Susan Bachrach

Did you know that the 1936 Olympics, held in Nazi Germany, was the beginning of what we know now as the spectacle of the modern Olympics. Hitler wanted the world to see his “new Germany”, with clean streets, colorful posters, beautiful athletic facilities, and all the athletic prowess of the German athletes. He covered up all signs of Jewish persecution. The most interesting sections cover American responses as political and religious groups and individual athletes considered a boycott show more of this Olympics. There are numerous sidebars that focus on particular athletes, especially those compromised by Nazi policies. Jessie Owens, an American runner, took home four gold medals and is remembered today as the man who showed Adolf Hitler that a black man was as good an athlete as a white man. Although some Jewish athletes boycotted the games, all the countries went along with the idea that sports and politics should be separated and that athletes should have the opportunity to compete. They had no idea of the extent to which Hitler’s Aryan supremacy ideas had taken root.
Written by staff members of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, this book is based on an exhibit held in Washington, DC, in1996. It is illustrated with a rich collection of rare visual material and will give readers lots to ponder visually and mentally. Appropriate for ages 12 to adult. It will be on display on the librarian’s desk. show less

The first thing I noticed, flipping through the book absently, were the photographs. Faces and homes, side stories that will make you ache for those you are reading about. Having visited the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. and also the D-Day Museum here in New Orleans, read the stories and watched the movies, it is nevertheless the photographs that truly capture my heart. The innocence we see in school pictures as the journey begins, the events unfolding with each new page show more turned. This would be a wonderful book to share with a middle school or high school class, especially as a companion to reading something like Night or Number the Stars. I would recommend this as a companion, a good book to offer students who are fascinated by this time in history. show less

A wonderful tribute to the families and the survivors of the Holocaust. Perfect way to educate youth on the holocaust through portraits and chronological information. The photos in this book help to bring the reader closer to the victims, and let them have a sense of the tremendous loss the Jewish community faced. A reality check for those who were too young to remember.
This book drew me in and held me spellbound. One can read books and hear stories from history class, but until you see some show more of the photos in this book and see the actual faces it doesn't come close. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to "lightly" get an idea of the holocaust, and is a great book to share with middle school age children as a starting point. I would love to own this book for my own personal library.
As a classroom extension, I would use this book as a hands on reader to coincide with the text book. I would ask children how they felt about the situation and basically let them talk about their feelings and emotions. I would bring up how certain people (Jews) can be treated so unfairly simply because of their beliefs or religion. This would be a very delicate subject and would have to be handled with much care and consideration and family input prior to a lesson being taught. show less

"With 'Tell Them We Remember', the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum reaches beyond its walls to show children how the lives of innocent people throughout Europe were affected by the tragedy of the Holocaust." from back cover of the book.
This Teaching Resource has photos, timelines, a glossary and suggestions for further reading.