Holocaust Museum Houston

FROM THECHAIR

CHAIR MarkMucasey

Boat RestorationAdvances Saving thePast

VICECHAIRS Communications - Isabel David Development - InnaWizig Education - JerryRochman Museum -HymanPenn, M.D.

TREASURER Corey F. Powell

SECRETARY Hon. AnneClutterbuck

for Our Future

IMMEDIATEPASTCHAIR Tali Blumrosen

TRUSTEES DavidP. Bell, Ed.D. NancyS. Dinerstein Jeff Early Heidi Gerger Cheryl Golub Daniel P. Gordon Toni Hennike LeisaHolland-Nelson Gail Klein Richard Leibman Nancy Li ButchMach GaryMarkowitz EdithMincberg Amb. Arthur L. Schechter Joel Spira AnnaSteinberger, Ph.D. Jennifer Stockel BenjaminS.Warren EileenD.Weisman HayaVaron Hon. FredS. Zeidman EX-OFFICIO Kelly J. Zúñiga, Ed.D., CFRE ExecutiveDirector, HolocaustMuseumHouston Rick Kaplan, President, TheHoustonHolocaustMuseum Foundation, Inc.

MarkMucasey, Chair

When I takenoticeof theprogressof restorationof ourHolocaust-eraDanish rescueboat, I am remindedof the importanceof oneof our three institutional imperatives – preservation and access. When our boat was dedicated in January 2008, it appeared in remarkably good condition, but over the years, Houston’s heat and humidity have not been kind. Nor havedeniers of theHolocaust, whoonce suggestedpublicly that it be burned instead of restored. Thanks to the work of Walter Hansen and a dedicated corps of volunteer maritime andwoodworking enthusiasts and experts, it has been undergoing conservation for some time now, andwe have discoveredmany new things about it in the process. Just recently, we received details about the boat, its builder and its first owner.We even received photographs of the boat taken in the 1950s from the JuelsmindeHarborMuseum. Thesephotosarebeingusedaswedevelop measurements of the original wheelhouse and forward cabin. Now named the “Hanne Frank,” the boat was originally named “Kristine” andwas one of three sister vessels. Our boat has a storied history, like all of our artifacts, and we hope soon in our future it can be preserved in a more climate-controlled environment that will honor its legacy for many years to come.We have already seen an outpouring of support for its conservation, but to complete this important project will cost almost $200,000. To find out how you can help, please take a moment to call 713-527-1612 or visit our website at www.hmh.org tomake a donation.

FEEDBACK Comments and suggestions arewelcome and shouldbe submitted to “HMHBearing Witness” by e-mail to news@hmh.org.

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