Wednesday, Mar. 9 at 12 p.m. — VIRTUAL — The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum will present a live virtual program for New England residents on Wednesday, Mar. 9, from 12-1 p.m., as part of its ongoing efforts to rescue the evidence of the Holocaust.
As event chair, former Museum Council Member Michael P. Ross will provide introductory remarks. A former Boston city councilor, Ross is the son of the late Stephan Ross, who survived 10 concentration camps and was liberated by American soldiers at Dachau.
“Despite the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, the museum is in a race against time to collect Holocaust artifacts and oral testimonies,” Ross said. “The museum is now focusing its efforts within the New England region and is offering specialized one-on-one appointments for people interested in donating artifacts or researching their family history.”
During the Mar. 9 program entitled “Preserving Holocaust History: Collecting Artifacts and Researching Fates,” the following presentations will be made:
- Fred Wasserman, acquisitions curator of the museum’s National Institute for Holocaust Documentation, will explain the museum’s rigorous process for reviewing, acquiring, and conserving Holocaust artifacts, such as photos, letters, diaries, films, testimonies, and other objects that document the Holocaust, enabling the museum to teach this history with authenticity and relevance to every new generation.
- Diane Afoumado, chief of the museum’s Holocaust Survivors and Victims Resource Center, will explain the process of conducting personalized research on family history during the Holocaust.
Immediately following the Mar. 9 program, the museum will offer participants the opportunity to schedule personal appointments to discus s donating artifacts to the museum, contributing oral testimony, or requesting assistance researching family fates.
To RSVP for this free program, advance registration is required: ushmm.org/events/new-england-collections. For more information on the program, interested participants may contact the museum’s northeast regional office at northeastoutreach@ushmm.org.
