Research 2021-2022
Received initial funding from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (HRA), Europe’s premier organization concerning Holocaust education, remembrance and research worldwide.
Received additional funds from Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture.
On July 20-23, 2021, Prof. Dr. Richard Freund and his team of geophysicists conducted the first drone surveys occurring in conjunction with the first “non-invasive,” ground penetrating radar investigation of the land, taking place at the Jungfernhof concentration camp site. The research represents the first round of investigations in Latvia, using advanced technologies, to search for a mass grave. According to historic testimonies, the mass grave at the Jungfernhof concentration contains up to 800 bodies. The team of scientists will return to Jungfernhof again in July 2022, to conduct further investigations. (see Search for Grave and Press Release).
Video documentation occurred and will be incorporated into opening events (Nikolajs Krasnopevcevs).
Additional video documentation of the search, was conducted by Leading Edge Production and Lone Wolf Media (Director Paula S. Apsell).
Opening Events: Deportation Commemoration Project
Work in cooperation with German Embassy in Latvia to form planning committee to create program for project’s opening events, commemorating the 80th anniversary of deportations to Riga, specifically to the Jungfernhof concentration.
Contract historians, researchers, videographers, photographers in multiple cities to conduct research, find deportations photos, and document various collection points and deportation sites in the city.
Collection point. Bundesgymnasium Wien II KL. Sperlgasse. Photo: Karen Frostig (2007)
Project ten minute deportation video, capturing iconic archival images, onto the Skirotava train station for opening events. The video montage will be posted to the website and distributed to partnering cities in Germany, telling the story of deportations to the camp.
Archival photo on Skirotava train station, Digital sketch. Artist; Karen Frostig (2021).
Conduct live interview with Pete Stern and Sam Stern, survivors of the Jungfernhof concentration camp (Richards Plavnieks)
Simultaneous participation of commemorative events will occur in up to 20 German municipalities, initiated and sponsored by the German Embassy in Latvia.
Extensive outreach to Holocaust organizations to participate in opening events.
Begin project newsletter. and establish social media platforms.
Develop preliminary plan for an online exhibition to display project research.
Second round of scientific investigations of the site in search of the missing mass grave, planned for summer 2022.