Stage III – Icons of the Holocaust
Duration: 1.5 hours
This unit focuses on the afterlife of images from the Holocaust. Photographs from the historical archive are elements in the creation of contemporary discourses. We encourage the students to critically analyze the use of these images in the context of today’s society and to consider the effects that they have on the viewers. Through a guided discussion, the teacher will address how images can be framed in different contexts and how this can affect the perception of historical events.
A. Photo Research
The teacher will introduce this activity by discussing why some locations, personalities, moments become iconic. Following, students are presented with 6 iconic images of the Holocaust: the Auschwitz-Birkenau main entrance, Anne Frank, the Arbeit Macht Frei sign, the Yellow Star, the Jewish boy of the Warsaw Ghetto and Adolf Hitler. These icons are then explored: their references and stories revealed.
The teacher invites the students to browse the internet (10-20 minutes) and search for images that contain, rework and/or refer to these 6 iconic images. They should choose one or two significant finds to present to the class. How this portion of the unit is executed remains up to the teacher - The students can work in groups or individually, for part or all of the section.
B. Moderated Discussion and Reflection:
After the students have yielded results through their searches, they are asked to classify the images by coupling them to one or more of the following categories:
- Commercialization
- Art
- Fetishism
- Political Instrumentalization
- Historical comparison
- Other
In order to complete this task, the students will receive a definition for each of the above-mentioned categories. This is not an exhaustive list and the students can add new categories if they wish as those mentioned above might not reflect the images found by the students. This exercise will allow the students to discuss the conditions that stand behind the re-use of archival images, conditions that can have positive or negative results.
C. Ethical Responsibility
These images can trigger a conversation about ethical responsibility. What is our responsibility towards use or sharing of images and, in particular, the images of the Holocaust? How much can we use, modify, share images that tell a story of violence and dehumanization? Are there limits to our usage of the archival images of the Shoah?
These questions, of course, can be applied to other historical events and situations. The teacher can rely on the accompanying material to develop the discourse with the students.
Reference to today’s visual landscape and to our role as viewers/creators makes this discussion relevant to the lives of the students.
D. Closing Activity
Students, or groups, are asked to draft guidelines for the use of Holocaust images: a guide that articulates what can be considered appropriate usage of such images?
A final discussion will apply the formulated criteria to the images found on the internet.
After this activity, students are expected to have acquired the tools and developed the sensitivity to engage with images that they encounter on the net, and be aware of the different usages of historical material.
