Holocaust Pictures..

[DizE]

I have some original pictures + the negatives of the holocaust. The pictures are mostly of the dead in rows or being buried.
 Was just curious if these could be of any value? I can post pictures if anyone is interested.

THanks

[waywardangler]

If it were me, I would donate them to the Holocaust Museum.  I believe they would be the best depository for this type of material. 

[talesofthesevenseas]

Agree with Waywardangler. And thank you for keeping this topic text  only. If it were me, I would not feel right about turning a profit from someone's  death even all these years later.  The Holocaust Museum could preserve them respectfully and in the  proper historical context.

[Texasbadger]

There are many many photos taken by both sides of the conflict and when the camps were liberated.  Value would depend on who took the photos, and be limited at best, museum option is a good one.  Ive got one opening up in Fort Worth Texas that I contribute to.  My email address is texasbadger@sbcglobal.net if you wish to talk about this off the forum.

[waywardangler]

Amen, talesofthesevenseas!

[KC]

Totally agree with the others. 

I have found some times over the years....either myself or others I know....have thought how much the value of an item/items are and how much it is worth monetarily...and then realize that the actual value (emotional) is so much more than $$$$$.  That is what most people coming to the forum get disappointed/upset about when their item/items are less than the emotional attachment they have to it. 

But in cases like this, the historical and emotional value are so much more.  Yours falls into a much different category because of the magnitude of the event.  This affected the world and due to the horrendous physical/mental suffering and death inflicted as racial cleansing...it evokes much different emotions than that of pictures of world wars.  It also affects the monetary value (not the emotional value).

You will find very few that are willing to pay $ for pictures of such an event...because majority feel that such an event doesn't warrant making a profit on the tragedy of others - now and for the years to come.

I totally agree about donating it to a Holocaust Museum in memorial.  These museums, if legitimate, are non-profit.  Because of your gift of generosity to the museum (if you live in the US and are a US taxpayer) you will receive a tax deductible donation.....  If your pictures are from a relative that survived or died in this....you can honor them by telling their story this way.

I just encourage you to search your heart.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Well said KC.

[regularjoe2]

As others have suggested , perhaps donation of your items to a museum would be fitting .

I believe such items are proof positive of something (however a person decides to interpret it) , and the photos can speak some truths that those in them can no longer .

If you've got any info on the provenance of these , esp the location when/where the photos were taken , it'd help further clairify/authenticate the historical perspective(s) of the area/concentration camp .

If you can't decide what to do with your items , perhaps you could do your best to preserve their condition , until such time as you are able to decide .

[DizE]

Thanks for all of the comments and suggestions.
 
I think I am going to look into donating them to a museum.

Could someone clarify the tax deductible donation topic a little more for me?
As if I do donate them, just want to make sure of the proper steps.

[talesofthesevenseas]

I'm not a tax expert, but this is the experience I had. Two years ago I donated my ancestor's shawl to the D.A.R. Museum in Washington D.C. Since they are a non-profit institution, I was able to use the estimated value of my donation as a right-off on my taxes at the end of that year. The DAR Museum was prohibited from appraising the value of the shawl, but what the textiles conservator I worked with suggested was to find similar 18th century silk printed shawls online, add an additional 20% for the provenance of it belonging to my ancestor (she was one of the few women recognized for her service in the American Revolution) and subtract 5% for the condition (slight deterioration after 200+ years). The museum had a form that I filled out surrendering the shawl to them and I got a copy, which I took to my tax guy along with the value estimate.

For me, the real value was in knowing that my ancestor's shawl would have the absolute best care and protection possible, in a museum that was devoted solely to the American Revolution. I also knew that it would provide a central place where my ancestor's descendants could come to see it (along with her wedding dress which was donated by my great-grandmother).

It was an extremely difficult decision to part with it, but one I feel very good about. I can still go see it any time I want and the conservator there is wonderful. When I went to see the wedding dress, she spent well over an hour with me going over all the details of the dress, telling me what it meant about my ancestor's status, showing me how the treasured dress had been altered for her daughters later. There is really something to be said for placing unique pieces of history into the hands of the people and organizations who can offer that kind of insight into an era in history and making them available to others for study.

Nothing conveys history like the real thing that was really there. I hope that your photo negatives can touch people's souls in a way that will insure that nothing like the Holocaust ever happens again. I commend you on the decision to donate them too. I know how hard that is to do.

[Texasbadger]

Also if you obtained the photos from a veteran relative often times the museum will include that in the history of the photos when displayed.