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GUEST CURATOR, HOLIDAYS, GENEALOGY & FAMILY HISTORY

A Family Story Shared for International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Dr_Dani_Q, Arti Member

January 27, 2023

For many of us the history of the Holocaust is just that, history. If you have visited the US Holocaust Memorial Museum you may have a somewhat deeper appreciation for its continuing resonance in our lives. If you have also traveled to those regions where the concentration and labor camps existed, you may have a still greater understanding as well as that overwhelming desire to see these lessons learned live on through us and unite us against these evils.

What we worry about at Artifcts is that as those of the generation who survived the horrors of the Holocaust dwindle in number, will enough of us take up the imperative to preserve those stories that exist within our own family histories? Today, on the International Remembrance Day, Arti Community member @Dr_Dani_Q shares her own family's stories of surviving the Holocaust in hopes of encouraging other families to look back in their family and community histories to ask the questions, document the answers, and share with others so it will not be lost. It will become a part of our living history.

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My Grandfather’s Story: A Marriage of Survival, Pride, and Service

It was evening. My great grandmother approached and drew closed the curtains at the window where my then 12-year-old grandfather sat, sparing him from the sight of the SS soldiers lining up and summarily executing his Jewish neighbors who had lived across the street.

This was Kaunus, Lithuania. The year was 1942. SS soldiers occupied homes across Lithuania, including the farmhouse where my grandfather lived. Having already suffered months of servitude to the SS soldiers they were forced to house, my great uncle secured secret passage for his brother’s family that same night as their neighbors were executed via the railroad he worked on. They traveled through Europe and eventually onward to safety in Brooklyn, New York, in 1949. The uncle stayed behind, working in secret to secure passage for all who he could.

Black and white photo of an ocean passenger ship

The ship my grandfather and his family took to the United States.

Many do not realize that millions of non-Jews, even those blonde-haired blue-eyed Lithuanians like my grandfather, were forced to serve in non-disclosed labor camps and executed by the Nazis during WWII. Unlike some who survived, as you will read about next, my grandfather spent his life telling his personal story from his youth during WWII in eastern Europe, lest we forget. He also traveled back to Lithuania, always returning to us with presents like amber and carved eggs, urging us to remember and embrace our cultural heritage. And he served for freedom and democracy, working as a translator in 10 languages for the US Army.

Homemade necklace of amber from Lithuania

My Grandmother’s Story: Twin Pillars of Survival and Trauma

My grandfather met my grandmother in New York in 1957 at a Belarusian cultural center. You know the type, even if only from movies: native food, dances, and all other aspects of community. The community center was the only place my grandmother would be among her own for the rest of her life.

Unlike my grandfather, my grandmother's experience in 1943 as an 11-year-old Russian Orthodox Catholic child in a Nazi labor camp turned her away from her Belarusian homeland and the whole of Eastern Europe forever.

scanned photo of a ship passenger manifest from May 1951

Scanned copy of a ship passenger manifest validating when my grandmother,

parents, and siblings arrived in NYC, NY, in May 1951... under Polish papers!

I have always been interested in my family history and genealogy. But it wasn’t until a year ago that I asked my uncle to tell me more about my grandmother’s experiences during WWII. All I knew was that as a child she was in a labor camp in Nazi-occupied Europe, and that one day, while bending down to pick up a piece of laundry she dropped while folding in the officers’ barracks, bullets were sprayed across the building by American troops who arrived to liberate the camp. The fallen laundry saved her life. “You still believe that story,” exclaimed my shocked and disbelieving uncle.

He then told the me, the 32-year-old adult me, at last, the true story.

My grandmother was lined up in an execution ditch. She watched as the SS officers executed one person after another. She was number 10. They were on number seven when American troops stormed into the camp, saving her (and her entire family).

Let me tell you, my grandmother, she was 5 feet tall and really fierce. The eldest of four siblings, survivor of a Nazi labor camp, ... you can understand why! I just wish I had known her story when she was alive, because knowing it made me understand and respect her that much more. I would have understood better the generational trauma I witnessed through her decisions and behaviors. I would have understood why she was so tough and closed-off, refusing to speak of her past. And why she chose to assimilate to her new life in the United States to such a degree that she never spoke her native languages again; never visited her homeland again. I just wish I had known.

Our Story

Today my family honors and preserves our heritage through food, certainly—cold borscht, balandelai, and koldunai/kolduny!—as well as travel, sharing of the trinkets my grandfather first bought for us with our own children, and of course by sharing our stories.

You’ll see if you read the Artifcts I have shared that Artifcts has become our outlet to secure this history. I get to keep so many things that I wish I had from my mom and grandparents. It relieves a weird amount of stress from the “What if” category, and what I would leave behind in the terrible event that something happens to me. That’s why I am sharing my family’s story today. To urge you all, how ever, where ever you feel comfortable – capture your history so it can live on.

- Dr. Dani Q

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Wall Calendars: Should They Still Win a Spot on Your Wall?

As ubiquitous as it has become to gift someone a candle, back in the day of trudging a mile uphill in the snow to and from school, it was just as common to gift someone a wall calendar, especially during the winter holidays. Wall calendars were fun to pick out and available practically everywhere you shopped. They could feature stunning art, humorous scenes and quotes, or shots from nature. Some even provided fundraising dollars for causes you valued.

But how often do you see a physical calendar on a wall in someone’s home anymore? And do wall calendars even have a place in the digital era? What does a wall calendar offer that its desktop or virtual version does not?

Well, for one thing, the wall calendar never moves on you. It is a reliable source of ground truth as to what is going on and when in your household. Wall calendars also have a number of other advantages you’ll read about in our story today.

As our focus for Around the House, With Artifcts this month shifts to everything that goes on your walls, we took a look around to gather some perspective on the value of wall calendars in modern times. We found some interesting and relatable perspectives that may just shift your own. Enjoy!

What Do You Want From a Wall Calendar?

As with nearly everything in life, when it comes to a calendar for your home life, you have to understand your own habits and needs first, and from that starting point you can choose that right calendar. What could you want from a wall calendar? Glad you asked:

- - Memory boost. The physical task of writing something down has been shown to help us recall the things we’ve written more effectively than when we type them, according to Scientific American. Maybe this is why Post-it notes and now writable tablets are so popular, too. Writing activates a broader field of activity in our brains.
  - Mood boost, too. If you love the art or subject of the calendar—majestic mountains or cute kittens, anyone? —every time you walk by you get a little boost.
  - Design infusion. If your space needs a pop of color or additional visual interest, you can surely find a calendar theme and size that will fit your style.
  - The BIG picture. Your life is hectic, and you want to ensure everyone is marching to the same beat with a visual and accessible master calendar. Monitor multiple schedules, coordinate major events, and keep track of important dates, holidays, and horizon moments—like family trips—with one giant calendar, a.k.a. your lifeline.
  - Accountability. For some, the wall calendar helps with accountability as you tick off dates and you accomplish certain tasks and work through to-do lists.

What else might you want from your wall calendar?

Millennials, being nearly tech native from their earliest years, can offer an interesting perspective on this throw back from a simpler, non-digital time when wall calendars hung in every home. We ‘listened’ to some millennials sound off via a few reddit threads and found these additional perspectives on the wall calendar:

There’s too much going on already on our mobile phones, so a lot of that noise gets ignored. It’s harder to ignore a wall calendar.

- - A way to see the passage of time, especially during COVID
  - Finding enjoyment in the process of updating the new calendar with birthdays and anniversaries
  - Remembering loved ones, human and pet, through the images chosen for personalized calendars
  - When you work on a computer all day, it’s nice to step back from your laptop or mobile when possible.
  - When you have young children, a physical calendar helps them learn about time.
  - Somehow physical calendars and planners feel cozy.

We then flipped that on its head and asked a few boomers in our lives about their affinity for wall calendars. Here were a few responses we received:

- - Using a wall calendar ensures caregivers going in and out of our home have the same information.
  - My kids laugh, but I still keep track of big things in their lives and our grandkids’ lives, too, so I need a big wall calendar.
  - This isn’t about my age, but about my job as a farmer. It’s helpful to see our schedule laid out in a large format so I can visualize cycles for the crops and animals.
  - We’ve always had one, we always will. And we still have decades worth in the closet if you want to see them. Some years there’s no white space left. Life was busier then. Editor’s note: Artifct those old calendars! They can be treasure-troves of events and memories past. Keep reading for tips on how to Artifct your calendars.

Could You Go Digital With Your Wall Calendar?

You could go digital for your wall calendar, even pocket sized on your mobile, but is it right for you?

Digital offers several advantages. The primary benefit is probably obvious: accessibility from anywhere. You’re at the grocery store, you’re at an event, whatever it is, you need information that is tucked inside the squares of that wall calendar. If you don’t get that information, it’s a deferred decision or another to-do added to your life.

You might also lean on a digital calendar for the benefit of reminders. You can set them by default (one month, week, day, hour). Technology is also evolving to offer smart reminders. For example, it’s likely that before long if you add a trip overseas to your calendar, the calendar will ping you well in advance to make sure your passport gets renewed, if necessary, on time. That’s efficiency and less stress all in one. It can also remind you about prescription refills and more.

Where can you find a digital wall calendar? We only know of one so far with size and features options that we’re eager to explore, and it’s from a well-known manufacturer of digital photo frames called SkyLight, a very logical product expansion from frame to calendar. If you have experience with the Skylight wall calendar or another digital wall calendar, we’d love to hear from you!

Traditional Wall Calendars: Before You Save that Old Wall Calendar, Consider Your "Why"

In an amusing thread on reddit, a discussion unfolded when a poster shared a website that would tell you when the dates on your calendar would align again in a future year. One commentor passed on that idea, claiming they would end up at the dentist office on the wrong day. Ha! Another felt this was a stretch too far to upcycle and leaned toward hoarding behavior. (But does it? Learn more about hoarding disorder.)

Historically, many people have treated calendars like journals, the ephemera of life, a record easily shared with others to remember what consumed our days, big and small, “back then.”

Some calendars these days are designed to be upcycled based on the beautiful, high-quality printed images on each month, which are easy to slice out and frame or even affix to cardstock to create a greeting card. Some large wall calendars like those created by School House (and pictured in the banner at the top of this story), are designed to be flipped over to enjoy the design on the back when the year is over.

Wall calendars work hard! They fill space, keep everyone walking by informed, and give you a sense of time and structure for your year.

Artifct those calendars!

Now that we can simply take digital photos of the calendars and/or digitize them, we suggest going back through that particular collection and considering whether it’s time to ditch the hardcopy. Consider Artifcting the calendar before you recycle to keep the memories and for reference back to potentially important dates. If it’s a monthly calendar, choose a month or two or three for the photos to feature in your Artifct and attach a scanned copy of the complete calendar in the documentation of your Artifct. Done!

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April 10, 2025

DECLUTTERING & ORGANIZING

Evenings with Artifcts, Spring 2025 Series Recaps

We're delighted to bring back our Evenings with Artifcts series with topics hand picked by members of the Arti Community. When surveyed, our community had some very strong ideas on what topics mean the most to them. Topping the list, to our delight, was the art of pairing stories with 'stuff.' While not surprised, we were delighted and we love breaking down the reasons why researchers find story telling is so valuable, useful strating points and structures, and most importantly, how we can help you here at Artifcts to tell your stories, your way!

But joining us this spring will be a wide collection of professionals who will deliver insights that will leave you better prepared for all life brings us, surprises and all. Stay tuned and join in!

Mark your calendars for Tuesday evenings at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET from April 8th through May 6th. We send out RSVP details each week in our e-newsletter and on our social media channels (Instagram and Facebook). And please share with friends, family, and others you meet. The more the merrier!

If you missed any of our past Evenings with Artifcts, catch up now!

ENJOY A RECAP OF EVENINGS WITH ARTIFCTS, Spring '25

Week 1: Stories + 'Stuff'

STORYTELLING, RESEARCH INSIGHTS

Related content:

- Watch the replay on YouTube ->

- Download a summary of tips and resources from ARTIcles by Artifcts on the art of stories.

If you'd like to suggest a topic or speaker for future events, share with us at Editor@Artifcts.com.

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April 09, 2025

EVENTS

If Walls Could Talk

Hello April, and hello to our fourth installment of Around the House, With Artifcts. This month’s focus? Our walls, and all the ‘stuff,’ photos, mementos, art, and more that make their way into our hearts and eventually onto our walls.

So Many Frames!

There is no precise figure on how much Americans spend annually to frame their photos and mementos, but the global picture framing market was valued at $9.3 Billion in 2022 and is expected to reach $14.67 Billion by 2031, according to the team at Straits Research. Entire companies, such as Framebridge, Frameology, and Keepsake Frames exist with a singular purpose: to frame your ‘stuff,’ from photos to kid-art to travel mementos. They are hoping to cash in on the custom framing market, once dominated by established brick and mortar chains such as Michaels.

Adding to the myriad of choices you can now make as to what you’ll frame is the complexity of framing itself. You have dozens of choices and endless combinations including types of wood, mattes, and glass. Do you know the difference between museum glass and conservation glass? It gave our co-founders pause! Conservation glass blocks 99% of UV rays, whereas museum glass does that AND provides less than a 1% light reflection. This can dramatically change the view, so to speak, depending on where you intend to hang your piece.

So many choices. So much money. That said, we’ve yet to encounter a frame that can tell you the story or history of the object under that optimal museum quality glass. Why is THAT photo in a frame? Better yet, who is that in the photo? And what are they doing? What’s the story behind the ticket stub or hotel room key so lovingly matted and preserved for all to see? Oh, and that’s a cool pennant! What’s it doing in a frame?

Stories and Frames Go Better Together

Our co-founders LOVE looking at ‘stuff’ in frames (and they love framing ‘stuff’), but they also love the stories, histories, and memories often captured within those four wood-bound sides and UV protective glass. It should come as no surprise that here at Artifcts, we think stories and frames go better together.

A couple of years ago Ellen was in a home in New Mexico concierge Artifcting with a bachelor in his late 70s who had a collection of really old documents and currency framed in his stairwell. His passion in sharing the history was captivating and they were top of his list to Artifct. “It’s not like I can get my great nieces and nephews to stand still to learn this history.”

So how do you ensure that the story, history, or memory that prompted you to invest in a frame in the first place lives on for generations to come? Our co-founders share their favorite tips below to help you get started as you tell the stories that live on your walls, one object at a time!

Ellen is a fan of finding the favorite moments hanging on her walls and then Artifcting that {photo, textile, you name it!}. If it makes her smile, it’s a prime target for Artifcting.

One of Ellen's favorite moments on her walls. Click to view the Artifct!

Heather has a rule that if it goes into a frame (and on a wall), it must be Artifcted first. Her husband and daughter know the drill, and thanks to the Artifcts, all the stories and memories hanging on their walls (even the ones her daughter is too young to remember on her own!).
Don’t let the perfect story trip you up! Sometimes simply stating a fact, like what the item is and how it came into your life, is a great starting point for an Artifct. You can always add details or favorite memories later.
Add an Artifcts QR code sticker to connect the physical item with the digital Artifct. Heather’s second rule for anything that goes on her walls is that once it’s Artifcted, it’s stickered, ensuring that if anything happens to her or her husband, their children know what’s what (or in the case of framed photos, who’s who!), and why it mattered to them. Bonus! Fill out the 'In the Future’ field in your Artifct, and your family will have a roadmap for what happens next to all your ‘stuff.’
Add audio or video to really bring photos, art, and other framed mementos to life! Ellen and Heather are not shy about asking others to record a short audio or video snippet if they gift them a hangable item. Heather’s husband was put on the spot to share his story after gifting her a print from a trip to Chile. That's love!

Photos + audio = Artifct magic. Click to view the Artifct, read the story, and hear WHY this print made the trip home from Chile.

Got a favorite framed future Artifct hanging around your house? (See what we did there?) Take a moment to Artifct That and share with us at editor@artifcts.com for a chance to be featured in an upcoming edition of our curator’s choice series.

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Looking for more tips to get started? You might enjoy these ARTIcles as well!

How To Artifct Art

How To Artifct That Photo

Memories At Home Checklist

April 02, 2025

TIPS & TRICKS, PHOTOS, DOCS & OTHER MEDIA

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