| | Print | Email

Therapeutic Use of a Museum: A Holocaust Exhibit


Paula David, MSW, RSW,
Eileen Bourret, RN, MN,
Pat Dickinson, Museum Coordinator,
Jodeme Goldhar, MSW, RSW,
Arlene Sanders, Therapeutic Recreation,
Anna Vandelman, MSW
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care Toronto

 

Introduction:
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care is located in Toronto and offers a comprehensive range of services to the community's older adults. The Baycrest campus includes a Hospital, the Jewish Home for the Aged, Supportive Housing, Day Care Services, Community Outreach programs and a wide range of clinics and services.

The Silverman Heritage Museum is located in the heart of the main complex and offers both residents and the community a small but comprehensive series of rotating exhibits that enrich the environment from both a cultural and historical perspective. This paper will describe a unique exhibit on the Holocaust and its implications for the resident survivors, their families, the staff, the community and the institution. It has been a multi-disciplinary project that will be discussed from six different professional perspectives.

From the Coordinator of the Holocaust Resource Project: Paula David M.S.W.
The Holocaust Project originated at Baycrest just over five years ago, when the Holocaust Survivor Outreach Committee was formed. The mandate is to maintain, support, and develop resources for aging Holocaust survivors, their families and the people who work with them. Nearly half the elderly residents at Baycrest are survivors of the Holocaust.

Museums specialize in culture and history, but at Baycrest, when we speak of the Holocaust, we do not speak in terms of history. The people we currently serve are a vital part of this grim past and they are the focus of our multi-disciplinary committee.

At Baycrest the overwhelming historical facts and their painful residual effects have been a part of our world ever since liberation fifty-five years ago. There wasn't a Jewish family connected to Baycrest that wasn't affected by the Holocaust, and as the survivors found their way to Canada and eventually to us. Since then we have been dealing directly with the ugly realities and incredible strengths of the survivors' world.

The Nazi Holocaust and the impact it had on the survivors, their families and humanity in general is a complex and never-ending area of study. In the context of Baycrest, we must deal with both the study, but more importantly, the reality. The task for staff working with elderly survivors is as diverse and multi-dimensional as the number of individuals and stories involved. So, although it remains constantly challenging, sometimes daunting, and always rewarding; working with Holocaust survivors in not a new task for us.

The museum exhibit is one example of the creative and unique approaches taken by the committee to recognize and support the survivors associated with Baycrest. It also, in its public outreach component, validates the lives and stories of our residents and patients by speaking out on both the historical issues and personal tragedies of the Holocaust, so that the legacy of these clients will not be forgotten or go unrecognized. It contains personal accounts of people we care for: of their courage, resilience and capacity for survival in the years following their liberation from Nazi oppression.

The primary purpose of the exhibit is to pay tribute to our survivor population. It has been a project that demanded a great deal of commitment, time and emotional energy from a great number of volunteers and staff. The process as well as the product, has proven therapeutic. However, there is also a secondary purpose, in that the exhibit is used as an educational tool, encouraging, enlightening and even demanding a new insight and understanding into the lives and the complex issues of the aging Holocaust survivor.

It is meant to be both a personal and professional challenge that will effect staff in every discipline. We must learn about the survivors' losses, at the same time, never forgetting to celebrate their lives. An exhibit of this nature pushes all of us a little further and a little harder to work on conceiving the inconceivable and working with the capacity to endure the unendurable.

Development of the Exhibit: Pat Dickinson, Museum Coordinator
The Silverman Heritage Museum is a permanent facility at the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, and is committed to providing residents, patients, staff and the community with a comprehensive range of relevant exhibits.

A Tribute to Courage: Stories of Survival proves to be a unique display in a variety of ways. To begin, research demonstrated that both this kind and scope of exhibit had not been presented at this site previously. Secondly, other museums were consulted to see what their experiences had been. Many Holocaust museums are geared mainly to non-survivors. Their goal is to educate the general public, especially schoolchildren. There is only one other Jewish nursing home in North America with an active museum program like the one at Baycrest, and reports demonstrate that whole exhibits on the Holocaust have not been undertaken.

A Tribute to Courage: Stories of Survival showed that Baycrest was embarking on a unique kind of project, for which there was little precedent. A Tribute to Courage: Stories of Survival, celebrates lives remarkably lived, survival, family, friendship and strength. It honours loss and suffering while distinguishing courage and joy. The exhibit recognizes a distinct difference from previous works in that it’s geared to more than the non-survivor and school children. It is intended for survivors themselves, their families and friends. It is similarly geared to multi disciplinary health care professionals, students and caregivers.

This type of exhibit does much to acknowledge the remarkable lives of survivors. It helps open up dialogue and discussion about the Holocaust and educate a wide range of visitors. Although the emphasis is on acknowledging the tremendous value of this exhibit it is important to illustrate the challenges posed in bringing this type of display into fruition.

Most exhibits displayed typically feature happier themes designed to help brighten the lives of older adults living at Baycrest. A Tribute to Courage: Stories of Survival posed a challenge to this pattern. This exhibit forced decision-making bodies to extend themselves beyond the typical and venture into the uncharted. Although the importance of the subject matter was known, it was tenuous cognition surrounding the manner in which the exhibit would affect the older and frail Jewish population at Baycrest that made the task difficult for Museum coordinators.

Social work staff was essential in bridging the gap between anxious hesitation to this type of exhibit and the potential affects on the Baycrest community. Collaboration with social work and other disciplines demonstrated that the fear of material displayed causing intense emotional reactions from viewers (especially older adults with dementia) and triggering horrendous memories of others was very much anticipatory grief that could be handled therapeutically if the appropriate supports were in place. It took commitment, preparation and training for individuals to feel comfortable with their hesitation regarding the exhibit idea. A Planning Committee was formed, which was as all-encompassing as possible. It eventually consisted of people from the Museum Committee, the Holocaust Survivor Outreach Committee as well as survivors and volunteers from the community who had Holocaust knowledge.

Residents, patients and day care members, with the support of social work, had active involvement with the exhibit preparation. Also, critical to the exhibit's success was the involvement of Holocaust survivors from the community. Holocaust Survivors provide valuable insights that make the whole process an incredible learning experience. Holocaust Survivors pave understanding of how their lives, in general, are only seen in relation to the Holocaust years. Their wisdom enlightened the manner in which little attention is paid to survivors' lives before or after the war. This exhibit therefore includes displays about life in pre-war Europe and survivors' lives in DP camps and their immigration experiences after the war.

The exhibit does not emphasise horrific graphics. Based on the aforementioned guidelines, the exhibit honours courage and survival. The exhibit demonstrates a sensitive balance to the variety of life experiences being lived. For instance, an in house video presentation featuring four residents telling parts of their war stories is anchored with archival film footage. Displays encompass personal memorabilia and the stories that go with them. Personal accounts of Baycrest’s patients, consumers, clients and members, along with their photographs, are mounted on panels throughout.

In affirmation of the continued existence and importance of holocaust survivors and their families, the exhibit contains photo displays of Baycrest resident survivors as they are today. On display are also outstanding pieces of art, on the theme of the Holocaust. They were created by Holocaust survivors themselves, their children, family and/or friends. Artwork is an important component of this exhibit, particularly for elderly visitors who are unable to read exhibit text or pour over small displays. Personal memoirs written by local survivors are also included. Tribute is paid to their accomplishments in writing their stories.

The response to the exhibit is poignant. There have been tears and quiet contemplation. There has also been much discussion, sharing of stories and appreciation for the effort Baycrest made to bring this exhibit to life.

Residents and members proudly see their stories on display and take pride to share with friends and family members. The guest book embodies comments such as:

"Thank you for caring so deeply." "We must never forget." "This display moves me beyond words. thank you for it." "unbelievable works and stories--all should see it."

Trained docents compliment the maintenance and use of this exhibit. School groups, community groups, health care professionals, caregivers and Baycrest community members are welcome to book guided tours and have the advantage of both background information on the exhibit as well as emotional support during the visit. An intergenerational visiting program is also available, where school children will be able to see the exhibit and speak with a holocaust survivor.

The Therapeutic Recreation Perspective; Arlene Sanders
The Department of Therapeutic Recreation has developed ways of using the museum as a learning tool for our staff and ways of providing meaningful supportive visits for the residents and patients. Arrangements were made for groups of Recreationists from all services to experience the display with docents prior to accompanying clients. Providing an opportunity for clients to view the exhibit is not the responsibility of only one discipline. It presents the opportunity for a team approach. Recreation, Social Work and Nursing’s collaborative efforts can determine how to relate information to floor staff and to discuss what kind of support may be necessary if the resident or patient reacts adversely or begins to display unusual behaviour.

Visits are best made with individuals or small groups. Family members accompanying their relative are welcome and provide support. Everyone agreed that follow-up discussions would be on going. Recreationist’s felt the exhibit could be a forum for interaction between Holocaust survivors and those who were not directly involved. It would promote dialogue between Jewish and non-Jewish patients, provide a stimulus for those who may want to tell their stories, relate their memories and could be a shared program with either social Work or a committee member. Other possible outcomes could be a Creative Arts project, intergenerational dialogue or a time to discuss the importance of Israel.

Recreation staff felt cognitively impaired residents should not be excluded. Who will attend needs to be determined by floor teams. Long complicated explanations are not necessary-- simply, "We are going to see a display about a part of Jewish history." We must be aware of and sensitive to the history of individuals, but we also have to be careful not to be too overprotective when determining who we take to view the exhibit. I have learned this through personal experience when I worked on a special care unit. I had just begun a pet visitation program on the unit and a number of staff including myself were concerned about negative reactions from one lady in particular--a Hungarian survivor who spoke virtually no English and was extremely cognitively impaired. It was difficult to communicate to her why the dog was on the unit. The concern was raised as attack dogs were used by the Nazis and could possibly have triggered horrendous memories.

The decision was made to have someone visit with her in her room while the dog was on the unit. At one point the dog began barking. The woman bolted from her room and began running down the hall, not away from but toward the dog, hugging it and engaging in a conversation. Needless to say she was on the top of the list for visits after that occurred and taught us that we cannot make assumptions about how someone may react or feel. This display is an excellent opportunity for Recreation staff to learn about and from their clients. It provides the opportunity to develop creative programming that can continue long after the museum is closed.

From a Social Work Intern’s Perspective: Jodeme Goldhar, M.S.W., R.S.W.
The following content is written from the perspective of a social work student with a message that is both generic in nature and can be generalized to a cross section of professional students involved in a wide spectrum of disciplines.

The exhibit is not the usual kind of professional tool therefore it is important to take advantage of such a rare opportunity. It is a unique chance for access to both greater knowledge and the utilization of different professional skills. All students can use exhibit’s of this nature in a variety of settings, for professional and personal development. Making use of the exhibit will assist students in their learning objectives of becoming informed, sensitive, empathetic and quality professional workers.

The exhibit, A Tribute to Courage: Stories of Survival, is a rich social work tool for students. When afforded the opportunity to accompany individuals to the exhibit or when simply meeting people on site, the exhibit allows for communication about various feelings that are evoked as a result of the material displayed. It is an opportunity for both supportive counselling and building trusting relationships because of an individual’s opportunity for private disclosure of their emotions. It is also an important time to use skills of listening and tuning in. The therapeutic use of this type of exhibit offers students the opportunity to demonstrate their empathy and sincerity. The types of conversations potentially initiated by this exhibit allow social work students (among all other students) the fortunate opportunity to bear witness, validate and listen to the real life stories of people who have survived the Holocaust. It may also provide students with the opportunity to listen and support people who are not survivors of the Holocaust but experienced the loss of family and friends during the war and/or are individuals with intense reactions to the history.

For students, this exhibit is also an important learning opportunity to confront and contend with their own grief reactions and emotions associated to the exposure of such raw material. In order to be quality professional workers students need to be aware of their own emotional reactions. Students are fortunate to be supported through education and supervision which will allow for the chance to discuss and review how the exhibit effected them personally. When students are no longer supported through education the inherent structure of supervision will not be as readily available and therefore it is important to seize the opportunity and to recognize the importance of taking advantage of this support in order to enhance professional development.

The exhibit provides a comprehensive history of life before the war, during and after. For students working at Baycrest, among other facilities, this is a fantastic tool to use in order to understand the history of the holocaust and the sequence of events that both preceded and followed. The intrinsic nature of this type of exhibit appeals to the cultural sensitivity component of student education. Attending to this component of a student’s educational mandate improves the professional development of students and the quality of service provided to individuals, groups and families.

Furthermore, because this type of exhibit encompasses much more than the narrative, it allows students the rare opportunity to visually connect historical information with physical artifacts and personal stories that lend to the comprehension surrounding the truth, validity and authenticity of the stories spoken.

When students look at the pictures in the exhibit, read the panels and then look at individual Holocaust survivors artifacts (many whom reside at Baycrest and many of whom students may work with) they can be very aware of both their emotional and physiological reactions. The exhibit is intended to take students on a journey of personal and professional enlightenment. Let the exhibit teach students what they need to be aware of as team members working in an environment that has approximately 50% of its client’s Holocaust survivors.

In lieu of the aforementioned content, it is important to acknowledge that whether or not students are working in organizations with or without a large portion of their clients being survivors of the Holocaust the type of learning generated from the exposure to this unique opportunity will enhance the professional and personal development of all students.

The Nursing Perspective: Eileen Bourret R.N., M.N
The Holocaust exhibit is a representation of a past that lives on forever in the minds of many Baycrest clients and patients. A past that has the power to continue to horrify and cause pain. Nurses often bear witness to that pain. If nurses are to replace pain with comfort and horror with healing we first need knowledge about the Holocaust. This knowledge can come, in part, from viewing the Holocaust museum exhibit.

The exhibit can also help nurses to understand why our clients may be reacting the way that they do. There is often an increased incidence of agitation/depressed mood/sleep difficulties noted among residents when they have attended services related to the Holocaust. It would not be unexpected, therefore, that clients and /or families who visit the museum exhibit with its graphic reminders of a horrendous experience may display similar emotions. Frequently the behaviour of a survivor that we see as strange is really a reaction to a memory of an event long past that still has the power to terrify.

In the same way that viewing the exhibit may trigger many painful memories for clients and patients who are survivors; many nursing interventions may also have the same effect. For example, nurses note that many cognitively impaired residents, some of whom are Holocaust survivors, strenuously resist having a tub bath. As we know, many medical experiments conducted in concentration camps were conducted in tubs. Thousands of people were immersed in tubs filled with cleaning chemicals on entering concentration camps. It is no wonder that many impaired Holocaust survivors resist being bathed when a simple tub bath could trigger these memories.

Another way in which nurses can use the museum exhibit is to learn more about the Holocaust. Most nurses at Baycrest are not Jewish. As such they may not have had an opportunity to reflect on the Holocaust nor to understand the effect of that experience on the survivor and everyone with whom he or she comes into contact. That point was brought home when working closely with a Holocaust survivor and her family.

Mrs. J. survived the Holocaust and lived to raise two daughters. Her daughters were very devoted. Unfortunately Mrs. J. survived the camps only to succumb to Parkinson's disease in her early seventies. In the terminal aspects of her illness, Mrs. J. was unable to eat or drink. In what must have been a terrible irony for her, having survived the concentration camps, she literally wasted away despite feeding tubes and other treatments. During her illness, Mrs. J.'s daughters were her strongest advocates. They railed against medical and nursing indifference. They fought to have all treatment options considered.

Nursing staff could not understand why Mrs. J.'s daughters went to such lengths on her behalf. The family was labelled difficult, intrusive, lacking in insight, and so forth. At the time I didn't really understand their persistence and determination to do all that they could to keep their mother alive when on the surface, she seemed to be suffering. But I supported them in their struggle. The efforts of a survivor family to do all for their loved one in the face of what seem to us insurmountable odds cannot be minimized. It is not helpful to such families difficult of lacking insight. What is helpful is to assist them in their painful journey of letting go.

My experiences and personal education on the Holocaust Survivors Outreach Committee have helped me to understand the dynamics of families like Mrs. J. and her daughters. Walking through the museum exhibit reinforced that learning and sensitivity to the experiences of survivors who now must struggle with so many losses.

We are fortunate that our understanding of the Holocaust will come from such things as visiting the Holocaust museum exhibit and not as a result of having lived through those terrible times. But we must also recognize that this means that our understanding of the Holocaust is limited and that we must no be dismissive or trivialize the effect the Holocaust exhibit can have on our clients and patients and their families.

It is these reactions that provide us with a greater understanding of the Holocaust and remind us that to know is to understand and to understand is to care. And it is only through caring that the suffering of the Holocaust survivor can be made easier.

Fogelman and Savran (1980) in discussing the reactions of therapists in working with survivors noted that therapists in common with the rest of society, tend to avoid examining the impact of the Holocaust on the lives [of survivors] and children of survivors. Hence they are unable to hear and attend to material that stems from that experience. It behooves us as nurses not to fall in the same mind set. We can use this museum exhibit to confront our fears and the atrocities that happened during the war in order that we may support the clients and patients who may be reliving those experiences.

The Social Work Perspective: Anna Vandelman M.S.W.
Becoming involved in the development of the exhibit has had a profound impact on my life and my work. For me it was actually an adventure of discovery. At first I had serious doubts as to whether I would be able to contribute anything of value. I knew about the Holocaust because I was alive throughout that period of time, and could remember the DP's arriving in Montreal That was the nice description, others called them "mockies"; they mocked the English language as they learned to speak it.

In the early 1950's survivor families rented our summer cottages and I had the opportunity to live among these survivors, hearing their stories and creating my own nightmares. Yes, everyone had a number tattooed on their arms except for Freda, who had hid in an underground cave for four years. She had not seen sunlight nor stood up in all that time. Edgeh, in addition to the number on her arm had a bullet hole in the middle of her back. They all had young children who I adored. We spent many summers together. I still have connections to these families.

Having had so much first hand evidence, I began to read Holocaust literature. At first there was very little. People were not talking it was too painful; on the other hand we were not willing to listen. It was too scary, and in fact, truly unbelievable. I learned of the complicity of governments who knew what was happening and yet allowed it to continue. I learned many things that I did not want to know. This information continues to haunt me.

For the past two years, I tried unsuccessfully to run Holocaust survivor groups in Day Care. It seems that people who come out for only two days a week do not want spend that time focusing on the worst time of their lives. However, I knew the importance of allowing them to tell their stories. So I began to listen to their stories individually and discovered members' immediate and responsive desire to document their experiences.

I began collecting stories more seriously, and from here came the insight; and the therapeutic effect, both for myself and the survivors. I wrote as I listened with a third ear. I looked at the person telling the story. As I continued to write I began to see the story teller in a new light. This was no longer an old man or old woman. They were courageous risk taking individuals who faced serious difficult choices. As they brought their photos a new respect and admiration developed. I saw the person within the person.

In social work theory, we are taught to start where the person is at. This is still important, however you also have to know where the person has been on their journey. With each retelling of their stories the person gets more of a sense of their own strength.

When people develop serious illnesses there is a tendency for society to see the illness and not the person. When people age, there is a tendency to see the "oldness" and not the person. However people are not born old. Gertude Stein says “We are always the same age inside".

When I reconstructed their stories, I no longer saw the oldness. The person became the young vital man or woman struggling against all odds to survive; and survive they did. So I knew it was the right decision to go ahead with the exhibit and pay tribute to that survivorship. What we did was give people an opportunity to tell their stories to a wide audience. They have become the witnesses of the past and the educators of future generations; passing the torch of remembrance.

We have provided a sense of purpose to their lives enhancing their self esteem, maintaining a feeling of self worth and identity. We have reaffirmed the person they once were; and the exhibit was the vehicle to do this.

While taking groups to visit the museum, always I heard a pride in the fact that there was a reaffirmation of the person they were and still are inside. "You see' said Mrs.Z. "That's my story. Now everyone will know. Anna, you see I wore a red blouse for the picture. I was afraid of an 'ein hora'" (evil eye)." Mrs. A. found it hard to revisit her story but said "I am happy to have my story here so that others will know." Non-survivors were surprised to hear of other members' experiences.

Responses were different depending on the experiences. Those who were forced to run from city to city in Russia had a vastly different experience than those who were tortured in the camps. Mrs. L. said "It was a terrible time but I am happy that I'm now here in Canada." Mrs. W. felt "It reminded me of the bad times, the frozen feet, the two kilometer march, but now I am here and I am lucky to be here with you. Here I am safe and secure."

The distancing of time has brought about some healing for some survivors. This is an exciting time here at Baycrest. We have an opportunity to begin to heal wounds or at least to bring some comfort to ease the pain. Elie Weisel says "If the Holocaust is without meaning, it is for us to confer meaning upon it."

Conclusions: Paula David
This is not a typical museum exhibit. Different individuals from different disciplines have discussed their input and some of the implications and outcomes of the exhibit. Together we have painted a picture that still cannot express the visual and visceral impact of a unique venture. The theme is one of life and celebration of the living with the paradoxical presence of death throughout. The exhibit represents fragments of lost families, hopes and dreams and stories of loss that most of us can't begin to fathom. It will hold reminders of violence, abuse, torture and terror that most of us don't even have words for, and it is a living reminder of the reality of many of our residents. At the same time a small corner of a geriatric institution vibrated with life and was rich with the stories and celebration of lives lived.

The premise of creating this exhibition was unique in that its purpose was intended to be both educational and therapeutic and its intended audience was also the subject matter. In choosing to mount an exhibit on the Holocaust in particular, the potential for inflicting at best discomfort and at worst relived trauma was an ongoing consideration. The effort was obviously a multidsiciplinary one that included historical, personal and caregiving input. The remaining survivors are at a vulnerable stage in their life where the only purpose of such an endeavour would be to document and recognize their resilience, strengths and post War struggles and accomplishments. The response to the exhibit from survivors who are residents of the facility, community members, their families, their caregivers and the general public was not only positive but received with appreciation and a new insight into a unique group.

The educational and personal impacts of this project are still coming to light. Survivors have blossomed with the recognition and reception the exhibit received both within the internal and external communities. Children touring the exhibit were given an insight into the current survivor population different than any other Holocaust exhibit in that the environment and exhibit content reflects the current age and issues of the aging survivor. Caregivers throughout the facility were able to view the historical and narrative aspects of their clients within the context of a professional museum display, integrating personal themes into universal ones. Tour guides expressed how the participation of survivors and the presence of the residents changed their academic approach and gave new meaning to their role and how they approached it.

The care and consideration of individuals’ needs, the historical accuracy, the personal narratives and the unique recognition that went into designing this exhibit all contributed to creating a unique display that was evolved into a therapeutic process and tool. What began as a unique museum exhibit grew to an innovative comprehensive project that truly celebrated a Tribute to Courage and elderly survivors on many different levels.