SPACES OF TREBLINKA: A Conversation with Author Dr. Jacob Flaws

Join us for an insightful discussion on Spaces of Treblinka, a groundbreaking work by Dr. Jacob Flaws that reexamines the Treblinka death camp using testimonies, oral histories, and recollections from Jewish, German, and Polish witnesses.

This narrative challenges the misconception that Treblinka was an isolated Nazi extermination camp, revealing instead that its atrocities were far from hidden. Dr. Flaws argues that Treblinka’s operations were deeply entwined with the nearby towns and their residents, who bore witness to the sights, sounds, smells, and horrors emanating from the camp.

Dr. Flaws identifies six key spaces that shaped the historical reality of Treblinka:

• The Ideological Space
• The Behavioral Space
• The Space of Life and Death
• The Interactional Space
• The Sensory Space
• The Extended Space

By examining these dimensions, Spaces of Treblinka sheds new light on the camp’s impact and asks us to confront how interconnected we are as witnesses in our modern world.

Baker Hall A53, Steinberg Auditorium, Carnegie Mellon University

Featuring:

• Dr. Jacob Flaws, Kean University
• Moderator: Michal Rose Friedman, Jack Buncher Chair of Jewish Studies, Department of History, CMU

Presented in partnership with:

• Classrooms Without Borders
• University of Pittsburgh Jewish Studies Program, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
• Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh