Community Chat

[ms traditional]

International Holocaust Remembrance Day - January 27th

KATE MIDDLETON has taken photographs of Holocaust survivors to form part of an exhibition marking 75 years since the end of the atrocities, adding: "Their stories will stay with me forever."

Four survivors, alongside their children and grandchildren, feature in touching new photographs which have been released to mark Holocaust Memorial Day on Monday. Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, who is a Royal Photographic Society patron, was among those behind the lens for the project. She described the survivors in her portraits as "two of the most life-affirming people that I have had the privilege to meet".

Each of the portraits depicts the special connection between a survivor and younger generations of their family, who will carry the legacy of their grandparents.

Two portraits were taken by Kate, with one showing 84-year-old Steven Frank, originally from Amsterdam, who survived multiple concentration camps as a child, and is pictured alongside granddaughters Maggie and Trixie Fleet, aged 15 and 13.

The Duchess’ second portrait is of 82-year-old Yvonne Bernstein, originally from Germany, who was a hidden child in France throughout most of the Holocaust.

Her father was in Amsterdam on business when Kristallnacht took place in 1938 and was advised to go into hiding, before making it to the UK.

She is pictured with her granddaughter Chloe Wright, aged 11.

Speaking about the project, Kate said: "The harrowing atrocities of the Holocaust, which were caused by the most unthinkable evil, will forever lay heavy in our hearts.

"Yet it is so often through the most unimaginable adversity that the most remarkable people flourish.

"Despite unbelievable trauma at the start of their lives, Yvonne Bernstein and Steven Frank are two of the most life-affirming people that I have had the privilege to meet.

"They look back on their experiences with sadness, but also with gratitude that they were some of the lucky few to make it through.

Steven Frank BEM, 84,who survived multiple concentration camps as a child, pictured with granddaughters Maggie and Trixie Fleet, aged 15 and 13 (Image: The Duchess of Cambridge/PA Wire)

Yvonne Bernstein, who was a hidden child in France throughout most of the Holocaust, pictured with granddaughter Chloe Wright, 11 (Image: The Duchess of Cambridge/PA Wire)

"Their stories will stay with me forever. Whilst I have been lucky enough to meet two of the now very few survivors, I recognise not everyone in the future will be able to hear these stories first hand.

"It is vital that their memories are preserved and passed on to future generations, so that what they went through will never be forgotten.

"One of the most moving accounts I read as a young girl was 'The Diary Of Anne Frank' which tells a very personal reflection of life under Nazi occupation from a child's perspective.

“Her sensitive and intimate interpretation of the horrors of the time was one of the underlying inspirations behind the images.

The Duchess added: ”I wanted to make the portraits deeply personal to Yvonne and Steven - a celebration of family and the life that they have built since they both arrived in Britain in the 1940s.

"The families brought items of personal significance with them which are included in the photographs.

"It was a true honour to have been asked to participate in this project and I hope in some way Yvonne and Steven's memories will be kept alive as they pass the baton to the next generation."

Kate’s photographs were taken earlier this month at Kensington Palace, with the Duchess inspired by 17th century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, who specialised in interior domestic scenes. Both Holocaust survivors have strong links to the Netherlands.

The project aims to inspire people through the UK to consider their own responsibility to share the stories of those who endured persecution by the Nazis.

The portraits will be part of an exhibition which will open over the coming months, featuring 75 powerful pictures and their family members to mark the end of the Holocaust.

On Monday, Kate will be joined by Prince William in Westminster for the Holocaust Memorial Day commemorative ceremony.

The Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker-Bowles, will also be in Poland to attend commemorations to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of former Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau.

[ItsME]

This is the best post I've read on this forum in all the years I've been posting here.  Thank you for sharing it.

[ms traditional]

@ItsME  this is a whole other side to the Duchess. we knew she enjoyed photography and her family -   but this reveals a humanity and depth to her that is inspiring. she found her own way to bring beauty to tragedy.  

[ItsME]

@ms traditional .   I agree.  It's good to see.

[Drythe]

Thanks for sharing.

Never Forget.

[PamfromCT]

This coming from Kate does not surprise me at all.  She is a young woman of intellect, compassion, and dedication to her duty.  And a loving wife and mother, as well.  I am a huge fan, obviously.  

[lmt]

I think Kate is a very talented photographer. We've seen the lovely pictures she's taken of her children over the years.

These pictures are so poignant, and beautiful. It's so heartbreaking to hear the stories.

[Moonlady]

What a great post.👍

[Cakers3]

@ms traditional   Thank you.

[Oznell]

What a wonderful, important project!