Student Creative Arts Contest

2012 CREATIVE ARTS CONTEST THEME:

One By One: Life Stories From the Holocaust

It is very hard to think about the magnitude of the Holocaust. The victims numbered in the millions. They came from places all across Europe and sometimes even beyond. Each victim was a unique, irreplaceable person, but the Nazis didn’t recognize this simple fact. They were not willing to recognize that each Jewish person had his or her own character, personality and behavior. This terrible way of thinking made the Holocaust possible.

It is up to us to make sure that the individual stories of the victims are not forgotten. We show respect when we take the time to learn about their experiences. We recognize that their lives were about more than just persecution and destruction, so we also pay attention to how they lived before and (if they survived) after the Holocaust.

Fortunately, many Holocaust testimonies are available to help us to remember. Holocaust survivors have done a great service for the world by recording their experiences for posterity. They remind us that the tragedy of the Holocaust is not just that millions were murdered, but also because of the destruction in each individual life.

We show respect for Holocaust victims when we take an interest in their lives. This is especially true when we choose to remember their stories and pass them on to future generations.

This year’s contest entries should focus on the life story of an actual person victimized by the Nazis during the Holocaust. Most students will probably select a Holocaust survivor account since there are many available. Students are also free to choose the story of someone who perished as long as there is enough information available about his or her life to complete the project. The best entries will focus on a person’s entire life, not just on Holocaust experiences.

The subject of each student’s project should be identified by name, either in the body or in the title of the entry. Creative writing entries are allowed to contain elements of fiction, but the entry must be based on the life of a real person. There are abundant sources available to help students prepare for this project. Many Holocaust accounts have been published in book form as biographies and autobiographies. Some of these were written for young readers and are available through the Holocaust Center library or local school and public libraries.

There are also many interviews available online in audio, audio-visual or transcript form. One good source is Centropa’s “Jewish Witness to a European Century” interactive database that contains personal photos and English language interview transcripts from over 500 Holocaust survivors. Other good resources are listed on the Partners page on our website, including the Yale University Library Holocaust Testimonies and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

The deadline for entries is March 26, 2012

All entries must have a Cover Sheet

Please carefully read the Contest rules and Writing and Art prompts before you begin.

To view a slideshow of the 2011 visual creative arts contest winning entries, please click here.

The Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida · 851 N Maitland Ave · Maitland, FL 32751 · Phone: 407-628-0555 · info@holocaustedu.org