If it's true that those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it, then UB is helping to forestall a chilling future.
An upcoming exhibit at the Center for the Arts will feature noted photographer Richard Ehrlich's pictures from the International Tracing Service (ITS) archive in Bad Arolsen, Germany. The archive encompasses more than 16 miles worth of records and artifacts housed in six buildings, one of which is a former Nazi police barracks, according to Sandra Firmin, UB gallery curator.
"Ehrlich's photos capture the essences of the Holocaust, and the shear magnitude of what actually happened years ago," Firmin said.
The photos create a chilling atmosphere and depict some extremely disturbing images, Firmin explained.
The 28 photographs to be on display at the CFA are on separate panels, with a brief description below each to clarify the significance of the artifacts captured by Ehrlich's lens.
"The first photo is the entranceway to the ITS and sets the stage for the photos to follow, and the last picture is of a yellow Star of David that Jews were required to wear under the Nazi regime," Firmin said.
A few photos that are especially striking depict the Nazi atrocities, Firmin explained. The exhibit contains the original Schindler's list as well as a transport order to Bergen Belsen that contains the name of Anne Frank.
A particularly disturbing photo contains an invitation to attend a discussion of the eradication of the Jews and other "undesirable minorities." The conference was to be followed by a luncheon, which shows the Nazi's lack of regard for human life, Firmin said.
The detailed records and rows of documents stacked in the photos are very ordered and are examples of the Nazis' obsessive record keeping.
"Ehrlich's photographs contain medical records of the names of individuals in concentration camps and how many lice were picked off of each person," Firmin said. "This further dehumanized people by documenting how gross or sick they were."
The photos bear witness to the intimate details of people's daily lives, Firmin explained.
"My experience from putting together the exhibit has been eye-opening and edifying," Firmin said.
"The Holocaust Archive Revealed: Bad Arolsen through the lens of Richard Ehrlich," has been shown in galleries across the West Coast, and will now be on display in the Center for the Arts second-floor gallery from April 21 to June 20. The exhibition was made possible through support from Wayne S. Blank, a UB alumnus.
A lecture focusing on art and the Holocaust, featuring Ohio Wesleyan University professor emeritus and artist Marty J. Kalb, will take place on Tuesday at 5 p.m. The lecture will be held in the Drama Theater in the Center for the Arts and will be followed by a panel discussion by Ehrlich and several UB professors.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
