Daniel in the London schools partnership project writes:

Memoir of the 20th Century

The Memoir of the 20th Century provides us with an in depth and personal reaction to the most prolific events of the 20th Century. Topolski, through panels and panels of beautiful paintings and installations, shows us his own views on various issues, including war, human rights and justice. One of the most moving panels is that of the Second World War when he was with allied soldiers (he was an “artistic” correspondent) and was attacked by two Germans. They were shot and killed but the reaction of Topolski was not of relief but of sadness. Out of one of the soldiers pockets fell pictures of his family and other personal, and civilian, documents. Topolski kept these and to this day it is used in his panel. From this simple act, we see Topolski reacting to the sadness of war, those told to fight and kill another human being, only because of a difference in their language and culture. These men, Topolski appears to be saying in this panel, have a family like me, have feelings like me and should be treated with the respect that I would like to be treated. This feeling is portrayed in the panel, as their spirit lives on.

The main focus of this response is actually not on this panel, it is on his reaction to the Holocaust. The panel that he paints is a very moving recollection of Topolski entering Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. In the same way, it is the image that you are first presented with as you enter the gallery. The panel itself is a grey and black painting of swirling lines and undefined shapes representing an uncovered mass grave. We catch glimpses of certain parts of the body that are recognisable, but quickly disappear into the grave. This shows how these people are now just a mere statistic. The mirror above gives the impression that you are walking on the grave. This makes people think about walking there and also about those whose lives were lost, attempting to change their status as just a statistic. Topolski himself said that he had to take pictures of the scenes because he thought that no one would believe him if he only relied on artistic evidence. This is the only occasion of Topolski doing this and sheds light on what he must have been feeling. His reaction, as a Jew especially, is a cross between disbelief and horror and you get this feeling as you look at the panel.

Topolski represents the Shoah, the virtual destruction of Jewish life in Europe. However, it is important to remember that it was not just the Jews for whom it was a disaster. The words of the late Rabbi Hugo Gryn (himself an Auschwitz survivor) are important to note at this point:

“The Shoah…is certainly for Christians a disaster: it is the ultimate betrayal of the values for which Christianity stands. And for the academic institutions of Europe, the judiciary, industry, business, trade unions, educators. Because all parts of society colluded in one way or another. There was a natural inclination to sweep things under the carpet, but, in the end, unless you confront these very dark and destructive bits in your history…it is likely to…crop up at all sorts of inconvenient moments.”

Gryn’s view was that during the reign of the Nazis, normal people, his friends and colleagues, were “morally blunted” and they did nothing to help the victims of this atrocity. There must be, he argued, a movement to understand what happened during those years, not by Jews, but by others who took part or those who did nothing, those who must all now realise the extent of their actions. Only then can we really create a society where people feel, in these situations that they can make a choice between good and evil and we can prevent the Holocaust happening again.

The panel that Topolski depicts helps us in this needed moral examination. By creating this piece of art he makes people of all creeds and religions think about their reaction. This helps them try to come to terms with the moral dilemmas that many people have over this period of history. When people think and look within themselves they begin to see weaknesses and a knowledge that, “I might have turned a blind eye.” They can then try to change this. Only once this has happened can we finally put to rest the Holocaust and be safe that nothing of this nature will ever happen again. Topolski’s panel, and others like it, is a very important stepping-stone in this. I end with the words of philosopher Emil Fackenheim and his eleventh commandment:

“Thou shall not grant Hitler a posthumous victory. Thou shalt survive.”

Topolski’s panel helps us in not granting this victory and this is why it is so important that his art lives on.

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