Dr. Karen Berman, former chair and artistic director of the Department of Theatre and Dance at GCSU, led a presentation and book signing for her latest work, “Stories of the Holocaust: Art for Healing and Renewal, Volume II,” on Wednesday, March 25, at 5 p.m. in the A&S Auditorium.

The new volume, co-edited with Dr. Gail Humphries, Associate Professor Emerita for the Department of Performing Arts at American University in Washington, D.C., examines how visual art, film and museum curation contribute to preserving Holocaust memory and helping audiences process historical trauma. 

As a continuation of the first volume, which focused on performance and music, the second installment expands into screen and gallery spaces, exploring how these mediums foster empathy and educate future generations.

The book features contributions from more than 40 international scholars and artists and includes over 100 color images, along with references to films, performances and educational materials. It also incorporates personal stories from Holocaust survivors and their descendants, aligning with the editors’ mission to promote Holocaust education.

Berman, who retired from GCSU in 2021 after 12 years in leadership, has had a long career in theatre and academia. She has directed more than 150 productions in venues ranging from the Smithsonian to off-Broadway and has received numerous honors, including the Georgia Governor’s Award for the Arts. She is also a former president of the Association for Theatre in Higher Education and served as Dean of the College of Fellows of the American Theatre.

Her work on Holocaust education is deeply personal. Berman has spoken about her family’s experiences with antisemitism, including her grandmother being targeted by the Ku Klux Klan and instances of discrimination she faced growing up. These experiences, along with moments later in life when individuals denied the Holocaust, contributed to her commitment to education and remembrance.

“The political environment, all of the things that were happening in the world, every day, were telling me to do something,” Berman said of her motivation to complete the book.

The editing process, she added, was emotionally demanding. “Some of these stories, when you edit over and over and over… it was very difficult,” Berman said. “All I could think was, someone’s going to use this to heal or to teach.”

One story that stood out to Berman was that of Manuela Ornstein, who was a child in France during the Nazi occupation of Paris. Berman worked with Ornstein for over two years to document her memories, which evolved as new details resurfaced over time due to Ornstein’s age of 90.

Beyond publishing, Berman has been active in Holocaust education efforts on campus. Alongside colleagues such as Wendy Mullen, a former GCSU professor of music, she helped bring Holocaust survivor Ela Weissberger to speak and perform with students. She also participated in planting daffodils on campus in remembrance of children lost during the Holocaust.

According to Berman, rising antisemitism legitimizes the urgency of such work. She cited a report from the Anti-Defamation League documenting 9,354 hate crimes against Jews in the United States in 2024.

Central to Berman’s message is the concept of being an “upstander,” or someone who actively speaks out against injustice rather than remaining a bystander.

“Be an upstander. Repair the world,” Berman said.

Students who attended the presentation described the experience as impactful. Lily Harris, a freshman environmental science major, said hearing directly from survivors adds a deeper level of understanding compared to classroom learning. 

“It was definitely interesting hearing from someone about their experience versus hearing it in school and reading it in a book,” Harris said.

Another student, freshman environmental science major Shay Purvis, said the topic can be unsettling but also meaningful. 

“It makes me a little scared, but it’s cool to hear how people come out of it,” Purvis said.

For students interested in continuing conversations about history, memory and the role of art in healing, stay updated on future book presentations and readings via the Daily Digest newsletter or their Bobcat email.