By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban
The Montreal Holocaust Museum is staging the 80th commemoration of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp with a series of events.
The liberation took place Jan. 27, 1945, by which time more than 1.1 million people had been killed, of which 960,000 were Jews.
The main event takes place at 7 p.m. Jan. 27, when longtime Canadian journalist Peter Mansbridge will speak with survivor George Reinitz.
“This extraordinary discussion will touch on George’s story of survival after being deported to Auschwitz at the age of 12 and how he rebuilt his life in Canada, becoming a world-class wrestler and successful businessman,” the MHM said. “This event is in English, tickets are $10, and reservations are required.” Register at museeholocauste.ca.
At 1 p.m. Jan. 26, there will be a Family Workshop on The Heart of Auschwitz. The Museum will hold a special workshop in collaboration with the Jewish Public Library. Designed for children ages seven and up (accompanied by their families), this bilingual activity will feature a reading of Anne Renaud’s book Fania’s Heart, alongside a viewing of the real Heart at the Museum. Afterwards, participants will create their own paper heart, filled with messages of hope. Registration is required.”
On Jan. 26 and 27, admission to the MHM’s permanent exhibition will be free.
As well, online starting January 27 at 9:30 pm, the public can see the documentary series, Shoah, je me souviens, which is a four-part documentary in French featuring the Montreal Holocaust Museum.
This series offers a “rare look into the lives of Holocaust survivors who settled in Quebec after the Second World War, highlighting their lasting impact on our society. It also tackles the crucial question of collective memory and how it impacts our understanding of tolerance and respect for diversity.” The film will remain available online afterwards.
At 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Feb. 2, there will be an open house called Max Eisen’s Dimensions in Testimony.
As part of the Museum’s monthly open houses, made possible by the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec, the Museum will offer free admission on Sunday, February 2, from 10 am to 4 pm. Additionally, you can interact with Dimensions in Testimony at 11 am and 1 pm, a groundbreaking technology from the USC Shoah Foundation based on the interactive biography of Holocaust survivor Max Eisen. n