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.
Imagine 1 || Imagine 2 || Imagine 3 || Imagine 4
Symbol
Survival is the heart of the symbol. 1993
hope
And 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
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
Past and Future Dream
Alone in a big room. 1994
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
Artist: Sophie Dilenscheid
Dreaming of something else. 1992
Hopes and Dreams
Artist: Tiffani Campbell
Looking out. 1994
Is It My Turn
Artist: Sheila Lefebvre
And where can I turn to if it’s my turn. 1994
Bottomless Pit of Time
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
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
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
Artist: April Hooper
Someone is looking down on you. 1991
Wall of Heads
Artist: Anonymous
The walls have eyes. 1991
Three Levels
Artist: Andy Horstmann
1994
A Child of the Holocaust
This is the picture of a child that didn’t survive.
Courtesy of the Children’s Memorial, Yad Vashem.
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
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.
