The Stolen Heart exhibit at Leo Baeck Institute in New York follows the rise of Jewish business and property owners in Berlin during the 19th century, as well as the crucial economic, cultural, scientific and philanthropic contributions they made until the 1930s, after which Jewish-owned homes and business were confiscated and used by the Nazis for various war-related purposes.
The Tech Decision
The Stolen Heart Video Map is the signature element of the small but impactful exhibition “Stolen Heart: The Theft of Jewish Property in Berlin’s Historic Center, 1933–1945.” The exhibition and three-dimensional projection map designed by C&G Partners tracks the theft of Jewish homes and business by the Nazis during the Third Reich in Berlin.
The expropriation narrative is illustrated through five prominent Jewish families whose Berlin properties were seized. The looping video portion of the map features the homes and properties in context with historically accurate, aerial views of Berlin’s city center from 1933 to present day, with each era receiving a distinct graphic treatment.
“We challenged ourselves to create an interactive, impactful exhibit that illuminates in great detail this painful, yet historically important time period,” says Jonathan Alger, Managing Partner at C&G Partners. “BrightSign’s players gave us the horsepower and reliability necessary to power this exhibit, and the players have performed flawlessly since the exhibit’s 2016 opening.”
The Solution
The narratives of the five families are woven into the video map through archival images and texts. Topographic and time-lapse elements mix with stylistic color tints and a custom musical score to create a somber yet inspiring mood. Printed on CNC filigree, the relief map was based on extensive architectural surveys that demarcated pre-World War II buildings.
BrightSign 4K media players are used to drive media elements throughout the Stolen Heart exhibition. Powered by a state-of-the-art BrightSign 4K1142 player, the 3D projection-mapped video table that illustrates the expropriation of Jewish property during the Third Reich in Berlin is the centerpiece of the exhibit.
“We’re honored to be a part of this important exhibit, bringing to life a narrative that will help future generations understand this critical point in history,” says Jeff Hastings, CEO of BrightSign. “I continue to be amazed by the creative applications of our players by partners such as C&G.”
The maps feature aerial views of homes and other properties from 1933 to present day, with video content incorporating archival images and topographic time-lapse elements projected onto the 3D-printed 1:1,500 scale model of the heart of Mitte.
The projection-mapped effects, including tiny details like moving period-automobiles, were prototyped at actual size throughout production using BrightSign equipment in testing.
The Impact
The installation has been extremely well received and has been viewed thousands of times each week by Institute visitors. Covered extensively by the press, the exhibition was accompanied by a series of related programs that drew an overflow of crowds.
The design team is especially grateful for the “set it and forget it” nature of these products. In addition to scheduling functions that simplified operations for the client, the players proved to be more economical and sustainable compared to other PC-based options. The exhibit design and content was further augmented by the products’ stellar HD video quality, precise alignment and synchronization.
Extremely positive experiences were reported by visitors that included individuals with expertise on the topic and in exhibition planning and design. The Stolen Heart video map was the most ambitious technological solution the Leo Baeck Institute has ever accomplished.
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Kudos to this important exhibit and to using this technology for it which really enhances it!
This is a truly positive, interactive way for museum to engage with casual visitors to draw them in.