WWII Veterans'Memories Museum
Donation protected
The project leader:
I have been fascinated by the history of WWII for many years, and began collecting artifacts and equipment used during the war in my early teens. More than anything, I was intrigued by the personal stories of the men who owned these objects. By searching for names or matriculation numbers on each object, I successfully gathered over 300 items that were personal effects of the era. Through the lengthy process of tracking the soldiers’ mustard field trousers or American steel helmets, I was able to retrace the steps of those who fought in Europe and in the Pacific. Meeting the veterans’ families, who shared contemporary photos and documents with me, enabled me to connect the dots and discover the meaning of these objects, thus giving them a second life.
Walter F.Prince - 47th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. Captured in North Africa in 1943.
Upon graduating with a Masters degree in Tourism, History and Heritage, I devoted myself to a groundbreaking project called World War II Veterans’ Memories and travelled to the USA to meet and interview the last surviving witnesses and fighters from WWII. Two and half years later, I had interviewed over 200 veterans and possessed over 500 hours of video footage, thousands of personal photos and novel documents. Thus began the process of compiling these first-hand accounts of war, which were unique both in their content and their authenticity. The sheer mass of this archive is totally invaluable from both a historical and human perspective; these testimonials definitely deserve to be shared.
Interview with WWII Veteran Don Horton.
From the project to a museum :
I could put all these testimonies into a documentary or a book but I found another way to connect people with the veterans on a personal level. I want to create a museum where these stories will not only be preserved but also presented in an interactive way. The visitors will be able to hear the veterans and see their emotion. Even if it is not possible to know exactly what they went through, I want people to better understand their daly life. I want people to feel their fear, their joy, and what they put up with for us. The World War II Veterans’ Memories museum would connect directly the visitors and the people who freed their country.
We have found a place to create a museum, it’s a beautiful farm from the 1800s located in St Pierre du Mont, Normandy. The farm is only 1 mile from Pointe du Hoc and 5 miles from Omaha Beach. It would be a perfect place to create the museum because of the proximity of those two important battlefields.
My bank is willing to support the project but I need a capital contribution of $50, 000. If you want to help to make that dream come true, please make a donation or share the video with your friend and your family.
Farm: $180, 000.
Renovation and arrangement: $200, 000.
Presentation of the WWII Veterans' Memories Museum:
The vocation of the Word War II Veterans‘ Memories Museum is to honor and revive the memory of the braves who gave their lives for our nations. The museum will adapt cultural media tools so that visitors can dive into the daily life of WWII soldiers.
We wish to innovate Normandy’s museology sector to make ourselves more appealing to a younger generation of visitors: those who are steeped in 21st century technology. It is vital to develop a scenography that engages all of the visitors’ senses through modern and original installations.
Not only is such a layout helpful for visitors to discover the sensorial experiences of WWII soldiers, it also infuses vitality, personality and meaning into the artifacts that other museums would classify as ‘anonymous’. Combining the numerous testimonials with concrete, personal objects makes the historical details that are dry in a textbook much more appealing and relevant, while honoring the memory of battles and soldiers past.
Marshall R.Carpenter grave at Brittany American Cemetery, France.
The museum’s vast network of historians, collectors, and veterans’ families in the U.S. and Europe will be hugely beneficial to the rotation of artifacts and collection items within the World War II Veterans’ Memories Museum. These various traces of the past, crafted into an interactive exhibition, will transport visitors through the America and Europe of the 1930s, 40s and 50s. Visitors will be able to meander through the installations and become intimately acquainted with the lives of these men: from their youth and their enrollment in the army, to their return to civil life after the war.
Thus, the aim of these exhibits is to connect the visitors with the veterans ‘virtually’, by means of modern scenography. These tales of real soldiers, whose personal stories are best able to touch our hearts, are an alternative yet vital way to perpetuate knowledge. Moreover, thanks to a qualified team, and many innovative ideas in the area of cultural mediation, World War II Veterans’ Memories Museum will be able to respond to the expectations, needs and desires of a constantly evolving audience, thus ensuring that the history of WWII remains alive and relevant.
Why the WWII Veterans' Memories Museum means so much to me:
Soon, younger generations will no longer have the privilege of meeting these witnesses and soldiers face to face, for fewer and fewer of them remain. Without their knowledge, this period of history risks becoming more and more obscure, and this transmission from our elders is vital for mankind to learn from its past mistakes.
Winston Churchill said: “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it”, and indeed teaching the history of WWII is already remarkably challenging.
The vocation of the Word War II Veterans‘ Memories Museum is to honor and revive the memory of the braves who gave their lives for our nations.
Those brave men and women fought for our freedom 70 years ago, I will fight to preserve their legacy and memory.
Thanks to your contribution, you will enable me to preserve the stories of the men and women I was fortunate enough to meet the the last 2 years. I cannot express how thankful I am for what they went through for the freedom of my country, and I will be forever thankful for your help in preserving these stories for future generations.
I have been fascinated by the history of WWII for many years, and began collecting artifacts and equipment used during the war in my early teens. More than anything, I was intrigued by the personal stories of the men who owned these objects. By searching for names or matriculation numbers on each object, I successfully gathered over 300 items that were personal effects of the era. Through the lengthy process of tracking the soldiers’ mustard field trousers or American steel helmets, I was able to retrace the steps of those who fought in Europe and in the Pacific. Meeting the veterans’ families, who shared contemporary photos and documents with me, enabled me to connect the dots and discover the meaning of these objects, thus giving them a second life.
Walter F.Prince - 47th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. Captured in North Africa in 1943. Upon graduating with a Masters degree in Tourism, History and Heritage, I devoted myself to a groundbreaking project called World War II Veterans’ Memories and travelled to the USA to meet and interview the last surviving witnesses and fighters from WWII. Two and half years later, I had interviewed over 200 veterans and possessed over 500 hours of video footage, thousands of personal photos and novel documents. Thus began the process of compiling these first-hand accounts of war, which were unique both in their content and their authenticity. The sheer mass of this archive is totally invaluable from both a historical and human perspective; these testimonials definitely deserve to be shared.
Interview with WWII Veteran Don Horton. From the project to a museum :
I could put all these testimonies into a documentary or a book but I found another way to connect people with the veterans on a personal level. I want to create a museum where these stories will not only be preserved but also presented in an interactive way. The visitors will be able to hear the veterans and see their emotion. Even if it is not possible to know exactly what they went through, I want people to better understand their daly life. I want people to feel their fear, their joy, and what they put up with for us. The World War II Veterans’ Memories museum would connect directly the visitors and the people who freed their country.
We have found a place to create a museum, it’s a beautiful farm from the 1800s located in St Pierre du Mont, Normandy. The farm is only 1 mile from Pointe du Hoc and 5 miles from Omaha Beach. It would be a perfect place to create the museum because of the proximity of those two important battlefields.
My bank is willing to support the project but I need a capital contribution of $50, 000. If you want to help to make that dream come true, please make a donation or share the video with your friend and your family.
Farm: $180, 000.
Renovation and arrangement: $200, 000.
Presentation of the WWII Veterans' Memories Museum:
The vocation of the Word War II Veterans‘ Memories Museum is to honor and revive the memory of the braves who gave their lives for our nations. The museum will adapt cultural media tools so that visitors can dive into the daily life of WWII soldiers.
We wish to innovate Normandy’s museology sector to make ourselves more appealing to a younger generation of visitors: those who are steeped in 21st century technology. It is vital to develop a scenography that engages all of the visitors’ senses through modern and original installations.
Not only is such a layout helpful for visitors to discover the sensorial experiences of WWII soldiers, it also infuses vitality, personality and meaning into the artifacts that other museums would classify as ‘anonymous’. Combining the numerous testimonials with concrete, personal objects makes the historical details that are dry in a textbook much more appealing and relevant, while honoring the memory of battles and soldiers past.
Marshall R.Carpenter grave at Brittany American Cemetery, France.The museum’s vast network of historians, collectors, and veterans’ families in the U.S. and Europe will be hugely beneficial to the rotation of artifacts and collection items within the World War II Veterans’ Memories Museum. These various traces of the past, crafted into an interactive exhibition, will transport visitors through the America and Europe of the 1930s, 40s and 50s. Visitors will be able to meander through the installations and become intimately acquainted with the lives of these men: from their youth and their enrollment in the army, to their return to civil life after the war.
Thus, the aim of these exhibits is to connect the visitors with the veterans ‘virtually’, by means of modern scenography. These tales of real soldiers, whose personal stories are best able to touch our hearts, are an alternative yet vital way to perpetuate knowledge. Moreover, thanks to a qualified team, and many innovative ideas in the area of cultural mediation, World War II Veterans’ Memories Museum will be able to respond to the expectations, needs and desires of a constantly evolving audience, thus ensuring that the history of WWII remains alive and relevant.
Why the WWII Veterans' Memories Museum means so much to me:
Soon, younger generations will no longer have the privilege of meeting these witnesses and soldiers face to face, for fewer and fewer of them remain. Without their knowledge, this period of history risks becoming more and more obscure, and this transmission from our elders is vital for mankind to learn from its past mistakes.
Winston Churchill said: “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it”, and indeed teaching the history of WWII is already remarkably challenging.
The vocation of the Word War II Veterans‘ Memories Museum is to honor and revive the memory of the braves who gave their lives for our nations.
Those brave men and women fought for our freedom 70 years ago, I will fight to preserve their legacy and memory.
Thanks to your contribution, you will enable me to preserve the stories of the men and women I was fortunate enough to meet the the last 2 years. I cannot express how thankful I am for what they went through for the freedom of my country, and I will be forever thankful for your help in preserving these stories for future generations.
Organizer
Flo Mémoires
Organizer
Warrenville, IL
