Art As a From of Resistance During the Holocaust PowerPoint


The lesson introduces students to the art created by the persecuted Jews, namely teenagers, during the Holocaust. The lesson focuses on the use of drawings as the way to resist oppression and persecution. Students discover how drawings can help people face up to the harsh reality of life in a concentration camp. Students learn about Peter Ginz and the boys of “Vedem” who created a magazine and drew while living in a concentration camp. Students learn about the events that led to the deportation to the concentration camp, find out about the steps in the gradual persecution of the Jews, gain a deeper understanding of the conditions in the concentration camp. Students analyze the artwork created by the persecuted teenagers. The presentation focuses on the exploration of elements of art such as lines and shapes as the means of representing and surviving the traumatic experience during the Holocaust. The lesson uses Centropa film “Peter Ginz and the Boys of ‘Vedem’” that features interviews with the survivors and their account of the events of the Holocaust. The main goal of the lesson is to help students reflect on the role of art as a form of resistance. The presentation can be used in integrated Arts and English language classes as well as at History lessons.