National Holocaust Memorial of Names

Scope | Issue 142

National Holocaust Memorial of Names, Amsterdam, Netherlands

荷蘭阿姆斯特丹國家大屠殺姓名紀念碑

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Studio Libeskind

The National Holocaust Memorial of Names designed by Studio Libeskind in collaboration with local partner Rijnboutt. The 1,700 square meter memorial incorporates four volumes that represent the letters in the Hebrew word רכזל meaning "In Memory of". The volumes are arranged in a rectilinear configuration on the north-south axis of the main thoroughfare Weesperstraat and the Hoftuin pavilion to the West. As visitors enter the memorial they will encounter passages articulated by two meter high brick walls carrying the message of Remembrance. Each of the four volumes is crafted from mirror finished stainless steel that hovers above the walls of individually stacked bricks. 102,000 bricks will each be inscribed with a the first and last name, along with their age and birthday, giving a tangible quantification to the many casualties, as well leaving 1,000 blank bricks that will memorialize the unknown victims. The materiality of the brick—a ubiquitous material of The Netherlands and throughout the cities of Western Europe – paired with the highly reflective and geometric forms of the steel letters reference the connection between the Netherlands past and present. At the intersection of the brick and metallic forms is a narrow void that creates the illusion that the steel letters are hovering above and represents an interruption in the history and culture of the Dutch people. This suspended emptiness, or 'Breath of Air', detaches the neighborhood from a future in which Dutch-Jewish families went missing. Below street level, the floors around the walls are of a light stabilized gravel create a path through the four volumes. Simple stone blocks are placed in the open spaces and walkways to provide a resting place for contemplation and reflection.

荷蘭國家大屠殺姓名紀念碑（The National Holocaust Memorial of Names）是由禮布斯金工作室（Studio Libeskind）和當地設計師瑞㷛（Rijnboutt）攜手打造。由4個部分組成的紀念碑佔地1,700平方公尺，從天空俯瞰會發現紀念碑拼出希伯來文字母「רכזל」，意思為「紀念」。紀念碑西鄰荷弗林展館（Hoftuin pavilion），沿威斯柏大道（Weesperstraat）以直線和幾何造型排列。來訪紀念碑，會發現刻有紀念訊息的2米高磚牆聳立於走道兩側，牆面頂端懸浮的鏡面不鏽鋼面板拼湊出4個希伯來文字母。牆面上紀錄著大屠殺受害者的姓名、年齡和出生日期，將無形的悲傷故事化為有形。磚塊數量總計102,000塊，當中一千塊留白的磚塊則是用以紀念那些無名的受害者。磚塊在荷蘭和西歐是隨處可見的建材。紀念碑透過有形的素材，以及發人深省的不鏽鋼字母，連結今昔的荷蘭。不鏽鋼面板並非直接座落於磚塊之上，兩者間保留的縫隙營造出字母懸浮於空中的錯覺，也帶出荷蘭人的歷史和文化被干預的意涵。兩者間的斷層意味著遭到屠殺的猶太裔荷蘭家庭不復存在，與現代生活脫節。紀念碑周圍的礫石路面安裝了地燈，引領人們穿梭其間。走道上和紀念碑之間皆擺放質樸的石椅，民眾可以在此稍坐，沉思並回顧過往。