Holocaust survivor’s story brought to life in new virtual reality experience
Claims Conference launches immersive project following Benno Kern from Vienna to Auschwitz and liberation
The story of a Holocaust survivor who lost his entire family to the Nazis is being brought to new audiences through a new mixed-reality experience designed to help preserve survivor testimony for future generations.
The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) has launched Benno’s Light, an interactive educational project based on the life of 98-year-old Holocaust survivor Benno Kern.
Using virtual and mixed-reality technology, the experience allows users to follow Kern’s journey from his childhood in Vienna through Nazi persecution, deportation to Auschwitz and eventual liberation from Buchenwald concentration camp. The project can be accessed through VR headsets or on a standard computer.
Kern, who was born in Vienna in 1927, was the only member of his immediate family to survive the Holocaust after fleeing with his parents across Europe before they were captured by the Nazis and deported.
Reflecting on the project, he said: “I’ll never forget my mother’s words: ‘You have the opportunity to stay alive. The decision is yours.’
“I was the only member of my family to survive the Holocaust. This project has special meaning to me as I carried my family’s story for more than 80 years with uncertainty as to whether it would be remembered.
“I ask future generations to hear my words and carry them forward in your hearts. Let them light your way. And let them remind you what it means to carry compassion, even in the darkest of times.”
The initiative has been developed by the Claims Conference in partnership with immersive technology company makemepulse and with support from the Austrian government.
Claims Conference president Gideon Taylor said the organisation was increasingly looking at new technologies to ensure Holocaust education remains accessible as the survivor generation diminishes.
“Mixed reality is the technology of now and of the future,” he said. “And it is precisely why it is so crucial that we tap into advanced technology to help future generations understand the Holocaust. We cannot let stories like Benno’s fade into the darkness.”
The project combines survivor testimony with archival photographs, historical material, music and animation to create an immersive account of Kern’s experiences during the Holocaust.
It follows the Claims Conference’s earlier XR project, Inside Kristallnacht, which was released in 2024 and explored the experiences of Holocaust survivor Charlotte Knobloch during the November 1938 pogroms in Nazi Germany.
Greg Schneider, executive vice-president of the Claims Conference, said the technology offered a way of connecting young audiences directly with survivors’ experiences.
“New technology allows us to engage younger generations, which is critical to ensure the lessons of the Shoah are never forgotten,” he said.
“Benno was the same age as today’s students when he was torn from his home by the Nazis and forced onto a deportation train to Auschwitz. XR technology allows Benno to once again be a 15-year-old, showing today’s 15-year-olds the result of unchecked hatred.”
The project was officially launched at the University of Vienna, a site chosen for its historical significance and connection to the city’s long and complex Jewish history.
Educational materials linked to the experience are currently being developed, while organisers hope the project will also be showcased in museums and film festivals around the world.
Benno’s Light is available online and can be accessed here.
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
