Commitment to Commemoration: Comparative Case Studies of post-1989 Holocaust Memorialization in Berlin
Abstract:
The memory of the Holocaust is preserved through the testimony of witnesses, education, and the memorials created to commemorate the horrific event. As fewer and fewer witnesses to the atrocities of the Holocaust remain, the architecture that memorializes it grows increasingly important. Designed by American architect Peter Eisenman, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe stands in Berlin, Germany as a constant reminder to the citizens of Germany that the Holocaust started within their borders. The Stolpersteine (Stumbling Stones), designed by Gunter Demnig, are micromonuments scattered all across Europe that commemorate individual victims of the Holocaust. While both have their merits and importance, in this work, I assert that the Stolpersteine offer a more personally impactful experience to their viewers than does the MMJE.