In partnership with the Meta, StoryFile and World Jewish Congress are excited to present the first interactive, English & German-language Extended Reality (XR) application that retells the story of Holocaust survivor Inge Auerbacher: “Tell me, Inge…” It is an Extended Reality (XR) application that brings to life the memories of Inge Auerbacher, who survived the Theresienstadt ghetto as a 7-year-old girl. Interactive Experience with the Author Herself The experience, called "Tell Me, Inge... ", tells the story of Inge Auerbacher, who survived the Theresienstadt ghetto as a seven-year-old girl, and will take the audience through the experience and learn about her life. By combining conversational video AI technology with hand-drawn 3D animation, viewers can speak directly to Auerbacher, asking her questions about the memories that come up during the experience. “Through the virtual reality experience, it was possible to convey the story with a lot of empathy and sensitivity. This is exactly what we also want to achieve with the National Strategy against Anti-Semitism and for Jewish Life. Everyone should consider what he or she can do to leave no room for Anti-Semitism and to keep the memory of the Shoah alive. As private-sector companies, the two partners Meta and StoryFile have put a lot of energy and certainly also financial resources into the project. I greatly welcome this and thank them expressly for it.” Felix Klein, Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Anti-Semitism. Inge Achenbauer recounts: “We all want to stay alive forever I think. My life is a miracle and it’s my obligation for being alive to help. My wish is for every child to grow up in peace without hunger or prejudice. Now, I’m not great with tech, but I love new ideas and we’re living in a different age. Children learn in a different way than I did, but you need to get them young! It has to be done with technology today. Let’s make it good stuff, make it interesting. Teach them in their voice and with the tech they want to learn it from. Teach them good things like tolerance to love!” Free and Available in Two Languages "Tell Me, Inge..." is a free experience that can be played through a headset, desktop or mobile device. The experience can last from five minutes to over an hour, letting users decide how they want to explore Inge’s world. It is100% free and will be available in both German and English and is suitable for children aged 13 and above. In addition to being the first German-language experience of its kind, the project provides a potential framework for further discussion and research into ethical considerations regarding the benefits of immersive technology for Holocaust remembrance. Due to the sensitivity of the content, and to ensure that Inge's story is accurately expressed in the context of the Holocaust. Holocaust experts and oral historians worked closely with the production team of the experience. Maram Stern, World Jewish Congress Executive VP said: “We’re grateful that Meta has dedicated resources towards supporting the development of positive initiatives that make the most of its platforms. This project is a unique approach to the global effort of ensuring that the lessons of the Holocaust will never be forgotten. The WJC looks forward to continuing our long-standing partnership with Meta to provide users of technology with reliable facts about the Holocaust, as we work with our affiliate community in Germany and the Claims Conference to expand the use of this educational tool.”
