National Holocaust Monument | Completed
 

Jury picks six finalists in Holocaust monument design competition

By Don Butler, OTTAWA CITIZEN October 24, 2013 4:01 PM

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/cm...ry/9078419.jpg

OTTAWA — A jury has chosen six finalists in the design competition for a planned multi-million-dollar Holocaust monument across from the Canadian War Museum at the corner of Booth and Wellington streets.

The list, announced Thursday by Canadian Heritage Minister Shelly Glover and John Baird, the minister of foreign affairs, includes three teams from Toronto, one each from Vancouver and Montreal and one based in Cambridge, Mass.

All the teams include prominent architects and artists, and two of the Toronto entries also list Holocaust scholars.

One high-powered Toronto team includes superstar architect Daniel Libeskind, master planner of the new 104-storey skyscraper on the World Trade Center site in New York City, artist Edward Burtynsky, known for his large-scale photographs of industrial landscapes, and Gail Lord, one of the world’s foremost museum planners.

The team from Cambridge include Krzysztof Wodiczko, a Polish-born artist renowned for more than 80 large-scale slide and video projections on architectural facades and monuments he has created around the world.

The finalists were chosen by a seven-member jury made up of art and design professionals, a Holocaust survivor and a representative of the five-member National Holocaust Monument Development Council, created in 2011 to raise money for the monument.

The finalists were selected based on their credentials and examples they submitted of prior work. They will spend the next few months developing designs, which will be displayed publicly on Feb. 20, 2014.

The jury will recommend the winning design, but Baird, the MP for Ottawa West-Nepean, will make the final choice, according to a government document posted this summer.

Construction of the monument is expected to begin next summer, with a dedication ceremony in the fall of 2015.

In an interview Thursday, Rabbi Daniel Friedman, the chair of the development council, said it has already raised more than $4 million toward the cost of building and maintaining the monument. The federal government has promised to match donations to a maximum of $4 million.

“The government tells us we are moving quicker than they have ever seen,” said Friedman, who is rabbi at Edmonton’s Beth Israel Synagogue.

The council began to raise funds in the summer of 2012, with a goal of raising $4.5 million. If it surpasses that target, as now seems possible, any extra money would just widen the budget for the monument artists, Friedman said.

“The aim ultimately is that we have not only a world-class monument, but that we have one of those monuments in the world that people point to and say, ‘This is one of the top Holocaust monuments in the world,’” he said.

“We will be, at least budget-wise, in the game and hopefully with the calibre of the finalists that we have, we will well and truly have a monument that is world-class.”

Friedman said the national Holocaust monument is “more important than ever. We see human rights abuses abound in the world today.

“Unfortunately, human nature hasn’t changed. We still have mass slaughters of human beings taking place. It’s very important that we show, as Canadians, that we will not stand for this,” he said.

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twitter.com/ButlerDon


The six finalists in the design competition for the new national Holocaust monument in Ottawa:

• Hossein Amanat, architect and urban designer
Esther Shalev-Gerz, artist
Daniel Roehr, architect and project manager
David Lieberman, architect
— Vancouver

• Leslie M. Klein, Quadrangle Architects
Jeffrey Craft (SWA Group)
Alan Schwartz, Terraplan
Yael Bartana, artist
Susan Philipsz, artist
Chen Tamir, artist
Deborah Dwork and Jeffrey Koerber, Holocaust scholars
— Toronto

• Gail Lord, museum planner
Daniel Libeskind, architect
Edward Burtynsky, artist’
Claude Cormier, landscape architect
Doris Berger, Holocaust scholar
— Toronto

• Gilles Saucier, architect
Marie-France Brière, artist
— Montreal

• Irene Szylinger, art historian and curator
David Adjaye, architect
Ron Arad, artist/architect
— Toronto

• Krzysztof Wodiczko, artist
Julian Bonder, architect
— Cambridge, Mass.

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Ju...418/story.html

The Holocaust Monument design concepts were unveiled tonight by the six teams in the running. Unfortunately the invite to the public to see the concepts tonight went out silently (did anyone hear about this?!) on the 17th of February. So, I'm sorry to say I don't have photos, nor did I attend.

I suspect we'll see some photos in the news soon (at least, I hope we do) - it was mentioned tonight on CTV 2 news, and there may be some coverage of it on the 11 o'clock news.

Thanks citydwlr! I moved this to a new thread as this seems to be a pretty major project (bigger than I thought it would be)

here are the concepts - from twitter https://twitter.com/Robonto

#RespectForRobonto ‏@Robonto 4h
Team Klein, Craft, Schwartz, Bartana, Philipsz, Tamir, Dwork, Koerber (& @Robonto) Transcendent. @QuadrangleArch
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bg9Bzs7CIAAK1Up.jpg:large

#RespectForRobonto ‏@Robonto 4h
Team Saucier, Brière. Lifted Landscape
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bg9BLx8CQAABnvW.jpg:large

#RespectForRobonto ‏@Robonto 4h
Team Amanat, Shalev-Gerz, Roehr, Kleyn, Lieberman. Half a World.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bg9A8w6IcAAHKL0.jpg:large

#RespectForRobonto ‏@Robonto 4h
Team Wodiczko + Bonder. Connecting you to the earth.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bg9AX1tCQAAU_H8.jpg:large

#RespectForRobonto ‏@Robonto 4h
Team Lord, Libeskind, Burtynsky, Cormier & Bergen. Libeskind... Lots of Libeskind...
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bg8_3-nCcAAE3q_.jpg:large

#RespectForRobonto ‏@Robonto 4h
Team Szylinger, Adjay & Arad. Walls. Lots of walls.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bg8_aS_CMAA8fq0.jpg:large

Thanks for posting this here Waterloowarrior - much appreciated! I didn't see this thread when I did my search...

Those are some solid entries! Wow! There's at least 3-4 of the 6 that I'd be happy with. As much as the Semi-Spherical one is cool, it slightly reminds me of the Turkish monument where Island Park meets the Parkway.

Teams Libeskind and Szylinger so far for me.... but looking foward to seeing more details.

Can't argue with you there! Definitely my top 2 as well.

I think I'm leaning more toward Team Szylinger though - It intrigues me more, and looks like a piece of art that won't look dated in years to come. With that said, I feel like the Libeskind one fits well with the angular design of the War Museum and parts of the Firefighters monument across the street...

Nonetheless, I'll wait to make my final judgements until I read the details of each of the concepts.

I feel like the NCC would go for the first one (Team Klein) since it retains a ton of green space (it looks like the monument is built under 2 mounds of grass and trees).

National Holocaust Monument finalists unveiled

By CARYS MILLS, OTTAWA CITIZEN February 20, 2014 10:27 PM

OTTAWA — The six finalists for Canada’s National Holocaust Monument, meant to commemorate millions of victims, were unveiled Thursday.

Architects, artists and others on the design teams explained their work to the public at The Canadian War Museum, which the monument will face when it’s completed. A seven-membery jury, which will review public comments, will recommend the winning design team to the federal government.

The National Holocaust Monument Development Council aims to raise $4.5 million for the project and the federal government will match up to $4 million. The government dedicated the land that will be used.

The monument, to go at Wellington and Booth streets, is expected to be inaugurated in the fall of 2015.


Team: Saucier, from Quebec

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/ot...ry/9532879.jpg

Description: “The project is very much a moment in your day. You can climb on it … you can also go under it,” said architect Gilles Saucier, adding a space underneath where the sky is visible provides a link “from past to future.“ The outside would be made of weathered steel. Overall, Saucier said, the goal is to inspire contemplation, whether that means leaving flowers or sitting quietly. “The essential (part) of this project was not to drop something on the site from another culture … but something that emerged from the actual Canadian ground. It’s the idea of pushing history through the actual ground,“ Saucier said. He and artist Marie-France Brière said their monument is meant to be a gesture of respect to Holocaust victims.


Team: Amanat, from British Columbia

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/cm...ry/9532874.jpg

Description: “It’s monumental. It’s 20 metres wide and 14 metres high because the loss is enormous,” said artist Esther Shalev-Gerz, who grew up in Jerusalem. Her monument would have several components: a specific shadow that would appear yearly, a large seating area, an area where visitors can place stones to fill in a wall and quotes about the Holocaust.

“I had the idea of a half world,“ said Shalev-Gerz, whose grandparents and other relatives were Holocaust victims. “It takes you years to articulate that you’re a half world. That you’re partial. The moment you recognize it, you can go ahead and make of it things. When you don’t recognize it, you just walk around like a half thing.“ Shalev-Gerz said she wants to present people with specific examples of loss so they can relate. “All my work is about personalizing,“ she said.


Team: Klein, from Ontario

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/cm...ry/9532878.jpg

Description: “We’ve created a multi-sensory experience for the visitor, which involves sight, smell, sound and texture,“ said architect Les Klein. Black granite on the outside is meant to depict the Holocaust’s horror, while the underside is white limestone.

A distorted musical piece, involving a single violin, and photography of objects associated with the Holocaust would be included with words from survivors. Hundreds of birch trees are meant to represent areas where Jews were murdered and an Auschwitz camp named for the trees. Klein, whose parents were Holocaust survivors, said the multi-sensory approach made sense for the subject. “We described it among ourselves as a journey,“ he said. “How do you put something into shape that’s hard to even put into words?“


Team: Wodiczko + Bonder, from Massachusetts

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/cm...ry/9532876.jpg

Description: “We decided to fully expose the area … we realized underneath the surface, closer than many other places, there’s a bedrock,“ said artist Krzysztof Wodiczko. “It’s the most solid part of Canada, so to speak, and those who came fleeing execution, they needed to strike roots.“ The bedrock is between one and five metres below, according to the team, and soil would be brought from other countries. Aspen trees, which grow together through their roots, would be planted. A small reflection area would include an animated flame and audio from survivors and later generations.


Team: Lord, from Ontario

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/cm...ry/9532877.jpg

Description: The proposed monument is made of six triangles, inspired by badges Nazis used to identify Jews, with one ascending and one descending. Each triangle has a different themed space and together they form a Star of David. One set of stairs, referred to as the “stairs of hope,” show a vista of Parliament. “It represents democracy and government, and also the hope of freedom for a lot of these immigrants,“ said architect Michael Ashley said. Trees represent different nationalities and the ones Anne Frank wrote about seeing out her window, he said.


Team: Szylinger, from Ontario

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/cm...ry/9532875.jpg

Description: Twenty three slim and tall walls make up 22 paths for each country where Jewish communities were decimated, said architect Asa Bruno. “From some angles, it’s observed as an envelope,“ he said. “But when you walk through it, you become isolated, it’s a single experience for one person … we want to encourage something that doesn’t feel safe or comfortable.“ Made out of concrete and stone aggregate, the monument would intentionally become weathered over time. Away from the main monument, which could be up to 14 metres high, would be a small reflection room, including inscriptions.

[email protected]/CarysMills

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/ot...873/story.html

Some great concepts, but I really have to question the location. Such a prominent location and massive scale for something that is not specific to Canada. The Wellington/Booth intersection is unique in that it is the crossroads of the first inter-provincial link in the capital, and its first westward road. If anything, this site should celebrate the ties that unite us. I'm not sure I want a daily reminder of the slaughter of millions that took place in another continent here. I think that belongs somewhere quieter and more contemplative, like on Sussex in front of the former city hall.

Szylinger all the way.

Kitchissippi, not specific to Canada? wow. ok then.

I think they are all ugly.

What happened to the good old days of a beautiful statue as opposed to sterile concrete and metal bunkers?

I'm a little worried that, placed in an area rather devoid of activity, it might become a place to avoid unless you have a very, very specific reason to be there.

A memorial or monument won't help anyone remember if no one ever goes there. I'd rather make it a central element in Lebreton Flats like a square where people go for a million different reasons (to get to the other side, to meet someone there, etc.) and in so doing are reminded of a chapter of our (Western) history. Within that square, you could also have a more removed area (within the sculptures or something) for more solitary reflection.

If silent reflection is the only thing you're aiming for, it would be more appropriate to put it in an area devoid of activity/urbanity instead of in such a very central location.

But if you want an area populated with all those nice and happy people we see in the renders, we need to put it in a location NOT cornered by uncrossable roadways (Ottawa River Parkway and Booth) and chose a place which will provide easy, casual pedestrian access.

That's my beef.

I think I'm leaning more towards the Szylinger design. At least it's different enough to get people talking.

While visually very different, it's basically the same concept as the Berlin Memorial which uses Slabs of various heights to achieve the same isolation for someone visiting it.

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I think the Lord and Szylinger teams have put the most thought into their designs. Their designs have a lot of meaning.

It's a shame that what will probably be Ottawa's two most iconic spaces aside from Parliament Hill, the War Memorial and then this Holocaust Monument, will be places to quietly reflect on the dead. It would be nice if the federal government put this much effort into a public space that celebrated something less solemn.

hopefully, the Stanley Cup monument will do just that. This should be designed as a photo opportunity for tourists just as the Rocket Richard monument has become at the north end of the Interprovincial Bridge.

Specific: Clearly defined or identified with. So yes, I don't think the memory of Nazi tyranny and their massacre of 6 million Jews is exactly central to Canadian identity and psyche.

Don't get me wrong, I have visited two concentration camps in Europe, walked through the gas chambers and seen first hand the furnaces where they burnt the bodies. I wept at the sight of some of the conditions people had to endure. In my gut this is just not an appropriate spot for this memorial, on a busy intersection and beside a stage where noisy concerts are held.

I also feel that the Flats and the Falls are the true birthplace of the city, something that has been completely erased and ignored. It is the narrowest part of the river, and holds the greatest potential for a pleasant pedestrian link between Ottawa and Gatineau.

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Without commenting on the artistic merit, unless it is going to be guarded 24/7, I would prefer to avoid the designs that provide a lot of hiding places for vandals, drug users, idiots, drunks, etc. as the NCC has done its best to ensure that whole part of town is desolate most of the time. Ananat would seem to fit the bill on that.

My immediate reaction to the Szylinger proposal is that it makes me think of a stack of corpses on end. This is not mentioned in the description and I don't know if there was any intent to present that image to some people. I don't know if others get the same impression and I don't even know if it is inappropriate given the purpose of the monument.

Quoted for truth. This is exactly what I'm afraid of with the lack of 'eyes on the street'.

I'm going to guess the un-beautiful nature of the thing being commemorated dictates that you aren't going to get Arnoldian sweetness and light here. Just a guess.

Another great city-killing, space-deadening project. Doesn't Ottawa already have enough functionally dead space?

Reflecting on the windmill Holland wanted to gift to Canada in recognition of our wartime connection, it makes me wonder if this similarly appropriate testament will ever come into being.

I agree with the common sentiment in this thread. I am not against such a monument, but I am totally against it being built at that particular location. Its a huge fail, as many of you have mentioned. It should be built in a more peaceful, quiet area for obvious reasons already mentioned in previous posts.

Furthermore, I am hoping that the monument will also commemorate the non-Jews killed in the Holocaust. As a Polish-born Canadian, I had granparents who fought in WWII and non-Jew family members living in conentration camps. I too have visited 2 different concentration over the years, and I am always educating people on the hard facts of WWII and the Holocaust and how its not just the Jews who suffered and endured years of hell. Yet thats the result of a type of unfortunate propaganda that has been present as of late, we are made to believe that the main victims of WWII were Jews, thats it thats all. Thats of course, far from the truth and I hope that this monument brings to light the deaths of all the other innocent civilians in Europe and beyond during WWII. Holocaust is not just about Jews.

The Globe and Mail had another posting regarding the Monument, and it had some different views than what we've seen previously. Some of them are pretty high-res, so I haven't posted them - you'll have to click on the aforementioned link to view them ...

UPDATE: Actually, here are the direct links to the renders:

Team Lord
Team Szylinger
Team Saucier + Perrotte
Team Amanat
Team Wodiczko
Team Klein

They all look pretty nice. I can definitely picture people hanging out and having a pleasant afternoon, maybe taking a break from their run or bike along the river.

And this is my issue with all of the designs (possible exception of Team Amanat) and the location. It is supposed to mark the darkest chapter in human history - the purposeful murder of millions. Any such monument should be unsettling to behold and not a place people want to be around. Rather, visiting it should be a somber responsibility.

It is of course hard to incorporate the type of monument I would prefer into any city's urban fabric. I'm at a loss to think of a good place in Ottawa to put it.

There needs to be more of a healthy public debate on this monument, but it is sometimes hard to offer criticism without being labeled as unsympathetic, or at worse bigoted. Anti-semetism was not the sole motivation for the Holocaust, Jews were the easiest target for the perverted Nazi ideology of "Lebensraum". There's a sad painful back story buried in there, as the Nazis got inspiration from their envy of (North) Americans having been able to freely run over the aboriginal populations in the quest for more territory.

The National War Memorial was built to honour those who fought in all the wars and stands as a monument for the universal value of valour. Likewise, the Peacekeeping monument honours those who served in all the peace keeping missions and symbolizes our vigilance for peace. If there are future wars or missions they are included in the commemorations which keeps the value of these monuments contemporary.

I feel that for this monument to be timeless and relevant to more Canadians , it needs to stand for our opposition to all forms of genocide and tyranny. While it should be a place where we can solemnly remember those who have been victimized, it should also reflect on Canada as a place where wounds have healed and the Canadian stand against oppression. It should not isolate anti-Semitism from any other kind of religious persecution or racism, or martyrize a group of victims over others who have suffered equally horrendous conditions.

I would be in favour of a "Museum of Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing and Tyranny" (with maybe a better name...) that would feature exhibits on a broad range atrocities, including a nuanced discussion of the holocaust and its victims.

Of course, the debates around what goes in and what goes out would be intense.

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You're right, there were a number of groups targeted by the Nazis and millions of non-Jewish individuals were sent to the camps. And any Holocaust memorial should commemorate all victims. However, I think you need to acknowledge that the sheer number of Jews killed (2/3 of the entire pre-war population) explains in part the close association of the term Holocaust as an act of genocide with Europe's Jews, and that the use of the term "propaganda" here is somewhat problematic. Finally, a friendly reminder that "Jew" is a noun, never an adjective. Thanks.

I couldn't agree more. The Holocaust was a truly horrific event, and it deserves to be learned from and remembered, but it wasn't the only genocide to have ever occurred. Major genocides have also taken place in Armenia, Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda, etc. (http://endgenocide.org/learn/past-genocides)

What I'd like to know, however, is why Ottawa (and other cities for that matter) are singling out this genocide? Is it because it was the one in which the most people died? Is it because it's the one which has the most living descendants? Or could it be the one that resonates with the most voters or political party donors? I don't know the answer, but I do know that I too would like to see a memorial to all genocides, not just this one.

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I don't think that we should underestimate the Holocaust. It was the most systematic elimination of a particular ethnic group in known human history. Much of Europe's Jewish population was wiped out. For this reason alone, this event must be remembered so that it won't be repeated. Yes, there have been other genocides as listed and more than just Jews were killed during the Holocaust and millions of others were killed during World War II but it is deliberate elimination of the Jewish population that stands out beyond all other atrocities in recent times. As we remember our lost war heros, we must also remember this horrific and deliberate slaughter of innocent civilians.

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I like the idea of a museum to Jewish suffering throughout history. A tendency has developed to associate antisemitism almost exclusively with the Nazis (see Tony Judt's "Post War" for a great discussion), and thus denying or whitewashing the antisemitism that was common and often institutionalized across the western world.

Alternatively, I like the idea of a monument of museum concentrating on the holocaust as you described.

I guess i just really like the idea of more museums in Ottawa.

I think you've misunderstood Tony Judt's views. He was a Jew (he passed in 2010) who was critical of the establishment of Israel solely as a religious Jewish state (he preferred a shared secular Israeli-Palestinian state). He was concerned that people are confusing criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism, and that many in the US Government (and the Harper government) seem to to hold Israel above censure.The ulterior motives of these politicians can threaten to mar the solemnity and sincerity behind this type of monument, as expressed in this opinion.

From the words of Tony Judt: We should beware the excessive invocation of “anti-Semitism.” A younger generation in the United States, not to mention worldwide, is growing skeptical. “If criticism of the Israeli blockade of Gaza is potentially ‘anti-Semitic,’ why take seriously other instances of the prejudice?”

The comments on this article are equally interesting, especially from a national perspective.

One commentator suggests: "I'm confused. Is this a Canadian memorial for the countless First Nations people whose lives were disrupted and destroyed by the Europeans? No? It's a memorial in Canada for Europeans who were killed by other Europeans. Oh, ok...?"

I have not seen a parking in any of the renderings.

I would hope that a small area is made available if we expect visitors....if not, people will just drive by.

:???:

You are quite correct regarding his views on Israel. I was referring to the section in Postwar on Germany's turn towards holocaust memorializing in the 1980s and 1990s. It has been a couple of years since I read it, but I believe the gist was that the exit of former Nazis from prominent positions in society (mainly due to age) allowed for Germany to move from silent acceptance to intensive efforts to recognize the holocaust and WW2, but as the unique sins of the Nazi regime. The western world has basically followed suit: intense focus on the Nazis but little popular understanding of the long dark history of antisemitism.

Winning team:
Gail Lord, museum planner
Daniel Libeskind, architect
Edward Burtynsky, artist’
Claude Cormier, landscape architect
Doris Berger, Holocaust scholar

That's incredible...the portal to the Peace Tower is a very thoughtful design.

Not my favourite of the designs proposed, but still interesting. It reminds me a bit of the Peacekeepers Monument.

However, I do find it slightly odd that we're doing a holocaust memorial. If anything is more tied to our history (and would be just as related and just as important to remember), it would be a monument to our turning away of the St. Louis and 907 Jews escaping Nazi Germany in 1939.

That way it would be holocaust related, but also relatable directly to us as Canadians while carrying the same "never again, never forget" mentality. Just my opinion.

Interesting, monuments are their specialty:

"Lord Cultural Resources is the world’s largest global professional practice dedicated to creating cultural capital having conducted over 2,000 cultural projects in over 50 countries on 6 continents. We collaborate with people and organizations to plan and manage cultural places, programs and resources that deliver excellence in the service of society."

from: http://www.lord.ca/Pages/nhm-project.php

Canada selects design for national Holocaust monument

JTA, May 12, 2014

A team that includes world-renowned architect Daniel Liebeskind has been chosen over five other finalists to create a national Holocaust monument in Ottawa.

The team was announced made Monday by Canadian Heritage Minister Shelly Glover, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and Multiculturalism Minister Tim Uppal. Uppal had introduced the private member’s bill, the National Holocaust Monument Act, that led to the monument’s creation.

Scheduled for completion in the fall of 2015, the team’s design features a large gathering space for ceremonies, with room for 1,000 people, enclosed by six triangular, concrete segments to create the points of a star — reminiscent of the yellow stars Jews were forced to wear during the Holocaust.

The winning team is led by Gail Dexter Lord, co-president of Toronto-based Lord Cultural Resources, which also consulted on the Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg and the 9/11 Museum in New York. Both his parents were Holocaust survivors.

Liebeskind’s buildings include the Jewish Museum in Berlin, the Danish Jewish Museum in Copenhagen and many others. In 2003, he won the competition to be the master plan architect for the reconstruction of the World Trade Center site.

In addition to Liebeskind, the team includes artist-photographer Edward Burtynsky, Quebec-based landscape architect Claude Cormier and University of Toronto Holocaust scholar Doris Bergen.

“The winning design is a fully integrated proposal in which architecture, landscape, art and interpretation communicate the hardship and suffering of victims while conveying a powerful message of humanity’s enduring strength and survival,” a government media release issued Monday said.

Once completed, Canada “will no longer be the only Allied nation without a national Holocaust monument,” noted the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs. “In bearing witness to the Holocaust, the monument will be a compelling reminder of the dangers of unchecked evil and the enduring imperative to confront all manifestations of anti-Semitism and hatred.”

http://www.jewishjournal.com/world/a...caust_monument

And we have our answer, the Holocaust Memorial is not just a Jewish memorial. Very relieved to read that they included the other groups of Nazi-targeted people as well, and I have to admit, the design is striking. Afterall, Daniel Libeskind is known for striking designs. Lets hope this will motivate local developers to use his skills for an eye-catching building in the capital down the road.

"The Monument is conceived as an experiential environment comprised of six triangular, concrete volumes configured to create the points of a star. The star remains the visual symbol of the Holocaust – a symbol that millions of Jews were forced to wear by the Nazi’s to identify them as Jews, exclude them from humanity and mark them for extermination. The triangular spaces are representative of the badges the Nazi’s and their collaborators used to label homosexuals, Roma-Sinti, Jehovah’s Witnesses and political and religious prisoners for murder."

http://www.lord.ca/Pages/nhm-project.php

Ahh, don't people see the one-sided report here? Though I am not surprised to see this, its almost expected, afterall the report is from the Jewish Journal, so why on earth would they even care to mention that the Holocaust Monument is not just about Jews? Typical. And then people get offended at certain negative remarks regarding anything Jewish, and call them anti-semitic. For sure me writing this will be called anti-semitic! Ha, but all it is, is an observation of yet another example of how Jews consider the Holocaust and in many ways WWII, to be all about their suffering. Thankfully, this monument will not be just about them, but about others who perished in the concentration camps too, and so it will not only serve to educate people about about the Jewish deaths, but also about the other deaths such as homosexuals, Gypsies, Political prisoners, Intellectuals, etc.

Have you driven by the National War Memorial lately? Like, since 1939?