Fragments In Focus: A History of the Holocaust

Fragments in Focus: A History of the Holocaust brings together more than 160 objects from the collection of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. These fragments of history once belonged to local survivors, eyewitnesses and historians in British Columbia. Gathered here for visitors to explore, these personal objects focus a deeply human lens on the history of the Holocaust.

We invite you to enter the online exhibition through one of three historical eras: Pre-war Life, The Holocaust, or Aftermath. Navigate the thematic galleries in each era to discover its primary sources –– the original artefacts, documents, photographs, and eyewitness accounts from that era. Zoom in on objects presented in 3D format or trace the journey of a Jewish family on the interactive map. Hear the survivors share their stories in the many video testimony clips.

Meaningful engagement with these primary sources of history is supported by student activities found throughout the site and a teacher’s guide for educators.

Introduction to the Online Exhibition

Transcript

[Text: Fragments in Focus: A History of the Holocaust]

[Text: Dr. Ilona Spaar, Curator of Fragments in Focus: A History of the Holocaust]

Hi, I am Ilona Shulman Spaar, and I am the curator of this online exhibition. This exhibition is based on an original physical exhibition developed by the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, VHEC, in 2018. The Holocaust stands apart as an unprecedented event in the most violent century in human history.

Between 1933 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators carried out the systematic and state-sponsored persecution and mass murder of six million European Jews and five million non-Jews. While words and statistics often are inadequate to capture the magnitude of these losses, this online exhibition focuses on personal artefacts of victims, survivors, and eyewitnesses. They provide visitors like you with the rare opportunity to learn about the Holocaust through the powerful lens of individual experiences. This exhibition features more than 80 artefacts and archival records from the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre's collection. Each artefact and document tells a unique and intimate story, be it of individual loss, resistance, resilience, survival, and hope. There are multiple entry points to engage with the artefacts and documents.

You may want to navigate through this exhibition by following a chronological order, by following the different eras including prewar Jewish life, the Holocaust, and its aftermath. You may want to engage with reflection videos. They provide behind-the-scene glimpses by community members including a Holocaust survivor, an artefact collector, and the historian. You may want to explore the three dimensional representations of some of the artefacts. This feature allows you to zoom in and to rotate the artefact. If you like maps, you may want to examine our interactive map that tells the story of one particular family and their escape from Nazi Germany. If you are a teacher or student, you may want to check out our learning resources. They include student activities and foster further engagement with primary sources. They support you in your classroom or remote learning setting.

I thank you for your commitment to learn about the Holocaust and hope that this online exhibition provides you with a rich visitor experience.

Meet exhibition curator Dr. Ilona Spaar in a brief introduction to the online exhibition. You will learn what to expect and the importance of personal artefacts. (3 minutes 13 seconds)