Hide and Seek.

 

The main idea of the memorial is the children's game "hide & seek”.

 

The figure of a lone child is in the center of the memorial.

Upon a closer look, we see that the child might be crying while covering his face with his hands. On the other hand, maybe he’s playing the children’s game “hide & seek” and he’s counting to 10 while the other children hide.

 

The child is leaning on one of the puzzle pieces that are scattered in the garden. The parts of the puzzle represent the broken part of a reality that was once complete: The reality before the war, the family whose lives were destroyed. The child is crying for his loneliness, for the loss of his family and friends,  a life that was stolen from him when his world  was shattered.

 

 

When I was thinking about what a memorial for 1.5 million children that were murdered in the Holocaust should look like, my thoughts wandered from ashes and death, from the image of children distorted by hunger, with fear in their eyes – to the stories of heroic struggles of children that were hiding in sewage pipes, behind cupboards and hidden doorways – often for weeks, months and years.

 

Children that were concealed – in complete silence – without moving – hungry, frightened, holding their breaths  – knowing that they must not be found and that their parents warned them not to come out of hiding.

 

These children did not "hide" in a game – for them it was a matter of survival.

 

"Let's see if you can find me" …. I called to my grandson … hiding behind a bush.

 

Right after he finished counting 1 to 10, I heard him walking around the yard, I heard his breath become shorter, and when he approached – it seemed as if I heard his heartbeat.  "Grandma, where are you?" I had almost forgotten the dryness in my mouth, the heartbeats of the girl I used to be, whose friends had scattered, finding herself alone.

 

At the end of the "hide and seek" game with my grandson, as I held him tightly in my arms, I knew what the memorial for the 1 1/2 million children would look like.

 

I chose to create a playground.

 

A garden growing from the ruins.

 

A garden where children can play games.  Play "hide & seek".  The child will not be alone anymore. Other children will come and play with him. 

 

The strength of the memorial will be drawn from the presence of children in the playground. Between the hiding places scattered in the garden they will hide, run, fall and get up again. For a few moments they will be quiet, will not utter a sound, so that they will not be found.

 

Only for a few moments.

 

The children that will play on the lawn between the trees will utter sounds of joy.

 

Sounds of a continuation of life.

 

 

Michal Fuhrer.