ONGOING
30 YEARS LATER...
As the child of survivors, I was asked to share thoughts with the audience subsequent to the screening of the award winning documentary film,"Paper Clips." This film tells the story of a small Tennessee community, distinguished by its unique persistence in collecting over six million paper clips and erecting a museum in memory of the children who perished in the Holocaust.
Recalling our New Haven Memorial, I realized that few in the audience were even aware of this extraordinary "First in the U.S." in our community. As I spoke of how this memorial came about, I was struck by the power of our Monument's history, and how that power was being lost to New Haven residents and visitors. I decided it was time I stopped by our memorial to see what condition it was in...
I was shocked and disheartened. I found the wear and tear of the elements and the dimming of memories threatening to take away our Memorial and our rich legacy. While several of the stone markers commemorating the camps had recenty been cleaned and renovated, the larger structure and plaza appeared worn and poorly cared for.
The Memorial site had seriously deteriorated. Most poignantly, the cover at the center of the Monument was gone. This cover had protected the box of ashes collected from Auschwitz and laid at the Monument's core 30 years earlier. Something had to be done to stabilize and restore the structure, and to find a way to do so in perpetuity.
WORK BEGINS AGAIN...
In 2007, small group of neighbors undertook the repair and maintenance of the memorial. A professionnal restoration contractor was retainded to evaluate conditions and make recommendations for needed repairs.
CLEANING:
The Memorial was moderately to heavily stained from pollution and biogrowth over most of its approximately 2,000 sqft of surface area. Loss of its surface cement matrix was causing a raised aggregate or "sandy" appearance. A 3-step treatment was recommended to clean and stabilize all surfaces.
SEALING PLANTERS:
Moisture and rainwater in the planters was causing water penetration, cracking and deterioration. It was recommended that they be sealed with a non-vapor barrier forming water sealant which prevents water penetration but allows the concrete (and plants) to breathe.
REPOINTING PAVING STONES:
The cobblestone deck surrounding the Memorial was porous and was allowing water to penetrate beneath it, build up, and flow out through the cracking in the surrounding steps. It was recommended that they be thoroughly repointed in order to prevent water penetration. The cobblestone entryway also shows extensive biogrowth and mortar loss and needed thorough repointing.
RE-ATTACHING PLAQUES:
New longer bronze anchoring studs had to be attached, the mounting holes drilled deeper, and filled with a high modulus mortaring epoxy prior to re-mounting plaques.
6,000 cobblestones pave the plaza recalling Eastern European ghettos into which many victims were herded by the Nazis prior to their deportation to concentration camps.
The monument restoration projet cost $100,000 funds were raised from the founders and their families, community members and friends and the work was completed in 2010. Greater New Haven Holocaust Memory, Inc a Connecticut non-project formed to care for the memorial, continues to raise founds for ongoing maintenance. Help the GNHHM in its efforts by donating HERE.
30 years after the Monument is constructed, survivors and neighbors gather to unveil a New City street sign...
"Holocaust Memorial Corner"