Imagine Art Gallery: Room 1 – Children’s Art about the Holocaust

An exploration into genocide by a group of sixth grade students,

this children’s art about the Holocaust shows the power of teaching with imagination.

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Symbol

Children's Art about the Holocaust

Survival is the heart of the symbol. 1993

 

 

hope

 Children's Art about the HolocaustAnd counting. 1993

Poem: hope 

I see the gray and brown of the barracks.

Mama stands in the doorway of Barrack 19, our barrack.

Her voice calls out to me, I can hear her faintly.

Far across the camp, the camp Terezin.

A camp that is lonely and desolate,

Yet I feel in my soul that someday, sometime,

there will be beauty in Terezin.

Beauty of smiles and joyful tears,

beauty of freedom.

I turn my face toward a better day, a day of hope.

Today can be a day of hope,

it isn’t hard for me to imagine.

Mama doesn’t imagine, she is too worried.

As I run toward her, run toward Barrack 19,

I hear behind me

the sound of army vehicles, German vehicles.

Soon, our turn will come.

Our turn to be taken to another camp,

taken to Auschwitz. I reach Barrack 19,

I reach my home.

Mama’s arms encircle me,

full of warmth and sadness.

Everything will be alright.

Everything will be alright.

Artist: Anne Goodsell

 

Birdsong

Children's art about the Holocaust

Artist: Annamarie Cavadi
On their way. 1993
Poem

He doesn’t know the world at all nor what to sing about,

I do but does it matter?

I feel trapped here my love for all things

vanish trapped beyond reality and a nightmare.

I know I’d open my heart to beauty and

go into the woods

Someday. I hope that one day

I will realize how wonderful

it is to be alive.

 

Angel

Don’t look behind. 1994

6th Grader's Holocaust Paintings

 

Past and Future Dream

Alone in a big room. 1994

6th grader's paintings about the Holocaust

Poem

I live dream by dream

Dreaming of the past

For the past

Cannot hurt me

And the future holds hope

Fears And disappointments

Even death!

But when I do dream Of the future

The soldiers know Death

knows It comes for me.

 Artist: Laurie Schofield

 

 

Dreams

Holocaust inspired paintings by 6th graders

Artist: Sophie Dilenscheid
Dreaming of something else. 1992

 

Hopes and Dreams

Children's Paintings about the Holocaust

Artist: Tiffani Campbell
Looking out. 1994

 

Is It My Turn

Holocaust inspired paintings by 6th grade students

Artist: Sheila Lefebvre
And where can I turn to if it’s my turn. 1994

 

Bottomless Pit of Time

Holocaust art by a 6th grade class

Artist: Jessica Dalton
Survival is the heart of the symbol. 1993
Poem

I see death

scared to see

Bottomless Pit of time

After dusk-death

Embraces all who

Walk the Streets

Healing wounds

Fall upon my soul

What number am I?

 

Invisible

Children's art about the Holocaust

Artist: Jason Hornbuckle
Can you see the real me. 1994
Poem

Waiting for freedom

Freedom the word rolls over my tongue

Can’t they hear my silent screams

Here in the belly of the wolf

Cursed with this label Jew

Open up Lilith’s cave

I am that brave

To be free my pride my soul striped away

Painful yes, don’t they see.

 

Lonely Cries

Paintings about the Holocaust by a 6th grade class

Artist: Gemma Lechlinski
Cameo. 1994
Poem

The pain the sorrow

The endless cries

The scattered dreams

I think to myself

When will it end?

Everyday the same.

Shots from the soldiers

Another lonely cry

Another death.

Eye in the Sky

Children's paintings of the Holocaust by students

Artist: April Hooper
Someone is looking down on you. 1991

 

 

Wall of Heads

Paintings by 6th graders studying the Holocaust

Artist: Anonymous
The walls have eyes. 1991

 

 

Three Levels

Paintings by 6th graders about the Holocaust

Artist: Andy Horstmann
1994

 

Child victim of the Holocaust, from Yad Vashem

 

A Child of the Holocaust

This is the picture of a child that didn’t survive.

Courtesy of the Children’s Memorial, Yad Vashem.

 


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Final Poem

I cry but no one hear’s me

I live in fear alone

I’m scared I don’t know if

I’ll live to see tomorrow and if

I do I’ll thank God for it.

When I wake up from this horrible dream

I will live in freedom.

Maybe I’ll be in heaven but anywhere

is heaven to me now

I see dark shadows moving across

at night

if this is life than

its not worth living.

Rachel Kruger

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This has become a permanent show, due to the efforts of one teacher.

The inspiration behind this art is a teacher, Anne Williams. She challenges her classes to use imagination instead of explanation, to use their creativity as a response to history. The results have focused on a topic she shares with her sixth grade students: the Holocaust. Their art and poetry bring a vision that adults often don’t see. We hope you enjoy it.

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