In response to the tremendous interest of museum visitors, the exhibition ‘Flashes of Memory. Photography during the Holocaust’ will be extended to January 28, 2024, in the ‘Museum für Fotografie’ in Berlin. The Volkswagen Group will continue to act as an educational partner of the exhibition project, which was originally scheduled to run from March 24 to August 20, 2023. The exhibition in Berlin is on loan from the international remembrance center Yad Vashem and marks the first time that the exhibit has been displayed outside Jerusalem.
As part of its partnership, the Volkswagen Group will help provide educational opportunities to a broad audience for five more months. Volkswagen will continue to support the visitor formats ‘Ask Me!’ and ‘Close up!’. The program ‘Ask Me!’ is available to visitors on Thursday afternoons, Friday afternoons, and weekend afternoons. On these days, guides provide interested visitors with in-depth information about the exhibits and answer questions. The ‘Close Up!’ series will also be extended through the end of the exhibition. During public discussions, experts in such related disciplines as photography and film, history, Holocaust studies, and Jewish studies share their thoughts on the photographs and films on display. Visitors may use both formats free of charge. Since the exhibition opened, a large number of trainees and graduates of training programs at Volkswagen have learned valuable information during tours through the exhibition and in discussions.
‘We are very proud of the decision to extend the exposition of Yad Vashem’s exhibition Flashes of Memory. Photography during the Holocaust now on display at Berlins Museum für Fotografie,’ says Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan. ‘I am filled with profound gratitude for the overwhelming response from visitors. This remarkable showcase stands as a testament to the collective commitment towards preserving the memory of the Holocaust and illuminating the darkest chapters of history.
The significance of this exhibition lies not only in its poignant portrayal of the Holocaust’s harrowing reality but in its unique multilayer perspective. Through the lens of photography, we capture the narratives of the German perpetrator, the Jewish victim, and the liberating armies, intertwining their experiences to form a comprehensive and empathetic portrayal of this tragic era. This mosaic of perspectives serves as a powerful reminder of the human impact, suffering, and resilience amidst the horrors of the Holocaust. The presence of this profound exhibition in the heart of Berlin, a city deeply connected to the Holocaust, sends a resolute signal to the world. It exemplifies how Germany continues to shoulder the responsibility for Holocaust remembrance and awareness. By confronting its past with unyielding courage and preserving historical truth through initiatives like these, Germany sets an exemplar for nations across the globe to foster empathy, tolerance, and vigilance against prejudice and hatred.’
The importance of remembrance culture is also emphasized by Benita von Maltzahn, Head of Volkswagen Culture Engagement: ‘It is extremely important to us that we continuously reiterate together – particularly to the younger generations – how the holocaust came to pass and what fates the countless victims suffered. We do this so that antisemitism, racism, and discrimination can never spread again.’
In the exhibition ‘Flashes of Memory. Photography during the Holocaust’, the Yad Vashem Remembrance Center shows photographs and films that were taken and made of the broadest range of people – perpetrators, victims, and liberators – during the years of the Holocaust. Focal points include the intentions of the photographers and filmmakers as well as the conditions under which the photo documents were made. In the process, the viewing of the images becomes an encounter with their impact.
The partnership for the exhibition is integrated into the comprehensive remembrance work and the Volkswagen Group’s international commitment to culture. For more than 30 years now, the company has been organizing volunteer projects in which trainees support the memorial work in Auschwitz and conduct projects with Holocaust survivors.
