These marks can still be seen today on survivors.
1. It’s a badge of honor
These inks serve as badges of honor, reminders of loved ones’ histories, or indications that they are dedicated to Holocaust remembrance. During the Holocaust, 400,000 prisoners at Auschwitz and Birkenau were forcibly tattooed with serial numbers to track them. These numbers served to dehumanize prisoners and keep them apart from other inmates.
2. It’s a reminder
Survivors of the Nazi Holocaust often bear tattooed numbers on their arms to remind them of their experiences. It serves as a powerful symbol that conveys that someone lived through and survived the horrors of the Holocaust while still telling its story. This act of commemoration is an individual decision, and some may choose not to get tattooed.
3. It’s a symbol
tattoos left behind by Holocaust survivors at Auschwitz and Birkenau became iconic symbols of their suffering and Nazi crimes. However, there is controversy surrounding these designs, as some people perceive them as symbols of shame or reminders of their family’s history.
4. It’s a mark of respect
Tattooing a number on one’s left arm is an iconic symbol of the Holocaust and one that many survivors bear. It serves as a mark of respect, symbolizing someone who has survived Nazi atrocities against Jews on their physical body. These tattoos can both honor their ancestors and educate future generations about the Holocaust. Survivors who choose this type of tattoo are part of an emerging trend known as “progenic tattooing,” seeking to spark public conversation about the Holocaust and proper ways of remembering it.
