Max Mannheimer - ben jakov - Survival Artist
A holocaust story.
A life between persecution, survival and art
We find ourselves in Max Mannheimer’s studio. From here, we delve into the chapters of his life through his paintings: his childhood in Neutitschein in Czechoslovakia, the period of the onset of persecution and deportation by the Nazis, his imprisonment in various concentration camps, and his life after the Second World War in Germany.
About the game
Through vivid imagery, this interactive visual novel tells the life story of Holocaust survivor and eyewitness Max Mannheimer. Players can make decisions, solve small challenges to progress, and collect memories along the way that lead to further information.
Those who have played through the entire life story can hear the eyewitness Max Mannheimer speak for himself.
The illustrations are by comic artist Greta von Richthofen. The game was developed by the Max Mannheimer Study Centre in Dachau in collaboration with Paintbucket Games.
Gameplay
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Explore Max Mannheimer’s studio and discover his paintings
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Immerse yourself: Journey through the different chapters of his life
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Collect: Find memories that lead to further information
- Listen: At the end, experience the voice of the eyewitness himself
Education & Use
The game makes the biography of a Holocaust survivor accessible in a personal and emotional way. It combines historical learning with Mannheimer’s artistic work and shows how art can become a means of processing trauma.
Learning objectives
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Holocaust and persecution: Experience the stages of Nazi persecution from an individual perspective
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Eyewitness accounts: Understand the significance of eyewitness accounts for the culture of remembrance
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Survival and carrying on: How does a person come to terms with what they have experienced?
- Art as a means of processing: What role does artistic creation play after trauma?
Areas of application
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History: Holocaust, Nazi persecution, concentration camps, post-war period
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Ethics / Religion: Remembrance, trauma, dealing with suffering
- Art: Art as a form of expression, biographical storytelling
Funding
The project was funded by the Foundation ‘Remembrance, Responsibility and the Future’ (EVZ) as part of the ‘[re]create digital history’ funding line within the ‘Youth Remembers International’ funding programme, with funding from the Federal Foreign Office.