Memorial to the Six Million Martyrs Medal - 1971
1971
caption:
From The Shekel. January - February 1996. Vol 29, No. 1.
San Diego Memorial to the Six Million Martyrs of the Holocaust
by Shirley H. Lichtman
In 1971, the “New Life Club” of San Diego commissioned the author to do a memorial to The Six Million Martyrs of the Holocaust. Several sketches were submitted and finally a model of the selected design.
The memorial consists of a 10 by 12 foot bronze sculpture with an eternal light and flowing water emanating at the top ending in a pool which had the names of ten of the concentration camps-in ceramic tiles- which the waters washed over. The base of the memorial is green marble and is illuminated from within.
This memorial sculpture was placed at the East County Jewish Community Center, with a meditation garden, circular benches and five olive trees surrounding it. The sculpture has been the site of a memorial service on Yom HaShoah every year. It was one of the first community memorials in the United States at that time.
A medal was struck in gold, silver and bronze, depicting the memorial sculpture in both close-up and garden view angles.
Identifer: CJF-RFC2013028
Medium
-
Collection
Holocaust Medals, Plaques, Tokens & Pins
Description
This medal was designed by sculptress Shirley H. Lichman creator of the Memorial and Fountain, dedicated in San Diego, California on June 27, 1971. The medal is a memorial to the six-million martyrs of the World War II Holocaust. The medal was issued in Bronze and Silver, both with a diameter of 50mm. Only 50 of the silver medals were issued.
History: This medal is listed in Hafner, Sylvia, (1978) Judaic Tokens and Medals, American Israel Numismatic Association, Inc., See medal HO – 5, pages 82 & 85. Bronze and Silver versions of this medal were offered together in William M. Rosenblum’s Rare Coins Nov. 2004 Mailbid (sale 34e). Lot 872, sold for $150.
The Holocaust Memorial she designed was originally displayed at the JCC (Jewish Community Center) at 54th St. in San Diego, California. It is currently displayed at the Chabad Hebrew Academy Sculpture Garden in Poway. It was the sculptors dream that one day the sculpture be restored and placed again at the JCC.
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