Holocaust Eyewitness Diaries
The United States Holocaust memorial Museum (USHMM) isproud to feature a riveting collection of diaries kept by Holocaust victims, liberators, and other eyewitnesses. In their own words and images, they express the suffering, the humanity, and the incredible resilience that drove them to write.
These journals personalize the Holocaust with unique stories of life and loss—and they reveal the truth of what happened, and can still happen, when hatred goes unchecked.
I invite you to view some of the Museum's extraordinary diaries:
http://act.ushmm.org/diaries
Over the summer I have been struck by the Stephen Tyrone Johns youth ambassadors' interest in the history of the Holocaust.
Many expressed concern that their generation knows little about this history. But now, as they return to school following a summer at the Museum, they are prepared to share their new knowledge about the lessons of the Holocaust and the dangers of unchecked hate with their friends and families.
At the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, those lessons became real for these students as they encountered stories and objects that personalized the Holocaust — suitcases, toys, family photo albums — each telling a unique story of life and loss. After the survivor generation is gone, collections will be the sole authentic witnesses to the Holocaust.
Our Museum has a riveting collection of diaries kept by Holocaust victims, liberators, and other eyewitnesses. Their words capture unimaginable suffering and the remarkable hope and resilience that drove them to write.
Their journals reveal the truth of what happened, and can happen still, when hatred goes unchecked.
I invite you to view some of the Museum's extraordinary diaries:
http://act.ushmm.org/diaries
For many of these diarists, writing was a means of survival. Fearing they would not live, they wanted to leave a legacy that would shape a different future. That is our Museum's aspiration as well.
Sincerely,
Sara Bloomfield
