Terezin (Theresienstadt) was unique among Nazi ghettos and camps. In part intended as a showcase of German benevolence toward the Jews, the Czech garrison town boasted a profusion of cultural activities encompassing music, visual arts, and poetry. How do we understand this extraordinary creativity which continues to fascinate and puzzle? At this special event involving members of the community, we celebrate the remarkable legacy of Terezin. In the spirit of We are THE TREE OF LIFE, author and educator Jacqueline Gmach’s forthcoming tribute to the writers and artists who courageously dared to create, participants and audience reflect on the regenerative power of art in the face of oppression and persecution, thereby illuminating a history that lives on.
The main event is preceded by an account of the Butterfly Project, a San Diego-based initiative launched to commemorate every child lost in the Holocaust. The second-generation survivor Steven Schindler offers a look at the impact of the project in contemporary Germany.