EHRI Workshop Heritage and Memory: 30 Experts in Physical and Digital Conservation

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Thursday, 11 September, 2014

"An object from the Holocaust is not only a physical entity; it carries within the suffering of those who owned it beyond the historical events of that period of time. The questions of how the object was used, under what circumstances it was damaged or where it was hidden are a very important part of the story it has to tell." Dr. Haim Gertner, Director of the Yad Vashem Archives, and member EHRI Executive Team

The international EHRI workshop "Heritage and Memory" was held at EHRI partner Yad Vashem last September. Scholars and experts from around the world explored physical and digital preservation of documents, photographs, artworks and artifacts.

Some of the questions that were discussed:

  • Is there a need to invest in preserving original items in an age when it is possible to display a scanned image of them on the Internet?
  • In what manner does the digital age affect the traditional divisions between different types of collections?
  • To what extent can conservation experts intervene and "repair" torn documents or distorted film footage from the Holocaust period?
  • How can long-term preservation of digital copies of Holocaust documentation be ensured?
Conservation of Holocaust heritage

This was the first international workshop of its kind, which was designed specifically for scholars involved in the practical, ethical and philosophical aspects of conservation of Holocaust heritage, and for professionals from various fields of conservation who imparted common experience and methodologies. The workshop included the participation of about 30 prominent experts from Europe, Israel and the U.S. A. in both physical and digital conservation and the preservation of primary sources such as documents, photographs, artworks and artifacts. This workshop also touched on the dilemmas that have arisen in recent years in the ever-expanding field.

A platform for dialogues

The international scholars held various presentations pertaining to their field of expertise. Some topics discussed included the ethics of preservation of original materials; exploring the limits of digitization; physical and digital preservation of Holocaust documentation; opportunities and difficulties of digitization of Holocaust documents; and low-cost imaging technologies for art and documents examination. In addition, the seminar was a great success in educating and exchanging these international scholars' different areas of expertise. The seminar provided a platform for these dialogues to take place.

See more workshop Heritage and Memory photos

Read a workshop Heritage and Memory blogpost

Read the workshop programme

First and third photo: In the dry room of Yad Vashem’s paper conservation laboratory with Varda Gross, Head of the Paper Conservation Laboratory.

Second photo: Session IV: Digital Conservation. Panel: Henk Harmsen (DANS, the Netherlands), Micaela Procaccia (Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage), Jessica Green (Wiener Library for the Study of the Holocaust & Genocide), Gabriëlle Beentjes (Dutch National Archives). Moderator: Michael Grunberger (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum). Left of panel: Haim Gertner (Yad Vashem).