In ‘Seeing Auschwitz’ exhibit, the power is in the details
Plus: Top news of the week — Jackson responds to TikTok roasting; Piper Glen protests plan; Realtors brace for shake-up; Central Piedmont's enrollment soars
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‘Seeing Auschwitz’ is a challenging, timely reminder shown through the faces of victims and perpetrators
More than 12,000 people, including 6,000 students, have come through “Seeing Auschwitz” so far, according to Judy LaPietra, associate director of the Greenspon Center, who was the driving force behind getting the exhibit to Charlotte. “It is appropriate for the time that we’re living in. We’re seeing unprecedented attempts to undo the historical records of the Holocaust,” LaPietra said. (Ledger photo)
by Cristina Bolling
You enter an exhibit about the Holocaust prepared for certain certainties: to struggle with how humanity created — and allowed — one of the greatest atrocities of the modern age. To feel anger. To feel sorrow. To worry that such a thing could happen again.
A visit to “Seeing Auschwitz,” an exhibit now on display at the VAPA Center in uptown, inspires all of those feelings. But it also invites us to slow down and see beyond photographs, to examine what seem like the ordinary faces of both the victims and the perpetrators, and put ourselves into those moments in time.
The exhibit, on display in its U.S. debut through April 15 and presented by the Stan Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Education Center at Queens University, is made up of 100 photographs of the camp, with an audio guide that includes testimonies from survivors.
Audio guides are often helpful accessories in museums, but in “Seeing Auschwitz,” they are an essential part of the experience, as they draw us into the images and point out details that simultaneously devastate and transfix.
Take the very first image you come across — a wall-sized photograph showing masses of Jews who have just gotten off cargo trains and are experiencing their first moments at Auschwitz, their arms and backs laden with heavy bags of belongings that they believe they will need in their “resettled” lives. We learn through the audio guide and the printed words on the wall that within hours, most in this group will die.
The audio guide leads us to a woman in the photo who has put down her bag and is staring upward, examining her new reality. It points out a concentration camp prisoner, wearing striped garb, in the strictly forbidden act of talking to one of the women who has just arrived. Was he warning her of what was to come? Helping her devise a plan to survive?
Another photo shows a line of men who are new arrivals to Auschwitz, just off the trains and still in the overcoats and slacks they came in, waiting to be assessed by Nazi guards and doctors. Some are standing in pairs, likely elderly fathers and grown sons. There’s an anxious-looking boy in a too-large overcoat — probably trying to pass as a small adult so he could be put to work as a camp tradesman and spared an immediate death. White-haired old men are walking off in one direction — they almost certainly are being directed to gas chambers, we learn.
There are no photos of corpses or skeletons in “Seeing Auschwitz.” The power lies in the fact that what we do see tells us what we don’t see: piles of shoes. Giant heaps of prisoners’ stolen belongings, in what were called “Kanada” warehouses (“Kanada” meaning “the land of plenty”). Towers with tall billows of smoke extending skyward from chimneys.
We see prisoner mugshots of men, women and children, many with bloodied faces or split lips from beatings. (These mugshots could be an exhibit all to themselves; as the documentation tells us, tens of thousands of them still exist because prisoners who had been ordered to burn them faked doing so in an act of defiance.)
Also chilling, in a different way, are photos showing Nazis who worked at Auschwitz, not only at the camp but enjoying themselves on vacations at a nearby retreat.
We see one of the most senior administrators at Auschwitz with a relaxed grin on his face, reclined on a deck chair with other Auschwitz workers. Happy-looking mothers hold their babies. A group of robust young Auschwitz workers are shown running gleefully.
These aren’t the faces of “monsters of our imagination,” as the audio guide points out. “They suddenly appear much more like us.”
That harrowing idea returns at the end of the exhibit, with writeups on wall panels of examples of more modern-day genocide, including the 1970s Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia; the murder of Tutsi, Hutu and Twa in Rwanda in 1994; the persecution of Rohingya Muslims by Myanmar governments; the murder and deportation of Bosnian Muslims in the 1990s.
Two women visiting on a recent weekday afternoon read those panels and then stood silent for a moment.
“I want to talk about this,” one woman said to the other. “But I’m going to need to digest it first.”
Indeed.
➡️ If you go: “Seeing Auschwitz” is open through April 15 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m, Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $17.50 for adults; $15.50 for senior citizens. Students of any age are free. Allow about 60-75 minutes to go through the exhibit. Parking is free at the VAPA Center. The VAPA Center is located at 700 N. Tryon St., but the entrance to the parking lot is on the College Street side of the building. Information and a link to buy tickets is here.
Cristina Bolling is managing editor of the Ledger: cristina@cltledger.com
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This week in Charlotte: CMS goes to Washington; Hospitals ease mask restrictions; Central Piedmont enrollment climbs, Rents fall, Toppman reviews 'Moulin Rouge!’
On Saturdays, The Ledger sifts through the local news of the week and links to the top articles — even if they appeared somewhere else. We’ll help you get caught up. That’s what Saturdays are for.
Education
CMS board lobbies in DC: (WFAE) Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board members visited legislative offices in Washington, D.C., lobbying for funding, flexibility in food vendor selection for school lunches, extended time to spend federal Covid relief funds, improved broadband access in urban areas and increased support for federal programs like Title I.
Central Piedmont enrollment keeps climbing: (Ledger) Enrollment at Central Piedmont Community College has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, mirroring a statewide trend in community college enrollment.
Politics
First election with NC photo ID law: (WFAE) In North Carolina's recent primary, the first statewide election under a new photo ID law, out of 1.8M ballots cast, 473 weren't counted due to lack of photo ID. Interestingly, 174 Republican and 171 Democratic voters were affected.
Jeff Jackson replies after being ‘roasted’ over TikTok vote: (Ledger) U.S. Rep. Jeff Jackson of Charlotte apologized on social media for his explanation of a vote supporting the ban or sale of TikTok, after facing criticism and mockery from TikTok users.
Local news
Bodies of mother and 2 children found: (WSOC) Police in California arrested a man in connection with the deaths of a Charlotte woman and her two young children, whose bodies were discovered March 15, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said.
Big crowd turns out to oppose Piper Glen rezoning: (Ledger) At Monday’s Charlotte City Council meeting, a proposal for 640 apartments and townhomes in Piper Glen faced opposition from residents due to concerns about flooding, traffic and a pair of American bald eagles. Another proposal for a middle school and housing in the Rea Farms area also raised concerns about flooding and infrastructure, with both petitions expected to be voted on later this spring.
Hospital visitors restrictions relaxed: Atrium Health and Novant Health on Thursday eased restrictions on visitors aged 12 and under, citing declines in respiratory illnesses. Masks are optional at both health systems’ hospitals, except in areas with high-risk patients.
Gantt Center co-founder dies: (QCity Metro) Bertha Maxwell-Roddey, who was a co-founder of the Afro-American Cultural and Service Center that later became the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Art + Culture, has died at age 93.
Business
Apartments ramp up incentives as rents fall: (Ledger🔒) As Charlotte sees a surge in new apartment complexes, average rents have dropped by 2.1% compared to a year ago, leading to increased competition among rental companies offering incentives like free months of rent and waived fees.
Farewell, Fox & Hound: (Biz Journal) The Fox & Hound bar and restaurant, which previously had multiple locations around Charlotte, has closed its last North Carolina location in Birkdale Village.
Sports
ACC countersues Clemson: (WCNC) The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has filed a lawsuit against Clemson University, accusing the university of breaching its contract by seeking to withdraw from the conference. Clemson had previously filed a lawsuit against the ACC over the withdrawal fee, which is approximately $140 million.
From the Ledger family of newsletters
Local Realtors brace for commission shake-up: A national legal settlement may change how real estate agents are paid, potentially lowering housing prices but also posing challenges for some buyers. If approved, buyers may have to cover their agents’ fees, prompting changes in payment structures and potentially reducing agents’ income, while also promoting competition in the industry.
Large Catholic middle school to go to single-sex classes: Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School will introduce single-sex classes for core subjects, sparking mixed reactions among parents, with supporters citing the benefits of tailored learning styles while some expressed concerns about gender equality and lack of prior consultation.
Bra-fitter ‘Peaches’ moves to new job after Ledger profile: After a surge in customers following a Ledger article, legendary bra fit specialist Julia "Peaches" Rich retired from Nordstrom after over 20 years and will now join Dillard's at SouthPark Mall as a fit specialist.
Retirement community records placed online: Consumers in North Carolina now have access to five years of historical disclosure statements for continuing care retirement communities, thanks to a directive from the N.C. Department of Insurance, enhancing transparency and informed decision-making.
Small-business obstacles: Small businesses in Charlotte are facing diverse challenges including difficulties in hiring and retaining staff, managing growth, securing funding and increasing visibility. The Ledger talked to a few at the Charlotte Area Chamber’s Business Expo 2024.
Toppman reviews 'Moulin Rouge!': Ledger arts critic Lawrence Toppman attended Wednesday’s performance of “Moulin Rouge!” which runs through March 31 at Belk Theater. Read his full review.
🎧 New podcast episode: Hanna Raskin, editor and founder of The Food Section newsletter, talks about dining trends and options at six Charlotte retirement communities.
Ole Anderson, a professional wrestling legend, passed away at 81, leaving behind a legacy of authenticity and grit both in and out of the ring.
📫Reader mailbag: Transit Time readers weigh in on N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore’s “roads-first” ideas, the push for more transit and the environmental effects of working from home.
Charlotte FC defender shining quietly no more: Jere Uronen, a key player for Charlotte FC, has made a significant impact with his defensive prowess and offensive contributions. Despite his absence due to international duty, Uronen's positive presence on and off the field continues to benefit the team.
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Business manager: Brie Chrisman, BC Creative