The memorial design by Daniel Libeskind consists of four Hebrew letters in reflective stainless steel, that make up a word that translates as ‘In memory of". The four letters are supported by a set of brick walls, creating a dynamic labyrinth of passages. On each brick are inscribed the name, date of birth, and date of passing away, in such a way that the name of each victim can be touched.
Together with the Garden of the Protestant Diaconate and the Garden of the Hermitage Amsterdam, the location creates a series of (semi) public, green outdoor spaces between the Amstel and Weesperstraat. While the spaces each have their own purpose and can function independently, they are also connected and create a coherent whole through design, materials, and the selection of plants.
Holocaust Monument of Names by Daniel Libeskind. Photograph by Kees Hummel.
Holocaust Monument of Names by Daniel Libeskind. Photograph by Kees Hummel.
Project description by Daniel Libeskind
Situated along the Weesperstraat, an important axis within the Jewish Cultural Quarter, the Dutch Holocaust Memorial of Names is adjacent to the Hermitage Museum, East of the Diaconie’s verdant Hoftuin garden and café, just a stone’s throw from the Amstel River and in close proximity to important Jewish cultural institutions such as the Jewish Historical Museum and the Portuguese Synagogue.
The 1,550 square meter memorial incorporates four volumes that represent the letters in the Hebrew word לזכר meaning “In Memory of”. The volumes are arranged in a rectilinear configuration on the north-south axis of the main thoroughfare Weesperstraat and the Hoftuin pavilion to the East.
As visitors enter the memorial they will encounter a labyrinth of passages articulated by two-meter-high brick walls carrying the message of Remembrance. Each of the four volumes is crafted from mirror-finished stainless steel that hovers above the walls of individually stacked bricks. 102,000 bricks are each inscribed with a name, giving a tangible quantification to the many casualties, as well as leaving 1000 blank bricks that will memorialize the unknown victims.
