The Arizona Jewish Historical Society will display “Stories of Survival: An Immersive Journey through the Holocaust,” a new exhibit that features a holographic-like video of a local holocaust survivor, in Phoenix on Nov. 9, also known as Kristallnacht Remembrance Day.
As World War II and the holocaust get pushed further into history, it becomes even more important to archive the memories of past events so that generations to come can remember. This compelling museum will showcase experiences to help visitors learn and understand the impact of the holocaust on the Jewish community and how the public can carry the stories and lessons with them.
“We are humbled to preserve the stories of those who endured the horrific events that occurred during the holocaust,” said Lawrence Bell, executive director of AZJHS. “Our hope is that Oskar’s story will live on to teach others about the power of our words and actions. This new exhibit is meant to inform and educate the public about the dangers of hate speech and the idea that any race, religion or background is above others.”
The Phoenix installation will be one of only 12 locations worldwide to feature a holographic-like video of a local holocaust survivor. There will be an interactive real time Q & A holographic of Oskar Knoblauch, a local survivor of the holocaust who has made it his mission to never let the horrors of the Holocaust be forgotten.
The Shoah Foundation’s “Dimensions in Testimony” is a 3D life size holographic of Knoblauch that “comes alive” as he educates by answering questions from visitors with his true story and the story of others who were affected by the holocaust. The horrors he experienced will live on to teach the lessons he learned of treating humans with respect, understanding self-love and loving others through hardship and being an upstander who speaks up for those being bullied and mistreated by their peers.
“I had a fulfilling and quite memorable childhood until in 1933 when at the age of eight, my life was shattered by the onset of Nazism,” Knoblauch said. “Hitler spread propaganda that Jews were a horrible, dirty and evil race. My family was none of these and I hope people can learn from my experience.”
The second immersive and educational experience will be a virtual walk-through of a concentration camp with the utilization of VR. A 360-degree, virtual reality experience will captivate visitors with an Oculus Quest Meta head and hand controlled video. Visitors will be immersed in the powerful 16-minute award-winning Shoah Foundation virtual-reality film, “The Last Goodbye,” that transports viewers inside the Nazi death camp Majdanek in Poland.
The Arizona Jewish Historical Society preserves and celebrates the rich heritage of Arizona’s Jewish communities; educates the public about the Jewish historical experience, including the Holocaust; and promotes awareness of the state’s diverse history through arts, culture and educational programming. The Arizona Jewish Historical Society is located at 122 E. Culver Street in Phoenix.
For more information on the Arizona Jewish Historical Society, visit azjhs.org.
