Cultural Objects as a Path of Entry to Holocaust Education

Bringing survivors and heirs together with cultural objects that once marked family memory is an important journey of reconciliation and justice. However, it is expected that large numbers of users will not have a scholarly interest or personal link to the objects. Instead, many users will turn to the JDCRP database to learn more about the historical and contemporary significance of cultural theft.

Therefore, a function of critical importance for the JDCRP database will be the ways in which it can be used for educational purposes, stimulating interest, and expanding knowledge in this little recognized chapter of the Holocaust. The JDCRP Foundation will work with partners in the educational and academic arenas to develop educational material depicting the nature and complexity of the theft of cultural objects.

With the passing of the generation of survivors, cultural objects acquire greater interest as a path of entry into the history of the Holocaust. Educational material sponsored by the JDCRP Foundation, in cooperation with partner organizations and educational experts, will help make the history of the cultural theft an integral part of Holocaust studies. Interactive digital techniques will be used to create material of particular interest to a generation raised with Internet and social media.

By studying the journeys of stolen cultural objects, students and the interested general public can better gauge the impact of the theft on Jewish lives and communities and the loss to European cultural life and heritage. The modules can help illustrate the contributions of Jewish artists, collectors, and others engaged in the cultural world. The material can shine a spotlight on these undeservedly forgotten personalities by reconstructing their lives and telling their stories.