Together with the ErfgoedApp , Kazerne Dossin recently ErfgoedApp a tour intended for secondary school students aged 15 and older. We visited the museum and learned about the war history in a new way through 'Kazerne Dossin: What’s New?'.
A dark chapter in Belgian war history
As a memorial, museum, and research center on the Holocaust and human rights, Kazerne Dossin has been an established part of Belgium's heritage landscape for many years. The historical story of World War II and the persecution of the Jews leaves no one unmoved and runs like a thread through the museum and the permanent exhibition. Belgium was not spared from the Holocaust, a dark chapter in history that must continue to be told, including to young people.
As a young visitor, you will start with your guides on the panoramic roof of Kazerne Dossin on the fifth floor. In case of inclement weather, you can enjoy the view from behind the large windows. While looking at the original barracks, you will learn about the role the building played during the deportations between 1942 and 1944. The tour teaches you that there were 25,843 prisoners in the barracks. Only 5% of these people would survive the war.
Natan Ramet: a gripping testimony of perseverance and survival
The ErfgoedApp now takes you to the third floor. Before you continue, the app warns you that a very disturbing part of the exhibition is coming up. If you follow the tour, the most shocking images will not be shown. Would you still like to see them? Then be sure to bring a teacher or adult with you!
You see the enormous photo wall that stretches across no fewer than five floors. Then you go in search of the photo of Natan Ramet. He was a Jewish man who survived the Holocaust and later co-founded the Jewish Museum of Deportation and Resistance, the predecessor of Museum Kazerne Dossin. You learn why his photo is in color and what happened to his family during the persecutions. Natan recounts his experiences as a 17-year-old in Kazerne Dossin, his deportation to Poland, and his horrific memories of Auschwitz-Birkenau. You will learn about the practices used in the concentration camps and the techniques the Nazis used to dehumanize and discourage their victims. Through Natan's poignant testimonies, memories, and heirlooms, you will learn more about the unbearable life in the camps.
Still on the third floor, you continue with the story after the liberation and the end of the Second World War. In another testimony, Natan recounts his experiences upon his return to Antwerp. Stories are also told about victims who did not survive.
The power of images: propaganda and polarization
Starting on the second floor, the tour informs you about the importance of media and propaganda. After all, posters, pamphlets, radio, and television programs have a major influence on how people view society.
You delve deeper into the use of media and propaganda by Nazi Germany, but also by the Belgian resistance. 'Kazerne Dossin: What's New' shows how anti-Semitic propaganda led to an increase in violence against Jewish citizens. In addition, the tour focuses on the difference between propaganda and advertising, which is a very important distinction. Various examples are used to explain the characteristics of propaganda and how to recognize it. This is of great value to young people who are also confronted with this type of information today.
Masses and media
On the first floor, the exhibition explains how Hitler and his followers used censorship and mass media to win supporters. The tour emphasizes how Hitler tried to convince the population of Nazi ideology. You can also see how he responded to the masses and used them to gain power. All these elements help young visitors realize how important the power of the masses and the media can be.
In addition, you will also learn more about the living conditions at the time, giving you insight into how those hateful messages were able to take hold of people's thoughts and actions.
Never forget
The captivating tour ends where it began: at the large photo wall. You look these people in the eyes one last time, with the information about persecution, racism, anti-Semitism, and propaganda in mind.
The 'What's New?' tour is a very moving, educational, and interactive tour that informs young people in an accessible way about the power of propaganda used during World War II. By starting with the story of the violence and persecution of Jewish citizens and then examining how it came to this, Kazerne Dossin hopes that young people will better understand the power and effect of mass media and hate campaigns. Both in the past and today.
