Kazerne Dossin: A Museography Based on People

Schram, Laurence (2025) Kazerne Dossin: A Museography Based on People. HURBÁN: EGYÜTTÉLÉS ÖSSZEOMLÁS ÚJRAKEZDÉS, 3 (2). pp. 48-68. ISSN 3004-023X

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Abstract

This study analyses the historical and museographic development of Kazerne Dossin, a major Belgian memorial and museum located in Mechelen, emphasizing its human-centred interpretive strategy. The author traces how the former Dossin barracks became the central transit camp for the deportation of Jews and Roma from Belgium and how it was later transformed into an internationally recognised institution dedicated to Holocaust remembrance and human rights. The museum’s exhibitions rely on personal life stories, portraits of deportees and a nuanced exploration of individual choices, responsibility and complicity, avoiding sensationalist or overly emotional presentations. Its layered narrative highlights the role of Belgian authorities, the dynamics of collaboration and resistance, and the unfolding mechanisms of genocide. The study underscores Kazerne Dossin’s contribution to fostering historical consciousness, critical reflection and civic responsibility through its innovative and pedagogically oriented museum concept.

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