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The Canadian of Auschwitz and Other Stories From The Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre

24/8/2014

 

Harry Cohen was a hardworking Canadian immigrant....

Harry Cohen lived a spirited, but rather ordinary life as a Jewish Canadian immigrant in 1930’s Montreal, doing his best to get by and teach his children the value of hard work. He traveled the back roads connecting Ottawa and Montreal and knew them like the back of his hand. As a poultry re-seller, he made the rounds for fresh chickens from the rural farmers to resell in Montreal’s Jean Talon Market. His legacy should have been one of farming or real estate or perhaps industry but instead Harry Cohen has the tragic distinction of being the only Canadian killed by the Nazis in the Holocaust.

In 1939, Cohen travelled back to Poland to help settle family business affairs. While there, he suffered the horrific bad luck of being stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time as Poland was invaded by Germany. His exact fate remains clouded in mystery, but he is assumed to have died at Auschwitz. Against all odds, his prayer shawl survived and found its way back to Canada, to Harry Cohen’s son, and to its permanent home at the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre. 
Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre Jewish History Harry Cohen Auschwitz TurnipseedTravel.com
Harry Cohen's prayer shawl.
Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre Jewish History Harry Cohen Auschwitz TurnipseedTravel.com
A picture of Harry Cohen.
The Centre takes you on a chronological journey of Jewish religious, cultural, and family life - both in Montreal and from countries where future Montrealers grew up. Slowly, it introduces the visitor to the quiet, steady rise of antisemitism and anti-immigration sentiment in Europe and in Canada. 

This exhibit did an excellent job of explaining the political mood of the time – the fresh memories of the horrors of World War I, the dread of being entangled in another war, and the overarching fear of admitting refugees. The reasons behind war and conflict are often complex and confusing but the Centre did an admirable job of explaining things in a detailed, yet easy to understand, manner.
Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre Jewish History Harry Cohen Auschwitz TurnipseedTravel.com
Artifacts of early Jewish life prior to World War II.
The journey of Harry Cohen’s prayer shawl is just one of the hundreds of moving stories that have been collected, protected, and shared at the museum. These stories are the foundation on which it was dedicated and built. The combination of videotaped stories of Holocaust survivors, short films narrating select topics relating to World War II, and displays of unique artifacts makes for comprehensive and emotional visit.
Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre Jewish History 1932 Germany Election TurnipseedTravel.com
A 1932 election ballot showing support for Adolf Hitler.
One of the most striking items on display was a 1932 German presidential election ballot listing Adolf Hitler as a candidate – and on this particular ballot we can see a vote was cast in his favour. The resemblance to the type of ballots used today served as a stark reminder that the Nazis' groundswell of support happened via the same democratic process we base our freedoms upon today. 

Two other displays from this section of the Centre were particularly moving, as they both focused on children. One display spoke of how Polish children whose physical features resembled that of the Aryan ideal were forcibly removed from their families and were relocated to Germany. The other focused on how the Nazis were pioneers in the field of targeting children through propaganda and even invented board games to teach children about stamping out undesirables. 
Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre Jewish History Fania's heartshapped birthday book Auschwitz TurnipseedTravel.com
Fania's precious birthday book.
The second area of the Centre directly addressed the Holocaust and, once again, heavily incorporated the recorded testimony of survivors who had made their way to Montreal after the war. It’s in this part of the exhibit that visitors will find Harry Cohen’s prayer shawl, as well as many other unique mementos of the war. 

Despite the overwhelming sadness of the displays, there were several times when I felt inspired by the stories of kinship, friendship, community spirit, and resilience. A series of videos that document the experiences of those living in Jewish ghettos included testimony on the power of the arts and drama on maintaining morale and boosting spirits. And miraculously, a tiny, bright pink, silk covered, embroidered, heart shaped book is made by Auschwitz prisoners to celebrate the birthday of their friend, Fania. 
Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre Jewish History Fania's heartshapped birthday book Auschwitz TurnipseedTravel.com
Joyous happy birthday wishes to brighten dark days.
Only a small portion of the Centre’s collection is on display and visitors can access much more online, either through the website or by downloading an app to accompany the visit. One story not to be missed is how the same group of girls conspired to make Fania a birthday cake.

I would highly recommend a visit to the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre to anyone wants to gain a better understanding of the history of the city and their families. Montreal’s character and spirit owes much to its multicultural population and their diverse background. Spending time at the Centre feels like you are spending time in someone’s living room – the stories are that personal, that intimate, that compelling. You really walk away feeling like you have spent time talking one on one with people who are both survivors and proud Montrealers. It is at times a sobering and chilling collection of stories, documents, and artifacts but the presentation is clear and well curated, balancing sadness and despair with courage and hope. I hope to go back and spend even more time among the stories and I would encourage any visitor to the city to do the same. 



If you enjoyed this article, you'll also like:

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My visit to the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre was sponsored by Montreal Tourism. This did not affect my review and all opinions remain my own.
Tonya link
26/9/2014 04:35:51 am

One of the most moving museums I have ever visited was the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC. I think this museum would be just as moving.

Vanessa
26/9/2014 05:21:42 am

I've never been to DC but I would love to visit their museum as well. I know Montreal and Washington work together on a lot of archival projects.

Jessica @ Independent Travel Cats link
26/9/2014 03:03:13 pm

Sounds like a very interesting and thought-provoking post. It is amazing how being the "only one" of such a tragedy really sticks in people's mind. When in Cambodia, there was one Australian who was imprisoned and killed under the Khmer Rouge and I still remember his photo that we saw in the many memorial sites.

Vanessa
26/9/2014 03:15:59 pm

It's such a lonely thought, isn't it, to be the only one? Visiting these sites isn't easy but I think it's important to do. To pay tribute, to spread awareness, to reflect.

Christa Thompson link
30/9/2014 03:10:16 am

What a great article. I love history - even the sad history. We have a Holocaust Museum here in St. Petersburg, FL and while my heritage has no ties to this tragedy, going there really made an impact on me. I'm wondering when it's a good time to teach my son about it.

Vanessa
30/9/2014 05:15:20 am

I agree - sometimes the most meaningful experiences happen when you have to confront sadness. I know the Montreal Holocaust Memorial hosts many school groups so I think these more serious museums have worked to develop children-appropriate tours that help them learn but shelter them from the more frightening or difficult displays.

Lois Alter Mark link
2/10/2014 09:28:02 am

I had no idea this existed. We've been to the Holocaust Museum in Los Angeles, which is a very powerful and sobering experience. I will definitely visit this next time we're in Montreal.

Vanessa
2/10/2014 09:58:46 am

I hope you have a chance to visit soon as well -it's a powerful place indeed!

Lian
2/10/2014 12:57:27 pm

This seemed as though it was a great museum visit. Since I am a history buff, I know I would have spent hours walking through all of the exhibits oohing and aahing everything. Thanks for sharing this post!

Vanessa
2/10/2014 01:31:13 pm

I would love to go back for a second visit and spend more time there. I feel like it's the kind of place that you could keep visiting and keep discovering new material and new perspectives.

Emily Smith link
3/10/2014 07:52:31 am

Looks like a very well curated museum with great detail on its subject. I admittedly get very emotional when visiting war and genocide related exhibitions...it sometimes takes you so close to the subject and people.

Vanessa
3/10/2014 11:15:20 am

It really does - and with all the personal stories it really becomes very emotional.

Karen Dawkins link
6/10/2014 02:51:41 am

The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute was the most moving museum I've ever visited, but reading your article, I want to see this museum too. Race and religion are such dividing factors, but when we learn the history, it draws us closer together.

Vanessa
6/10/2014 07:58:04 am

I couldn't have said it better myself. Travel for me is always about bringing people closer, about understanding one another and finding a common ground no matter what our differences may be. The more we understand about each other's history, the better. I've been hearing a lot about Birmingham lately from other travellers and it's made it's way on my travel list - thanks so much for the recommendation.


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