Whose ghosts haunt these bronze figures at the Holocaust Memorial? Here at the edge of the continent, overlooking the Golden Gate, George Segal’s stark creation compels us to remember. The Holocaust Memorial, dedicated in 1984, isn’t a place for easy sightseeing. It’s a confrontation with history, cast in white-painted bronze. The figures, modeled after Segal’s friends, aren’t emaciated like those liberated from Buchenwald. This was a deliberate choice by the artist. Segal wanted to symbolize something beyond the physical horror. He aimed to capture the spiritual devastation, the loss of hope. Look closer. One figure resembles Jesus. Another, a woman holding an apple, evokes Eve. These figures connect the shared history of Jews and Christians, a shared humanity violated. The lone standing man, a survivor behind barbed wire, echoes a famous photograph of Buchenwald’s liberation. It’s a stark reminder of resilience amidst unimaginable suffering. This Holocaust Memorial has been targeted by vandals, marked with swastikas and red paint. A grim testament to the enduring presence of hate. Yet, the memorial stands. A chilling reminder of what we must never forget, here at the edge of the world, facing the vast expanse of the Pacific.
San Francisco State University
Peeking through the trees imagine the year is 1899. San Francisco State University is born. It began as the San