By Cailin Acosta
LA JOLLA, California – “I learned a lot today that I never knew about the Holocaust. I thought it only affected people who were Jewish,” said my son, 13-year-old, 8th grader Alex Acosta.
Alex was visiting the RUTH: Remember Us The Holocaust exhibit at the La Jolla Riford Library on Tuesday, October 7.
Thirteen-year-old twins, Alex and CeCe Acosta, went on ahead and stopped at each display, pointing at words and pictures. They also sized themselves up to all the life-size models of survivors who are still alive. Eighth graders at La Mesa Arts Academy will learn about the Holocaust in both History and English classes, combined in Spring 2026.
Dr. Sam Landau met with us and showed us some of the new artifacts that have been added since the exhibit was last on display at the Rancho San Diego library in 2024.
Landau asked if we were familiar with Barbie and Ken dolls, and we said yes. He took us over to a display of two very rare girl and boy dolls that they received from a son of a doll collector who had passed away. These dolls are very rare because children played with them and wore them out. These dolls were very well kept and clean. The dolls have blonde hair and blue eyes. The Nazis began brainwashing German youth from an early age with exposure to propaganda at home, during play, or in school. These dolls demonstrate just how much children were manipulated during the Third Reich. These dolls shocked us as we had never seen anything like this and could not believe a doll maker would produce these.
In another display case, I saw one of my favorite local soaps, “Dr. Bronner’s: Pure Castile Soap,” and I got nervous until I read about it. Emil Heilbronner, known as Dr. Bronner, changed his last name to drop “Heil” due to its association with “Heil Hitler.” Dr. Bronner was a master soap maker and chemist, following in his father’s footsteps, who also worked as a soap maker in Germany.
In 1929, Emil moved to the United States, believing that politics and soap should not mix. By 1944, he had established three major soap companies in the U.S. Emil’s father chose to stay in Germany, thinking that the situation would eventually improve. Dr. Bronner later received a postcard from his father, which was sent from Buchenwald. The message contained just three words: “You Were Right.” Tragically, his mother was killed in Theresienstadt, and his father was gassed in Buchenwald.
Today, Dr. Bronner’s castile soap is produced in Vista, California. The Bronner family has generously contributed to the survivor community by supplying them with products. Alex and CeCe were relieved to know that we do not support the Nazi regime by using Dr. Bronner’s products. In fact, they both said we need to purchase a few of the items we are out of and said we would restock our supply.
As I looked over to another display case, in a corner was a life-size display of my late and dear bestie, Rose Schindler. I teared up as I walked over to say hello to her. Landau said if I use my phone to access the QR code, I could “talk to her.” So I did just that, and when you press the mic, you can ask a question, and she will answer back. I asked her, “How long have you been married?” She answered, telling me how Max proposed to her and when they got married, and how he took forever to finally propose to her. I wiped tears, hearing her voice again and hearing the beautiful story of how love could be found after going through so much pain.
One of the displays I noticed Alex and CeCe had interest in was how the Nazis hated everyone. If you were Black, Jewish, Gay, Politically opposed to the Nazis, a Jehovah’s Witness, Disabled, Children or a Roma/Gypsies, you would be sent to a camp. Alex asked Landau, “Why didn’t people just lie? For instance, if you are gay, you can lie and say you are not and not get sent to a camp.” Landau replied that many did lie, but it depended on how well your neighbors knew you. The Nazis would bribe people with money or gifts if they knew their neighbors were gay or Jewish.
So, continuing the conversation of “what would you do?,” we all agreed we would not accept bribes for turning people in because they are different than us. Hands down, repulsive.
On display was an original pink triangle badge worn by Christian Prager in 1936, who was arrested for being gay. At the time, he was only 16 years old when he was sent to Dachau. As part of the Nazi identification system, he was forced to wear the pink triangle – a symbol used to mark and persecute homosexual men. This represents one of the earliest known uses of the pink triangle. A fragment of Prager’s uniform, including the pink triangle and his prisoner number, was presented to Remember Us The Holocaust at the 17th Annual Harvey Milk Breakfast on May 16, 2025, by the International Imperial Courts Council. The code “G175” was used by the Nazis to categorize those they labeled as homosexual.
Landau informed us that creator, Sandra Scheller was in the process of receiving a uniform with the pink triangle indicating the prisoner was gay. Included with the uniform are his medical documents indicating that he was castrated while in the camp.
The uniform will be on display at the exhibit soon, which prompted a discussion of the need and locations where a permanent museum could house all these artifacts and be more accessible to the public to view and witness.
On the back wall was a replica of the signs that were displayed at all of the camps that said “Arbeit Macht Frei.” CeCe asked what that meant and was told it was German and meant “Work Sets You Free.” She said they were sent to work and were not set free. I said, “I know, and how would that make you feel?” She said that would make her mad since it’s a lie. Alex shook his head and said it was unbelievable, the lies and how hard it would be to trust people who keep lying to them.
Landau asked Alex and CeCe if they knew what an Upstander was. They both replied that it is someone who stands up for what is right and doesn’t allow bullying to happen. We received Upstander bracelets since we all agreed we would not have been bystanders during that time. As I looked at the display of Upstanders, Irene Sandler stood out to me. She was a Polish social worker who was able to smuggle 2,500 children out of the Warsaw Ghetto and have them placed in homes for protection. Being a social worker, I imagined myself in her brave footsteps and how I would have done the same thing for the sake of saving those innocent lives.
As we ended our tour of the exhibit, I asked Alex and CeCe if I could take a picture of them, and they agreed. As I looked at the picture, I thought smiling in a Holocaust exhibit might send the wrong message. But to us, it is the reminder that we will never forget, we will never stop talking about it, we will not be bystanders, and this will never happen again.
RUTH: Remember Us The Holocaust exhibit will be at the La Jolla Riford Library, upstairs in the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Library Annex, until June 2026. Click here for more information.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of the San Diego Jewish World.