Public History UBC 595
Exhibitions
From January to April 2024, UBC graduate students in INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC HISTORY (HIST 595A) studied with Dr. Richard Menkis. As part of their course, they gained practical experience at the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre by researching special topics in the archives and producing online exhibitions and podcast episodes. We are pleased to share their final projects.
A Many-Sided Story: Canada and the Holocaust, 1933–1947
Mike Silk
Canada’s response to the events of the Holocaust reflected the many attitudes at play during the 1930s and 1940s. Although the country’s armed forces were instrumental in the defeat of Nazism in Europe, antisemitism pervaded Canadian society. Such hatred not only divided the citizenry but also affected the highest levels of government and influenced many of Canada’s Depression-era and wartime policies. This exhibit is meant to illustrate the complicated history that constitutes Canada’s response to the Holocaust both at home and overseas.
Resilience and Survival: Stories of Hidden Children During the Holocaust
Liliya Ozdemir
The Holocaust, orchestrated by the Nazi regime during World War II, inflicted unimaginable suffering upon millions of innocent victims, including six million Jews. Among those targeted were countless children who endured persecution, separation from their families, and the constant threat of deportation to ghettos, concentration camps or extermination centres. Seeking refuge in hiding, many found shelter in attics, cellars, forests and with sympathetic families, evading capture and certain death.
Each child’s experience was unique, shaped by individual circumstances and the actions of those who provided refuge. Despite the uncertainty surrounding their numbers, the bravery and resilience of these hidden children stand as a testament to the human spirit amidst unfathomable adversity.
Video Testimony as Therapy and Education
Dana King
This exhibition presents the history of the video documentation project started by Dr. Robert Krell. It explores his motivations and methodology in recording Holocaust survivor testimony. Using, David Gold’s video testimony as a case study of how his son, Joe Gold, was inspired by his father’s recording to explore family history and write the book Two Pieces of Cloth.
From Invasion to Deportation: Life and Death in the Łódź Ghetto
Theo van Beusekom
The Łódź ghetto is both similar to and distinct from other ghettos. It was the site of immense suffering, disease, overcrowding, starvation, death, culture and resistance. However, Łódź was perhaps the most isolated ghetto. It was tightly sealed. Its residents were starved and could not leave to find food. Smuggling or trading with the outside world was nearly impossible.
This exhibit explores life and death in the Łódź ghetto from before its formation in 1939 to its final liquidation in 1944 primarily through the testimony of Holocaust survivors, Bronia Sonnenschein and Sid Eibschutz. Both survivors were in Łódź prior to invasion and were part of the final deportations. Their experiences cannot speak for the whole of Łódź ghetto inhabitants, but their testimony offers a window into understanding how lives were lived and lost in the second largest ghetto during the Holocaust.
This is the second year Richard Menkis has partnered with the VHEC. We thank all the HIST 595 students for contributions.
