Max Glauben’s hologram at the Dallas Holocaust Museum keeps his story alive, letting visitors engage in conversations about his experiences.
DALLAS — On the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, Phil Glauben sat down for a conversation with his father Max at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum— despite the fact that Max, who helped found the museum, died two years ago.
Max lives on as one of the subjects in “Dimensions in Testimony,” an interactive Holocaust survivor exhibit created by USC Shoah Foundation. The groundbreaking installation allows visitors to engage in real-time conversations with his 3D hologram, which is programmed to engage in conversations about his life and the Holocaust.
“Obviously he’s not here physically anymore, but in a lot of ways it’s very consoling that he is,” Phil Glauben said during his visit to the museum. The younger Glauben said he continues to learn from these interactions with his dads hologram, discovering new aspects of his father’s story with each visit.
“This would have meant everything to him to witness people still using this,” Phil told WFAA. “He’s the witness, he was the one who was there, and we’re hearing that from him.”
The hologram technology preserves not just Max’s voice and message, but also his distinctive mannerisms, including his characteristic smirk. It captures the essence of a man who dedicated his life to ensuring the Holocaust would never be forgotten.
When asked about his survival during the Holocaust, the digital Max responds, “I did it by necessity.” His son reflects on one of his father’s frequent sayings: “If you listen to a witness, you become a witness.”
The preservation of survivor testimonies through advanced technology has become increasingly crucial as the number of living Holocaust survivors diminishes. According to the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, only 85 Holocaust survivors remain in North Texas. “Dad often said someday there’s not going to be very many of us left,” Phil recalled.
Max Glauben’s digital presence continues to share his message of resilience and humanity. When asked about the importance of remembering the Holocaust, his hologram responds, “We hope that the Holocaust didn’t repeat itself.”
The interactive exhibit carries special weight for Phil, who believes in the power of first-hand accounts. “When you hear first hand from someone who experienced it, what it was like for them, I think the message is amplified,” he said.
Max’s digital legacy extends beyond his own experiences. His son noted that Max “knew that there were 6 million Jews who could not tell their story any longer, and he assumed some of the responsibility for them as well.”
“Treat everybody around you the way you like to be treated,” Max told us via his hologram.
“And respect them for whatever they are.”
