IMPORTANT: The Virtual History Wing is a work in progress. Room 1 is available. The other rooms are under development.

About the
Virtual History Wing

About the Rooms:

Room 1: Jewish Life
Prior to the Holocaust and Antisemitism

This room provides information about Jewish Life prior to the Holocaust.

Room 2: History of the Third Reich

(Underdevelopment) This room provides information about the rise and fall of the Third Reich.

Room 3: Kristallnacht

(Underdevelopment) This room provides information about Kristallnacht.

Room 4: World Response

(Underdevelopment) This room provides information about the development of Jewish Ghettos.

Room 5: Ghettos

(Underdevelopment) This room provides information about the response of world countries to the Holocaust.

Room 6: Final Solution

(Underdevelopment) This room provides information about the implementation of the Final Solution.

Room 7: Resistance and Liberation

(Underdevelopment) This room provides information about the role of resistors and the eventual liberation of Jews.

Room 8: Aftermath

(Underdevelopment) This room provides information about the time period following the liberation of Jews.

Room 9: Current Connections

(Underdevelopment) This room provides information about genocides occurring throughout the world at the present time.

About the Virtual History Wing

IMPORTANT: The Virtual History Wing is a work in progress. Room 1 is available.
The other rooms are under development. Please see our note about our links to other Web sites.

Welcome to the Virtual History Wing—an interactive multimedia section of the Florida Holocaust Museum’s Web site that provides in-depth information related to the Museum’s permanent exhibition. The purpose of the History Wing is to deepen the knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust era to encourage visitors to develop humanistic values necessary for creating a world of peaceful coexistence with mutual understanding and respect.

Designed to accompany and enhance the permanent exhibition of the Florida Holocaust Museum, the Virtual History Wing chronicles the history of the Holocaust. The permanent exhibition opens with the origins and evolution of anti-Judaism and antisemitism. It progresses through the rise of Nazism and the implementation of the Final Solution and closes with an examination of legacy of the Holocaust since the end of World War II. The Hall of History Virtual Tour follows the same pattern and offers viewers an audio guide, reviewing the dominant events and themes of the permanent exhibition.

As with the permanent exhibition and the virtual tour, the History Wing divides into eight sections called “rooms” and includes a ninth room. All of the content within the rooms is reviewed and approved for inclusion by:

Noreen Brand, Director of Curatorial Affairs, FHM
Dr. Mary Johnson, Historian, FHM
Dr. Stephen Feinstein, Curator, FHM

Room:	Title:	Description:
1	Jewish Life Prior to the Holocaust and Antisemitism	Discusses the origins of anti-Judaism in early Christian times and its evolution to antisemitism in the 19th century and its impact on Nazi ideology and legislation. Dr. Michael Berenbaum introduces this room.
2	History of the Third Reich	Provides an overview of the National Socialist movement from the birth of Adolf Hitler in 1889 until the fall of the Third Reich in 1945. This room also includes information about the oppression of the Roma & Sinti, Slavs, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the mentally and physically disabled, Afro-Germans, and homosexuals.
3	Kristallnacht	Analyzes the Nazi antisemitic legislation between 1933 and the November Pogrom (Kristallnacht) on November 9-10, 1938. Professor Harry Reicher introduces this room.
4	World Response	Presents the response of the world community to the Nazi state before and during World War II, with special emphasis on the Evian Conference, the SS St. Louis voyage and the Bermuda Conference. Dr. Dennis Laffer introduces this room.
5	Ghettos	Describes the roundup and concentration of Jews in the early years of World War II in Eastern and Western Europe: ghettos were created in Nazi occupied territories of Eastern Europe; transit camps were created in Western Europe. Shulamit Imber introduces this room.
6	Final Solution	Covers the implementation of the Nazi policy between 1941 and 1945 to murder all the Jews of Europe in death camps located in Poland; the Wannsee Conference January 20, 1942, set the administrative guidelines for the policy that had already been determined. Dr. Mary Johnson introduces this room.
7	Resistance and Liberation	Describes the resistance of Jews and non-Jews to the Nazi plans to murder Jews. Resistance by non-Jews who attempted to save or assist Jews has come to be known as "rescue." Also found in this room is the experience of Allied Forces in 1945 that came upon the Nazi death camps and “liberated” the camps. Dr. Nechama Tec introduces this room.
8	Aftermath	Presents the response of the world community after witnessing the Nazi atrocities and brutality—the Nuremberg Trials, the establishment of DP camps for Jews and other displaced persons—the establishment of the state of Israel (1948).
9	Current Connections	Discusses contemporary genocides and the modern human rights movement. Samantha Power introduces this room.

Visitors to the permanent exhibition and the virtual tour have an opportunity to view a survey of the Holocaust but do not receive the details and contextual information regarding the events or themes presented. The Rooms of the Virtual History Wing provide the details, in depth information and historical context regarding the content presented in each room. In addition, educators and community leaders are offered ideas for developing lessons on many aspects of the Holocaust and genocides. See the left menu of each room for Teaching Tips, Teaching Resources and the Sunshine Standards (Frameworks 5.0 ).

For example, Room One: Antisemitism expands upon the timeline of antisemitism, incorporating specific information on events since the early Christian era and visual arts manifesting the impact of anti-Judaic thought and behavior over the centuries. Video testimonies in Room One offer concrete examples of how the negative attitudes towards Jews impacted on daily behavior and language in post World War I Germany. Another example is Room Three where testimonies of Holocaust survivors and the lecture of Professor Harry Reicher reveal the impact that antisemitic legislation had on the lives of German Jews. Room Three includes the images of Nazi propaganda that sought to create hatred of the victims of the discriminatory legislation.

Every room includes a timeline (see the left menu for Room Timeline). The top menu of each room corresponds to the timeline. An introduction begins each room. The left menu includes Arts (drama, visual arts, literature, music), Maps, Primary Resources, Testimonies (survivors, witnesses, liberators, etc.), Related Topics, Related Links, and menu items for educators, which are related to the content of the room. A different scholar or expert introduces each room.

The History Wing also incorporates visiting exhibitions related to themes and artifacts in the permanent exhibition. These exhibitions further deepen one’s understanding of the Holocaust era and its continuing legacy. Art provides a means for connecting to the personal tragedies and hopes of the human condition.

We welcome you to explore the Virtual History Wing and share your feedback about your experiences!

Links to Other Web Sites

Some of the sites included as links herein will let you leave our server and are not under our control. Access to any other Internet site linked to Florida Holocaust Museum's Web site is at the user's own risk and we are not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any information, data, opinions, advice or statements made on these linked sites. We do not make any representations whatsoever concerning the content of those sites. The fact that we have provided a link to a site is NOT an endorsement, authorization, sponsorship, or affiliation by us with respect to such site, its owners, or its providers; we are providing these links only as a convenience to you. We have reviewed but not tested any information, software, products or services found on these sites and therefore cannot make any representations whatsoever with respect thereto.

There are risks in using any information, software, products or services found on the Internet; and we caution you to make sure that you completely understand these risks before retrieving, using, relying upon, or purchasing anything via the Internet.

Frameworks 5.0

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