visited was the Auschwitz Concentration Camp which is now a museum . It was quite moving to see the gas chambers and incinerators. The larger than life art on the walls was quite tear jerking.
ReplyDeleteFIrst of all... wow, fantastic pictures! I went to that museum with my mom I thnk in the year 200 and it moved us to pieces, I remember that feeling as if it was yesterday. And yes I agree with you, it is also my favorite museum, not in a happy way. On the same note a few years ago while in Amsterdam we took our girls to Anna Frank´s house....so heartbreaking, intense yet necessary feelings to feel to be better humans! Great post!
ReplyDeleteA very emotional evoking post and photo's. The first photo of the discarded shoes really brought a lump to my throat before I even began reading. "Lest we Forget"
ReplyDeleteWhen I made my trip to DC several years ago, the Holocaust museum was the only one that I *had* to go to. As you say, it was powerful and amazing in so many ways. I don't know how you can go there, see those things, and believe that it didn't happen. Thank you for sharing with us at Photo Friday
ReplyDeleteThe Holocaust Museum is a gripping place that leaves one thoughtful for the rest of the day. It is one of the most well-done museums in the DC area and they have a lot of good ones. Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteI really wanted to go to DC for the peak bloom season but didn't make it - I have been to the Holocaust Museum though and it is a very humbling place. Thanks for linking up to #WeekendWanderlust :)
ReplyDeleteYour pictures are very moving. The museum sounds much like Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum in Israel: very emotional. It's important that people visit these museums, and that we continue to take future generations there as well.
ReplyDeleteWow. I'm am so moved by this post. Your images are beautiful. I agree we must never forget.
ReplyDeleteYou've done this post such justice. Beautiful and moving all in one. I have a book on the holocaust and there is one photo (of many ) that just completely unravels me every time I see it. It is 4-5 little children standing in a row staring at the cameraman. They are just about to meet their fate, and the looks on the faces of the babies(they are all so little) just hurts me so much. I could always see my children in their faces. It's just unreal.
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ReplyDelete