A compelling exhibition which traces the emotive stories of the victims and survivors of the Holocaust and the 1994 Rwandan genocide, has been unveiled as a permanent installation in Forest Town, northern Joburg.
Assembled into dense thematic clusters that are loosely chronological, the exhibition underlines the multifaceted nature of history as it painstakingly explores the Holocaust and the genocide through the voices of victims, perpetrators, resisters, rescuers and bystanders.
It features a poignant combination of the two historical tragedies, which happened in different epochs, poles apart.
This unique exhibition, housed at the Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre on Jan Smuts Avenue is an absolute must-see, after its official opening on Thursday, 14 March.
Various multimedia testimonies, a collection of photos, poetry and art provide a historical timeline of the Holocaust and the genocide. There is an assortment of artefacts, all collected from survivors and their families, who now live in Johannesburg.
“The exhibition urges visitors to reflect on lessons from history and connect them to their own lives,” says Tali Nates, founder and director of the Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre.
Nates says the exhibition is a place of learning, suitable for people of all ages and from all walks of life. “In this space, people gain knowledge, share their stories, and experience thought-provoking films, exhibitions and lectures,” she explains.
She notes that the exhibition teaches about the consequences of prejudice, racism, and anti-Semitism, homophobia and xenophobia and the dangers of indifference, apathy and silence.
Ninety-three-year-old Holocaust survivor Veronica Phillips hopes the “amazing centre” will impact thousands of people’s lives for many years to come. Born in Budapest, Hungary, Phillips’ father was murdered during the Holocaust. She and her mother and brother survived the tragedy and relocated to Johannesburg a few years after the war.
Sylvestre Sendacyeye, a survivor of the 1994 Rwanda genocide says his is a painful and emotional story to tell, but he felt he needed to tell it so it doesn't happen again. Sendacyeye was born in Rwanda in 1980 and survived the genocide in April 1994. His parents and three siblings weren’t that lucky.
“The exhibition pays homage to the survivors of the genocide and those who died. It’s designed to leave you open to being hopeful, positive and resilient," he says.
Internationally renowned Roman Catholic priest, Father Patrick Desbois says the exhibition provides an open gate to thinking about mass crimes, legalized shootings, gangsters and the rape of women. “The fact that it’s happened before means it can happen again, we all need to act to avert that reoccurrence,” says Father Desbois.
Nates says the permanent exhibition serves as a memorial to the six million Jews murdered by Nazi Germany and to raise awareness of the evils of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, where more than 800 000 Tutsi and politically moderate Hutu victims were massacred.
The Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre is open to the general public from Monday to Friday 9 am to 4.30pm and Sundays from 9 am to 3 pm. The centre is at the intersection of Duncombe Road and Jan Smuts Avenue in Forest Town. Entrance is free of charge.
