Holocaust Memorial

Claire Lieberman
corten and granite, 1983




This memorial sculpture is in front of the Helfaer Community Service Building, which houses the Milwaukee Jewish Federation and Associated Agencies. The Holocaust Memorial was commissioned by the Milwaukee Jewish Federation in 1983; Claire Lieberman, a Milwaukee-born artist, designed the memorial with potent and striking symbolism. The corten sheets resemble a book, reminding the viewer that the Jewish people were people of the Book. They record the names of some of the concentrations camps. The granite pillar suggests the smoke stacks of the crematoriums while the yellow band at the bottom is similar to the yellow armbands Jews were forced to wear. At the same time, the granite is sturdy and erect, symbolizing hope and the future, pride and survival. The railroad ties outside the memorial recall the trains that herded Jews to the camps.

Views from the side

The thin panels record the names of concentration camps (see detail below). The base beneath the black granite column reads "Zachor," in Hebrew, "We remember."
 


Information provided by the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.

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© 2003 Mary Ann Sullivan. I have photographed (on site), scanned, and manipulated all the images on these pages. Please feel free to use them for personal or educational purposes. They are not available for commercial purposes.

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