Art and the Holocaust

Ms. Smith,

I know that you are teaching a Holocaust unit and I have compiled some resources that will help you to teach the concept through primary sources. Please let me know if you need any help from me with the unit and I would like to know if I was able to help you or if you suggest that I change any of the resources. Thanks for your time!

Art and the Holocaust:  Example 1: Paintings and Drawings of Life in the Camps

 http://www.remember.org/komski/index.html

 Shows drawings from prisoners drawn in the camp.

 Example 2: Art in response to the Holocaust

 http://fcit.usf.edu/HOLOCAUST/RESOURCE/GALLERY/DACB.HTM

 Memorial to the survivors at Dachau concentration camp

 Example 3: Art sponsored by the Nazis.

 http://www.thirdreichruins.com/kunsthaus5a.htm

 Statues from the “Official Sculptor” of the Third Reich, Josef Thorak

 http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/sturm28.htm

 Propaganda art

Online Field Trip through the Holocaust Museum:  Pictures

 Pictures of Elie Wiesel at Auschwitz and after liberation

 Photos from Auschwitz album donated to Yad Vashem by Lili Jacob

 Videos

 Encountering Auschwitz (click on link)

 Auschwitz through the lens of the SS

 Remember the Children: Daniel’s Story  Provides an online look of the exhibit in the museum

 Remarks from survivor Eli Wiesel:

 Elie Wiesel’s remarks regarding genocide in the Sudan.

 Elie Wiesel’s remarks at the dedication of the National Holocaust Museum.

 Interview: Memory and Witness with Elie Wiesel

Picture Book …I NEVER SAW ANOTHER BUTTERFLY… CHILDREN'S DRAWINGS AND POEMS FROM TEREZIN CONCENTRATION CAMP 1942-1944

Volavkova, H. (1993). I Never Saw Another Butterfly. New York: Schocken Books, Inc.

EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK

This activity could be used as a hook for the beginning of the Holocaust unit. The example below is from the Houston Holocaust Museum which sponsors the Butterfly Project to honor the 1.5 million children that died in the Holocaust.

 Activity:

 Teacher begins the lesson by reading the poem “Butterfly” aloud to the class. Students may then read the poem together using chorale reading.

 Teacher will lead a class discussion about the poem questioning students about their reaction/feelings to the poem.

 Teacher will introduce students to the book, …I never saw a butterfly…; explaining the authors, historical significance and purpose for the book being written.

 Assign one poem to each student. Students should read the poem silently and write a reading response describing their feelings about their poem. Students will then discuss their poems with a neighbor using Think-Pair-Share.

 After students have begun to feel comfortable with their poem, they will use art materials to create a butterfly that represents the author of their poem. The butterflies will be displayed around the room.

 As students continue their study of the Holocaust, the butterflies will remain displayed throughout the room. At the end of the unit, the student will be told the fate of the author of their poem. If their author did not survive their butterfly is removed. The result will be very few butterflies remaining around the room.