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Welcome to the latest issue of The Walrus Lab Insider, a regular update from our custom content department at The Walrus.
In this newsletter, we highlight a project that showcases a unique partnership to tell a powerful story of one family’s Holocaust survival, exile, and return. |
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When Timothy Taylor received seven boxes filled with old letters, passports, and other documents, he had no idea he was sitting on a family treasure. But Timothy’s late mother knew he would know what to do with these papers. |
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Taylor, a best-selling Canadian author and professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC), embarked on a long journey to make sense of it all. He quickly realized that he was sitting on a goldmine of artifacts that told the story of his ancestors’ escape from Nazi Germany.
This led to a unique partnership between The Walrus editorial, The Walrus Lab, the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre (VHEC), and the UBC Library.
“This archive has educational value because you get to see, with rare granularity, right into somebody’s personal experience of being Jewish at that time: escaping, what flight looked like, what exile looked like, and a deeply troubled psychology that results,” said Taylor in an interview with UBC News.
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What happened next should be no surprise since Taylor is an author, journalist, and professor. Curiosity comes naturally. He needed to figure out what it all meant. His research led to him writing a feature for The Walrus and constructing a six-episode podcast season titled The Hidden Holocaust Papers with the help of a team assembled by The Walrus Lab. The VHEC provided financial support, and the podcast and written piece launched on January 27 in conjunction with International Holocaust Remembrance Day. |
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“We are honoured to work with Timothy Taylor to amplify his family’s story and underscore the importance of safeguarding these narratives,” said Hannah Marazzi, executive director of the VHEC. The podcast culminated with a live taping on February 13 at the VHEC, which continues to display the Taylor family archives for the public to see. |
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The Walrus Lab brought together an acclaimed production and post-production team, led by Taylor and co-executive producer Anthony Cantor, to bring these stories to the ear, resulting in a podcast that quickly surpassed 10,000 downloads and earned media attention across Canada.
This project grew from an editorial feature in The Walrus to a public exhibition of historical archives at a Vancouver museum and on various podcast platforms. The Walrus Lab is grateful to have played a role in expanding the reach and impact of this story.
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Did The Hidden Holocaust Papers resonate with you in some way? Are you curious how one feature story can lead to a more impactful project?
Please get in touch. We read and respond to all emails.
Mihira Lakshman
Director of The Walrus Lab
mihira@thewalrus.ca
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