Composite Anne: The remembrance of Anne Frank and Holocaust commemoration in the digital age
Article / Journal
Author(s):
Lital Henig
Year: 2024
Abstract:
This article explores the influence of digital culture on Holocaust commemoration through the test case of Anne Frank. By carrying out a comprehensive visual and multimodal analysis of three contemporary representations of Frank, I identify three new characteristics of her commemoration: performative engagement, media reconstruction, and narrative adaptation. While performative engagement introduces a new position for commemoration, media reconstruction focuses on the appropriation and use of media for Frank’s remembrance. Narrative adaptation represents a shift from linear storytelling, reiterating established narratives traditionally associated with Frank to new interpretations favoring heightened engagement and non-linearity. Altogether, these characteristics illuminate and address changes in three key aspects of Holocaust commemoration and the remembrance of Frank: subjectivity, media, and storytelling. I conclude by showing how the focus on Frank’s figure brings forward a burgeoning trend in Holocaust commemoration, which offers an alternative perspective to the mainstream promotion of immersive experiences in digital media. In doing so, I advocate a moderate approach to media use for memory work in digital culture.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/01634437241308741
Post created by: Lymor Wolf Goldstein