Uvod: Portreti i sećanja Jevrejske zajednice Srbije pre Holokausta

Svrha projekta

Jevrejska zajednica Srbije pre Holokausta živo je sudelovala u srpskom društvu, doprinoseći kulturnom, ekonomskom, političkom i naučnom životu zemlje. Članovi ove zajednice koji su stotinama godina živeli u srpskom okruženju, tu se rađali i umirali, osnivali svoje porodice i podizali svoju decu, pohađali škole, zapošljavali se, družili, zabavljali i voleli, teško su postradali između 1941 i 1945 kao žrtve monstruoznog projekta nacista i njihovih saradnika da unište ceo jevrejski narod u Evropi. Prikupljanjem fotografija i priča o životima ljudi koji su na njima prikazani, želimo da za buduće generacije sačuvamo sećanje na zajednicu koja je nestala i da podignemo svest o tome koliko je visoka cena mržnje i netolerancije.

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Arhiva ima za cilj da sačuva vizuelne zapise svedoka i njihova neposredna i posredna sećanja na predratnu jevrejsku zajednicu. Prikupljanje svedočanstava, fotografija i faktografskih podataka ima višestruki cilj: odavanje počasti žrtvama Holokausta, očuvanje i negovanje sećanja na aktivnu, plodnu i nadasve životnu zajednicu koja je nestala u Holokaustu i omogućavanje budućih obrazovnih aktivnosti i edukacije kako jevrejske tako i nejevrejske populacije. Do sada smo prikupili preko 1000 fotografija i svedočanstava o životima oko 800 članova jevrejske zajednice u periodu pre Holokausta.

Arhiva

Izložba i edukativni program

Izložba “Portreti i sećanja Jevrejske zajednice Srbije pre Holokausta” predstaviće fotografije i svedočenja o Jevrejskoj zajednici pre Holokausta. Izložba će biti otvorena u Novom Sadu 2015. godine, a gostovaće i u drugim gradovima Srbije, Subotici, Zrenjaninu, Beogradu, Šapcu, Kragujevcu I Nišu. Prateći program uz izložbu obuhvatiće radionice za školsku decu uzrasta od 12-18 godina, javna predavanja, i projekcije filmova.

Key Experiences

- Preparation of the application for international fund

- Selection and cooperation with partners

- Implementation of project

- Sustainability

- Visibility

Preparation of the application

Funds • Ministry of Culture, Republic of Serbia (2014)

• Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (2014).

• European Union - Civil Society Facility(2013)

Preparation of the application

A very long period of development: 2012-2014. • Lots of discussions. A few meetings to present our ideas to different stakeholders.

• A concept was drafted - before we had any idea which donor we might apply to.

• Initially the idea centered on building up an archive – how to use the collected material was not a priority at that point.

• The EU was not our first choice – later we decided it might be the best choice, if we could make a successful application.

• When we decided to apply to the EU we redesigned the project significantly. We decided to add a second major component to the project – an exhibition and education programme – to better fit with the call for proposals.

• The application itself took two months to prepare. The activity plan was entirely re-written a week before we submitted the full proposal – because we came up with a better plan.

• An independent person – who had nothing to do with the project - checked the budget for erroorrss.

Preparation of the application

Lots of research • SJOS collected a list of all known holocaust survivors, in order to provide baseline data to set targets.

• We consulted with researchers who had conducted interviews with Holocaust survivors in Serbia for the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation during the 1990s, to help plan the interview process .

• We spoke a producer who had created similar photographic exhibitions to the one we envisaged, to help estimate costs.

• We asked a photographer – with photo-documentation experience – what kinds of cameras and scanners we would need.

• We spoke to a software company in detail about how to create software – online database – and how it could be used to overcome some obvious problems we would face.

• I read everything relevant I could find (in English) about the Holocaust in Serbia, including memoirs and a novel. I also read several very long manuals about holocaust education and conducting oral history interviews with Holocaust survivors.

Selection and cooperation with partners

The partners chose themselves • Jevrejska opština (Beograd, Kirkinda, Niš, Novi Sad, Pančevo, Sombor, Subotica, Zemun, Zrenjanin) - outreach and

local coordination.

• Cultural institutions – exhibitions.

• Software company (not a typical “partner”, but in this project they have been very important).

Implementation of project

Getting it right • It is a community project – we have tried to implement the project in a way that members of the Jewish

Community can be involved; we have also involved researchers from out side of the Jewish community (about 50/50 mix).

• We have hired professionals to do the things we don’t know how to do – particularly creating the software, developing the education programme and producing the exhibition.

• We have revised the plan and the schedule when we needed to and when it seemed to our advantage to do so.

• We started with a single research methodology; but we have had to adapt and change it work in local circumstances.

• We have tried to keep implementation exactly in line with the planned budget – keeping changes to a minimum.

Sustainability

Preservation • SJOS is committed to preserving memory of Holocaust victims.

• We plan to continue the process: next we will collect photographs for post-Holocaust generations – we have successfully applied to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany to do this.

• The Jewish Historical Museum will inherit and maintain the archive once the project is complete.

• SJOS is advocating for the establishment of an education and commemoration center at Staro Sajmiste (the Semlin Judenlager), to host the archive we are creating and undertake future research activities.

Visibility

Inside and outside the community • Exhibitions (7) // Schools (320)

• Website – www.jevrejipamte.org // Online database (later this year) // Other online

• Press conference

• Jevrejski pregled (publication of SJOS) // Jewish Communities (Opština)

Time for a break…