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Notes of Memory: Hope Through Art & Writing

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Notes of Memory: Hope Through Art & Writing “If we do not talk about it, if we do not report, then the world will never know.” -Henry Meyer, Holocaust Survivor Notes of Memory: Hope Through Art & Writing The Holocaust and Humanity Center (HHC) invites middle and high school students to participate in an art and essay showcase in reflection of hope. Using materials of your choice, middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12) students are asked to create an original piece of art or compose an essay which reflects on the theme of hope, as it relates to the story of Holocaust survivor and Cincinnatian, Henry Meyer (bio included). Students can submit their entries to HHC by Friday, January 5 by 4pm. In recognition of your creativity, a selection of art and essays will be chosen and displayed during our Violins of Hope concert on January 23. For more information, please contact Trinity Johnson at 513- 487-3055. Using Henry Meyer’s story please consider the following questions: What does hope mean to you? How do you think music provided hope for Henry? In your own life how have you found hope? How can art and music be a source of hope? How would you encourage others to remain hopeful? What is Violins of Hope? For decades, Israeli violinmaker, Amnon Weinstein, received violins that had been played by musicians during the Holocaust. In the 1990’s he began to restore these instruments with the help of his son, Avshi. These once vibrant, but then silenced violins were able to play again in concerts around the world and became known as the Violins of Hope. On Tuesday, January 23, 2018, HHC will bring these violins to the Cincinnati community for a unique concert event. This event will feature eight Holocaust-era violins that will be played by Cincinnati’s best musicians. The stories of each violin will be carefully woven into the concert. These violins witnessed the worst of humanity in ghettos and concentration camps, but serve as a symbol of hope and resistance. You can learn more about Violins of Hope here: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/restoring-hope-by-repairing-violins-of-the- holocaust/. Finding Hope Through Music: Henry Meyer Henry Meyer was born in Dresden, Germany in 1923. Henry and his younger brother, Joachim, were considered child prodigies; Henry on violin, Joachim on piano. Soon after Hitler came into power in 1933, Jewish musicians were expelled from German cultural life. In 1936, an opportunity arose for Henry to continue his musical studies and perform in Prague, Czechoslovakia (today Czech Republic). He became well known in Prague as a “wunderkind” and was soon invited back to his hometown of Dresden to play a concert on Kristallnacht, November 9, 1938. He and his father were arrested and after their release, Henry found that travel for Jews was prohibited, so he could not return to Prague. In an effort to continue playing, Henry joined the Judische Kulturbund in Berlin, which was a Jewish organization formed so that Jewish performers could continue composing and performing music. That organization was eventually prohibited in 1939, leaving Henry unable to perform. When the war broke out in 1939, Henry began working in a clock works factory for 12 hour days. He was sixteen years old. Henry’s parents, father Harry and mother Johanna, were deported from their home to Riga and murdered in 1942. One year later, Henry and his brother were rounded up and forced into cattle cars for a 1-2 day trip to Auschwitz. After prisoner intake including forced tattoos, Henry and Joachim were assigned for labor in Auschwitz III-Monowitz (Buna), a synthetic rubber factory. Joachim fell ill soon after arriving and died. Grieving for his brother and forced to work long hours outside in the winter doing construction work, Henry soon became sick. Henry was taken to the sick ward. As a prisoner, the sick ward was the last place you wanted to be because many patients were selected for the gas chambers if they could not work. Henry met a Jewish doctor there who had seen him perform in Germany. The doctor gave him the medication he desperately needed and got him assigned to indoor work, cleaning the barracks of the SS medical staff. When that job came to an end, Henry received a “request” to join the band at Auschwitz -Birkenau. Happy to have a violin back in in his hand, Henry would play various forms of music as prisoners were marched to and from work. There were several other musical outlets throughout the camp and at one point, Henry was placed in the marching band. Violins were not typical for marching bands; therefore, Henry did not want to be dismissed, so he told them he was a virtuoso on the cymbals (which he wasn’t). In fall of 1944, the Russians were approaching the camp so the Nazis began forcing prisoners back to Germany in order to eliminate evidence of what they had done. First, Henry was transported by railcar to Ohrdruf concentration camp, then marched towards Buchenwald. During the march, Henry and three of his friends escaped from the group and waited for the American front to reach them. Two weeks later, Henry was free and in Paris where General Eisenhower’s staff arranged for Henry to immigrate to the United States in 1948. In New York, Henry began to rebuild his life through music by studying at Julliard. He would later be a founding member of the world renowned LaSalle Quartet, comprised of three other Holocaust survivors, which Henry performed with for 40 years. Henry taught music for 53 years at the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music. He died in 2006. General Submission Guidelines Showcase is open to any student (in grades 6 through 12). Only one entry per person, but multiple entries per school are welcomed. The final date to submit your entry is Friday, January 5, by 4pm. Artists whose work will be showcased will be notified by Friday, January 12. Art or writing that includes violence will not be accepted. All entrants are invited to attend Violins of Hope on January 23, 2018. Essay submissions should be emailed to [email protected]. Art submissions may be mailed or dropped off to the address: Holocaust & Humanity Center Attn: Violins of Hope 8401 Montgomery Road Cincinnati, OH 45236 Submission Guidelines for Artwork: Create an original work of art that reflects on the universal theme of hope. The finished work must be 2 dimensional, no larger than 24 in x 24 in. Use one or a combination of: pencil, markers, sharpies, paint, pastels, oil pastels, photography, mixed media, charcoal, textiles (non-perishable materials only). Must have fixative, where applicable. Unframed and not matted. For original artwork, please submit a rationale that includes the following information: ___ Title of the work and name of artist ___ Resources consulted ___ Brief explanation of work (50-100 words) and how it relates to the theme of hope. Submission Guidelines for Essays: An original essay reflecting on the universal theme of hope. Essay should be no shorter than 1 typed page, but not exceed 3 typed pages (300-1200 words). Submit your essay electronically to [email protected]. Notes of Memory: Hope Through Art & Writing First Name: __________________ Last Name:____________________ Home Address:______________________________________________ City:___________________ State:_________ Zip Code:____________ Home Phone Number (include area code):_______________________ Email Address:______________________________________________ Alternate Email Address: _____________________________________ Name of Artwork/Essay_______________________________________ School:________________________________Grade:______________ Teacher’s Name:____________________________________________ .
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