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Last Stop Before the Last Stop

Theresienstadt, 1942-1945

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Image of the physical exhibition at the Center for Jewish History.
Theresienstadt Exhibit Poster (No Text)
The poster for this exhibit is based on a sketch made in Theresienstadt by Norbert Troller captioned, “Lines for Lunch”, a reference to widespread hunger and malnutrition. In sketches made secretly in Theresienstadt, the Brno-born architect sometimes added notes to images depicting the dead and dying, labeling them as “last stop” and “before the last stop”, respectively. The Nazis portrayed Theresienstadt to some German Jews as an Altersheim (old-age home) – a last stop for restful twilight years. In reality, for the vast majority of Jews deported to Theresienstadt, it was a way station on the road to Auschwitz.
Dates
Tue, Apr 12, 2022 – Wed, Nov 30, 2022
Venue
Katherine and Clifford H. Goldsmith Gallery (map)
Center for Jewish History
15 West 16th Street
New York, NY 10011 U.S.A.

Over 80 years have passed since the first transport of Jews arrived in Theresienstadt. Still, the Nazi transit camp just forty miles from Prague remains misunderstood. Much of the evidence that has survived was produced or shaped by the perpetrators: films made for purposes of Nazi propaganda, artwork created under strict supervision, and censored letters sent from the camp.

But the truth of Theresienstadt survives in memoirs, diaries, and other artifacts. This exhibition reveals the inmates’ experience of the grim reality of Theresienstadt. What can we learn from the history of Theresienstadt for today and the future?

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