New York Museum Shows Art by Holocaust Victims
2020-01-22
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1Michael Morris is a curator with New York's Museum of Jewish Heritage.
2He was trying to fulfill a common request when he uncovered a number of artworks.
3They were images of the Holocaust, by people who were there.
4Using those works, Morris put together a show of art.
5Many are by some of the 6 million Jews killed by the Nazis in the 1930s and 40s.
6The show is "against and educates about the dangers of anti-Semitism, racism, bigotry of any kind," said Morris.
7He added, "We see hundreds of thousands of people in concentration camps. These are actual people who had multi-faceted lives."
8Among them was 12-year-old Helga Weissova.
9She brought art supplies with her when she was sent to Terezin concentration camp, north of Prague, in October 1944.
10Before she was forced to go to Auschwitz, another prisoner gave the drawings to her uncle. He hid them behind a wall.
11Auschwitz was the infamous Nazi concentration camp in southern Poland.
12Her 1943 work in colored pencil on paper is called "Transport Leaving Terezin."
13It shows guards with guns watching a group of prisoners carrying their few belongings.
14Weissova is now in her 90s and living in Prague.
15But many of the artists never made it out of the deadly camps.
16Peter Loewenstein of Czechoslovakia was sent in 1941 to Terezin.
17He gave 70 drawings to his mother before he was forced to go in 1944 to Auschwitz.
18His mother and sister would soon be sent to Auschwitz as well.
19Before they left, they gave the art to a family friend.
20His sister was the only family member who survived the camp.
21She recovered the works after the war, including "Eight Men in Coats with Stars."
22It is a 1944 ink on paper picture of Jews forced to wear a Star of David on their clothing for identification.
23There is also a powerful watercolor by Marvin Halye, a member of the 104th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army.
24His division liberated - or, freed - Nordhausen concentration camp in Germany in 1945.
25After seeing the few surviving prisoners covering thousands of bodies, he rushed to paint "Civilians Covering Corpses."
26The show opens as anti-Semitic hate crimes increase across the United States.
27Many have happened in New York City, home to the largest Jewish community outside of Israel.
28Anti-Jewish hate crimes in New York in 2019 were at a 28-year high, said professor Brian Levin.
29He is director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University in San Bernardino.
30In the most recent attack, a man with a machete wounded five people.
31They were gathered last month for a Hanukkah celebration at the home of a rabbi, just outside the city.
32A few weeks earlier, a shooting at a Jewish market in nearby Jersey City, New Jersey, killed two men.
33Hate crimes are increasing at a time when many Americans lack general knowledge of the Holocaust.
34The largest lack of understanding is people in their 20s and 30s.
35More than 60 percent of them do not know what Auschwitz is, said a recent study by a Jewish organization.
36I'm Dorothy Gundy.
1Michael Morris is a curator with New York's Museum of Jewish Heritage. He was trying to fulfill a common request when he uncovered a number of artworks. They were images of the Holocaust, by people who were there. 2Using those works, Morris put together a show of art. Many are by some of the 6 million Jews killed by the Nazis in the 1930s and 40s. 3The show is "against and educates about the dangers of anti-Semitism, racism, bigotry of any kind," said Morris. 4He added, "We see hundreds of thousands of people in concentration camps. These are actual people who had multi-faceted lives." 5Among them was 12-year-old Helga Weissova. She brought art supplies with her when she was sent to Terezin concentration camp, north of Prague, in October 1944. Before she was forced to go to Auschwitz, another prisoner gave the drawings to her uncle. He hid them behind a wall. 6Auschwitz was the infamous Nazi concentration camp in southern Poland. 7Her 1943 work in colored pencil on paper is called "Transport Leaving Terezin." It shows guards with guns watching a group of prisoners carrying their few belongings. 8Weissova is now in her 90s and living in Prague. But many of the artists never made it out of the deadly camps. 9Peter Loewenstein of Czechoslovakia was sent in 1941 to Terezin. He gave 70 drawings to his mother before he was forced to go in 1944 to Auschwitz. 10His mother and sister would soon be sent to Auschwitz as well. Before they left, they gave the art to a family friend. 11His sister was the only family member who survived the camp. She recovered the works after the war, including "Eight Men in Coats with Stars." It is a 1944 ink on paper picture of Jews forced to wear a Star of David on their clothing for identification. 12There is also a powerful watercolor by Marvin Halye, a member of the 104th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army. His division liberated - or, freed - Nordhausen concentration camp in Germany in 1945. 13After seeing the few surviving prisoners covering thousands of bodies, he rushed to paint "Civilians Covering Corpses." 14Anti-Jewish hate crimes 15The show opens as anti-Semitic hate crimes increase across the United States. Many have happened in New York City, home to the largest Jewish community outside of Israel. 16Anti-Jewish hate crimes in New York in 2019 were at a 28-year high, said professor Brian Levin. He is director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University in San Bernardino. 17In the most recent attack, a man with a machete wounded five people. They were gathered last month for a Hanukkah celebration at the home of a rabbi, just outside the city. 18A few weeks earlier, a shooting at a Jewish market in nearby Jersey City, New Jersey, killed two men. 19Hate crimes are increasing at a time when many Americans lack general knowledge of the Holocaust. 20The largest lack of understanding is people in their 20s and 30s. More than 60 percent of them do not know what Auschwitz is, said a recent study by a Jewish organization. 21I'm Dorothy Gundy. 22The Reuters News Agency reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. 23________________________________________________________________ 24Words in This Story 25curator- n. one who organizes artwork for a show 26heritage- n. the traditions, achievements, beliefs, etc., that are part of the history of a group or nation 27multi-faceted-adj. having many sides 28corpse- n.a dead body 29anti-Semitic- adj. acts or words of hatred against Jewish people 30machete- n.a long, sharp knife used for cutting thick plants 31rabbi- n. a Jewish religious leader