34 Jewish survivor voices by Diana Azadzoi
Listening to stories of survival
| Curriculum context | VCE Unit 1 Modern History (VCAA, 2020) |
| Historical context | Post World War One ideologies; Nazi,Germany |
| Historical thinking concepts | Exploring historical perspectives
Use primary sources as evidence |
| Learning intentions | To explore different historical perspectives from Jewish survivors of Nazi, the Holocaust. |
Activity
In this activity, you will explore the diverse experiences of Australian Jews in Nazi Germany by visiting the digital exhibition, Closer: Portraits of Survival at the Sydney Jewish Museum.
These stories will help you to understand the adversity experienced and the systematic execution of millions of innocent Jewish people. By exploring the voices and narratives of these people, history then seems to become a personal and emotional tale, reminding us of our social responsibility to retell the stories of those individuals whose lives were affected. A second key element is to preserve memory through primary sources. Recording and preserving diary journals, excerpts, testimonies/and or artefacts, ensures that experiences and atrocities are not forgotten – serving as a valuable resource that future generations can remember and honour.
Read the stories of at least four survivors form Closer: Portraits of Survival and complete the following:
1. Extended response: Use the guiding questions to help you write a 500 word response that responds to this statement from the exhibition introduction:
“Through the eyes of survivors, we can begin to understand the enduring and profoundly human impact of the Holocaust” (Sydney Jewish Museum, n.d). Discuss.
Guiding questions
How do these sources provide insight to the experiences, challenges or strategies for survival?
What were the common themes identified from the different experiences?
How did the Jewish communities portray strength and resilience in the face of horror?
How do these stories/testimonies shape your understanding of the impact of Nazism and the Holocaust?
How do the artefacts help to tell these stories?
Why preserve these stories and historical sources?
2. Email: Draft an email that you could send to the Sydney Jewish Museum communicating your response to the exhibition.
3. Virtual museum visit: Find another Holocaust Museum to visit anywhere in the world and see if they have digital exhibitions. Then pair up and share what you learnt from your virtual visit.
References
Sydney Jewish Museum. (n.d). Closer: Portraits of Survival https://www.exhibitions.sydneyjewishmuseum.com.au/exhibition/closer-portraits-of-survival/?_g l=1*1esj4l6*_ga*NDcwMzE3MTI5LjE2OTE3MDgxMzE.*_ga_MK2FRKLHQ8*MTY5MTcy ODk2Mi4zLjEuMTY5MTcyOTAyNy41OC4wLjA.
VCAA. (2020). VCE Study Design: History 2022-2026. Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority.https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/curriculum/vce/vce-study-designs/history/Pages/index.aspx
