HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTER PRESENTS NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE OF “SYNAGOGUES IN GERMANY: A VIRTUAL RECONSTRUCTION” EXHIBIT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Farmington Hills, Michigan, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) August 24, 2010 -- The Holocaust Memorial Center Zekelman Family Campus in Farmington Hills, Mich. will unveil its next exhibit, the North American premiere of “Synagogues in Germany: A Virtual Reconstruction,” with a grand opening at 7 p.m. on Aug. 29, 2010. The exhibit will feature elaborate computer-aided-design (CAD) reconstructions of eight synagogues destroyed during Kristallnacht, or “night of broken glass,” in November 1938. The exhibit will be open to the public and will run through Nov. 29.

The exhibit was created by students at the Darmstadt University of Technology in Germany, led by professors Marc Grellert and Manfred Koob. The inspiration for the exhibit was a 1994 arson attack on a synagogue in Lübeck, Germany, that motivated a number of Darmstadt students to address and explore an important chapter in the history of German architecture – synagogues.

In beautiful, full color restorations, based upon eyewitness interviews and blueprints on file in German cities, the exhibit details the diversity, splendor and significance of the synagogue in the country’s urban architectural history from the early 19th century until 1938.

“Our students at Darmstadt University of Technology dedicated themselves to recreating this part of German culture nearly wiped out in one night,” explains Grellert. “Our mission was to make this culture visible once again, using the latest technology to show the beauty and importance synagogues played in Germany.”

The exhibit is divided into three spatial units. Visitors first will view German laws of the 1930s quoted in their original wording, depriving Jews of their rights. These laws were a precursor to the planned attack on synagogues and places of prayer in November 1938.

The second section shows the extent of the destruction, including photos of destroyed synagogues and their cities of origin.

The third section demonstrates the process and final outcome of the virtual reconstruction of 14 selected synagogues, using CAD and three-dimensional concepts. Included is the elaborate simulation of synagogues, some dating back to the 1860s, from a number of German cities including Cologne, Hanover and Plauen. These buildings are presented in varying stages of reconstruction and augmented by video and slide projections and computer printouts. Visitors can explore the fronts and interiors of the buildings via virtual computer screen tours. The variable perspectives allow the study of the architectural arrangement of space, combined with actual artifacts preserved from the destruction.

“This stunning exhibit brings back to life a significant part of German culture that was destroyed in one night,” said Stephen Goldman, executive director, Holocaust Memorial Center Zekelman Family Campus. “Architecture is a direct reflection of society and culture. It is breathtaking to see these beautiful synagogues restored in such detail and we are pleased that our visitors can “tour” this stage in history.”

The Holocaust Memorial Center Zekelman Family Campus is located at 28123 Orchard Lake Road in Farmington Hills. The exhibit can be visited Sunday – Thursday, 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (last admission at 3:30 p.m.); and Friday, 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (last admission at 1:30 p.m.). The museum is closed on Saturdays.

For more information, call 248-553-2400, or visit www.holocaustcenter.org.

The Holocaust Memorial Center Zekelman Family Campus hopes that, by providing opportunities for the ongoing study of the Holocaust and of those individuals who in the midst of evil stood for the best, rather than worst, of human nature, we are creating a legacy for present and future generations – a legacy that can be used as a guide for righteous human behavior. In a world increasingly faced with sectarian strife and intolerance, it is supremely important that we learn the lessons the Holocaust has to teach as we strive to maintain an open, free and ethical society.

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