The New Orleans Holocaust Memorial
A shared vision of loss, survival and hope.
A remembrance of lives lost so that they are never forgotten and that we never forget those who died.
A tribute to the survivors.
The New Orleans Holocaust Memorial, a statement of hope for the future.
About the Sculpture
The New Orleans Holocaust Memorial sculpture is an artistic visual prayer in memory of the six million Jews of Europe and those millions of other victims who were tortured and murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators from 1933-1945.
Ten Panes With Meaning
The sculpture is composed of nine panels, each with different designs. As you view the sculpture from different angles the images change and different color combinations emerge. Images come into view as you walk around the panels.
These photographs were taken as the sculpture was installed and dedicated.
Click on an image to view it separately.
About the Artist
The artist, Yaacov Agam, an Israeli, is the pioneer of kinetic art. Born in 1928, Agam's works are included in the collections of the world's major museums.
Yaacov Agam at the New Orleans Holocaust Memorial dedication.
Meaning
"This Memorial will serve as a powerful reminder of our need to be vigilant and to oppose vigorously the corrosive forces of intolerance, bigotry and hatred, wherever and whenever they may appear. Designed by internationally renowned sculptor, Yaacov Agam, our Memorial is intended to 'remember the victims, not the killers'."
- Rabbi Edward Paul Cohn, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Sinai, New Orleans
"Since the New Americans Social Club first came together as an organization where we, as Holocaust survivors, could find a way to share our experiences, our pain and our triumphs in surviving Hitler's plan to destroy our people. The symbol of our determination will be the memorial. It represents a final remembrance of us, our loved ones murdered, and the other millions we did not know."
- Felicia Fuksman, A Holocaust survivor who was held captive in the Ravensbruk Concentration Camp and came to New Orleans in 1950.
"This Memorial will not only be a remembrance of those who died and those who survived in America, but it will also be our tribute to the spirit of America. In New Orleans, we were welcomed after World War II. It was here, in freedom, that we rebuilt our lives, raised our families, started businesses and became part of the American dream. The memorial will be our statement of remembrance and our expression of eternal gratitude to the people of New Orleans who opened their hearts to us."
- Shep Zitler, A Holocaust survivor who joined the Polish Army fighting Germany and was held as a prisoner of war in labor camps. He came to New Orleans in 1949.
Visit the Memorial
The New Orleans Holocaust Memorial sits in Woldenberg Mississippi Riverpark, near the Aquarium.