Holocaust Representations in German Museums and Information Centers: The Perpetrator-Centric Narrative

This article explores Holocaust representations in three prominent
German museums and information centers – the Topography of
Terror, the Jewish Museum, and the information center under the
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe – identifying a key gap
in their narratives, which is termed the ‘perpetrator-centric
narrative.’ This narrative primarily emphasizes Germany’s role in the
Holocaust, often overshadowing or even omitting the roles of other
participants and Nazi collaborators. The article argues that since the
1970s, Germany has embraced this narrative, further bolstered by
other cultural forces, such as the film industry. This approach
fosters a collective guilt by predominantly portraying Germany as
the sole perpetrator, while neglecting substantial evidence that the
Holocaust was facilitated by both active and passive collaboration
from states, businesses, groups, and individuals both within and
outside of Germany. The article employs visual analysis and
interviews with museum staff, interpreted through the lens of
cultural sociology, to examine the national and international
implications of the perpetrator-centric narrative. It shows the
existence of diverse approaches to addressing the theme of
collaboration, from total avoidance to superficial acknowledgment.
The study underscores the importance of presenting a more
inclusive and historically accurate narrative of the Holocaust, while
pointing to the challenges inherent in this endeavor.