THE HAGUE—On January 28, the The Hague Municipality will unveil a Holocaust monument in memory of the 14,000 Jewish residents of the city who were deported and exterminated during WWII.
The project was driven by the efforts of the Dutch Jewish Monument Foundation.
The memorial was conceived and designed by the Israeli-born artist Anat Ratzabi and will be placed in Rabbijn Maarsenplein, which is in the city’s former Jewish quarter.
It will consist of sculptures intended to arouse curiosity and awareness among spectators. A wall split in three parts, to resemble a door set ajar will be illuminated by a light installation and will feature the ‘Davidster’ plaque which was designed by Dick Stins 50 years ago. Six stone ovals with plaques representing the twelve tribes of Israel will be placed in front. To complete the memorial, both next to the door and in the square will sit two bronze suitcases, which symbolize the inhumane way the Jews were forced to abruptly depart.
“It is important and it carries tremendous responsibility to serve the memory of those who didn’t come back, but also to impress upon the people of today and tomorrow the eternal impact of the Holocaust”, says Ratzabi.
The unveiling of the memorial will coincide with International Holocaust Remembrance Day and in light of an increase of antI-Semitism in the Netherlands.
Ratzabi believes that ”the memorial was created with of the intention to inspire its observers and generate self-reflection. It is meant to evoke compassion and tolerance”.