Virginia Holocaust Museum
Encyclopedia
The Virginia Holocaust Museum is a Virginia
museum dedicated to depicting the Holocaust as experienced by its victims. A main part of the exhibition is about the family story of Holocaust survivor Jay M. Ipson
.
, Jay M. Ipson and Mark Fetter in 1997. Rosenbaum created the sculpture
of the menorah used in the museum's logo. The museum opened its doors at the current location (2000 E. Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia
) on Yom HaShoah
in April 2003. There are currently 28 exhibits, with more in the planning.
In the first year of operation, over 10,000 visitors toured the museum. People came from almost every state in the U.S.
, as well as countries in Europe
, Asia
and South America. The museum has hundreds of school groups visit the museum each year. Already more than 150,000 people have visited the Virginia Holocaust Museum, about 70 percent are students.
On May 11th 2010 Jay M. Ipson will be the first US-citizen to receive the Austrian Holocaust Memorial Award
. Austrian Ambassador to the United States of America Dr. Christian Prosl will officially visit the Virginia Holocaust Museum and present this prestigious award.
The first exhibit recreates the atmosphere of the Dachau concentration camp. Visitors can either walk through with a tour book or wear a head set and be guided by the voice of Holocaust survivor, Jay Ipson. Ipson was six years old when his family was taken to Kovno Ghetto, and he is now the Executive Director of the museum.
The next exhibit is set in the city of Frankfurt, Germany, and features a radio announcement of "Kristallnacht
". Subsequently visitors come to a ghetto exhibit that they can "escape" from by crawling through a tunnel. This escape route recreates the actual experience of the Ipson family.
Other exhibits include a cattle car, used for transporting Jews, a shower/gas chamber
, a crematory, and an exhibition of the ship Exodus 1947, the ship that helped launch the nation of Israel
. Finally, there is a synagogue
, which is a replica of the famous choral synagogue in Lithuania
.
In front of the museum is a freight car, which also serves as room of remembrance. This car was endowed to the museum within in project of a German school by a friend of Alex Lebenstein.
In 2007 the Virginia Holocaust Museums celebrated the 10th anniversary.
On Yom HaShoah
in April 2008 Governor Tim Kaine
opened the only originally rebuilt Nuremberg Courtroom ("Palace of Justice") in the United States as new part of the Virginia Holocaust Museum. On November 9, 2009 the documentation "Kristallnacht and Beyond" was showen to the public.
The museum features tours, programs, lectures, films and other events, and many of the emphasized stories are about the experiences of Holocaust survivors that reside or had resided in Richmond. The museum is one of many organizations worldwide where young Austrians
can serve their Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service
(Gedenkdienst).
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
museum dedicated to depicting the Holocaust as experienced by its victims. A main part of the exhibition is about the family story of Holocaust survivor Jay M. Ipson
Jay M. Ipson
Jay M. Ipson is a Lithuanian-American Holocaust survivor and co-founder of the Virginia Holocaust Museum in Richmond, Virginia.-World War II and immigration:...
.
History
The museum was co-founded by Al RosenbaumAl Rosenbaum
Al Rosenbaum was an American artist and the co-founder of the Virginia Holocaust Museum in Richmond, Virginia.-Personal life:...
, Jay M. Ipson and Mark Fetter in 1997. Rosenbaum created the sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
of the menorah used in the museum's logo. The museum opened its doors at the current location (2000 E. Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
) on Yom HaShoah
Yom HaShoah
Yom HaZikaron laShoah ve-laG'vurah , known colloquially in Israel and abroad as Yom HaShoah and in English as Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Holocaust Day, is observed as Israel's day of commemoration for the approximately six million Jews and five million others who perished in the...
in April 2003. There are currently 28 exhibits, with more in the planning.
In the first year of operation, over 10,000 visitors toured the museum. People came from almost every state in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, as well as countries in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and South America. The museum has hundreds of school groups visit the museum each year. Already more than 150,000 people have visited the Virginia Holocaust Museum, about 70 percent are students.
On May 11th 2010 Jay M. Ipson will be the first US-citizen to receive the Austrian Holocaust Memorial Award
Austrian Holocaust Memorial Award
The Austrian Holocaust Memorial Award was founded by the Austrian Service Abroad in 2006.- Meaning :The prize is annually conferred on a person who has shown special endeavors for the memory of the Shoa.- Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service :...
. Austrian Ambassador to the United States of America Dr. Christian Prosl will officially visit the Virginia Holocaust Museum and present this prestigious award.
Exhibits
The next exhibit is set in the city of Frankfurt, Germany, and features a radio announcement of "Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht, also referred to as the Night of Broken Glass, and also Reichskristallnacht, Pogromnacht, and Novemberpogrome, was a pogrom or series of attacks against Jews throughout Nazi Germany and parts of Austria on 9–10 November 1938.Jewish homes were ransacked, as were shops, towns and...
". Subsequently visitors come to a ghetto exhibit that they can "escape" from by crawling through a tunnel. This escape route recreates the actual experience of the Ipson family.
Other exhibits include a cattle car, used for transporting Jews, a shower/gas chamber
Gas chamber
A gas chamber is an apparatus for killing humans or animals with gas, consisting of a sealed chamber into which a poisonous or asphyxiant gas is introduced. The most commonly used poisonous agent is hydrogen cyanide; carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide have also been used...
, a crematory, and an exhibition of the ship Exodus 1947, the ship that helped launch the nation of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Finally, there is a synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
, which is a replica of the famous choral synagogue in Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
.
In front of the museum is a freight car, which also serves as room of remembrance. This car was endowed to the museum within in project of a German school by a friend of Alex Lebenstein.
On Yom HaShoah
Yom HaShoah
Yom HaZikaron laShoah ve-laG'vurah , known colloquially in Israel and abroad as Yom HaShoah and in English as Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Holocaust Day, is observed as Israel's day of commemoration for the approximately six million Jews and five million others who perished in the...
in April 2008 Governor Tim Kaine
Tim Kaine
Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine is a Virginia politician. Kaine served as the 70th Governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010, and was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011...
opened the only originally rebuilt Nuremberg Courtroom ("Palace of Justice") in the United States as new part of the Virginia Holocaust Museum. On November 9, 2009 the documentation "Kristallnacht and Beyond" was showen to the public.
The museum features tours, programs, lectures, films and other events, and many of the emphasized stories are about the experiences of Holocaust survivors that reside or had resided in Richmond. The museum is one of many organizations worldwide where young Austrians
Austrians
Austrians are a nation and ethnic group, consisting of the population of the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent....
can serve their Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service
Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service
The Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service is an alternative to Austria's compulsory national military service / alternative service founded in 1992. Since 1998 it is part of the Austrian Service Abroad...
(Gedenkdienst).
Publications
- Izzy's Fire: finding humanity in the Holocaust, Nancy Wright Beasley (2005)
- To See, to Feel, to Know: Experiencing the Holocaust Through the Virginia Holocaust Museum, Elisabeth Anne Custalow (2005)