The Witness as Object

Today more than ever before, the historical witness is now a "museum object" in the form of video interviews. With a focus on Holocaust museums, this study scrutinizes this new global phenomenon of the "musealisation" of testimony, exploring the processes, prerequisites, and consequences of video testimonies as exhibits.

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In recent years, historical witnessing has emerged as a category of "museum object." Audiovisual recordings of interviews with individuals remembering events of historical importance are now integral to the collections and research activities of museums. They have also become important components in narrative and exhibition design strategies. With a focus on Holocaust museums, this study scrutinizes for the first time the new global phenomenon of the "musealization" of the witness to history, exploring the processes, prerequisites, and consequences of the transformation of video testimonies into exhibits.