Jo'burg Holocaust and Genocide Centre

Birds were busy in the garden of our accommodation before breakfast.

At breakfast we caught up with Robyn Martin. Unfortunately Tony was sick and would not join us. Robyn had decided to do the Hop On Hop Off bus too. And then Rob also thought he would join us.

The Uber could take all four of us so we set off at about 8:50. John and I however wanted to visit the Holocaust and Genocide Centre where Meg had been an intern a few years ago (2013) so Robyn and Rob were dropped at the Aparthied Museum and then we were driven to the JH&GC. The driver came in with us to make sure we would be able to find the Hop On Hop Off Bus stop. There was a HOHO agent at a desk inside who assured us and the driver that she would take us to the bus stop. So our driver was happy and agreed to meet us at the Gold Reef City at about 3:30.

We introduced ourselves to Stuart, the JH&GC guide. He did not know Meg and explained that Tali (Meg's boss at the time and instigator of the Centre) was not working today unfortunately.

Stuart showed us around and explained the design features of the building which were done using donated or recycled materials
- the train tracks on the wall, which represented the cattle trains in which the Jews were taken to the camps, surround the building
- not all the train lines were parallel. They reflect in the water and end in the sky, intended to show the endlessness of genocide
- the courtyard was made from headstones
- the cobblestones on the ground represent the cobblestone streets of many European cities
- the water was still and uninviting but plants were growing nevertheless
- the burned red and black bricks are laid in a similar style to those found in the ruins of the gas chambers and barracks of Auschwitz-Birkenau
- the glass walls were for transparency
- the Yellowwood and Silver Birch trees symbolise forests, as Jews and others were also murdered in forests
- a memorial wall with names of the child victims from the Holocaust and the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda

We then about 30 minutes to wander around the displays inside but needed much longer as there was so much to see.

We left a note for Tali and were then taken to the HOHO Bus stop a couple of streets away.Read more