He Escaped Nazi Germany. Then He Returned to Interrogate World War II Criminals.
Contact: Kara Driscoll, Director of Strategic External Engagement (513) 638-0508 | [email protected]
CINCINNATI– The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center is honored to launch the newest testimony within its cutting-edge Dimensions in Testimony exhibition, featuring the story of Cincinnati-area Holocaust survivor and World War II veteran Dr. Al Miller.
This is the first time the exhibit testimony is being introduced following Miller’s passing in 2023, and aims to keep his legacy and his story alive.
Al Miller grew up in Berlin, where his family owned a successful clothing business. As Nazi policies took hold, he was barred from places he once loved, and childhood friends who joined the Hitler Youth turned against him. In 1937, he fled to Switzerland while his brother went to England; the family later reunited in England before immigrating to the U.S. in 1940. Miller joined the U.S. Army in 1943 and trained at Fort Ritchie as one of the “Ritchie Boys,” an elite group of intelligence officers. He returned to Germany after the war, using his language skills to interrogate suspected war criminals, before settling in Hamilton, Ohio, where he practiced optometry for decades and raised his family.
There’s more to the story, but it’s best told in his own words. That’s where Dimensions in Testimony comes in. Starting Sept. 7, museum goers will be able to engage in interactive, real-time conversations with a life-sized digital representation of Al Miller. Dimensions in Testimony uses artificial intelligence and natural processing to preserve survivor stories. In addition to Miller’s testimony, visitors will see new artifacts from his time in Germany and during World War II throughout the museum.
Miller’s testimony will be on exhibit for the next six months.
“We’ve seen the impact of this technology since Dimensions in Testimony launched at Union Terminal in 2021,” said Jackie Congedo, Chief Executive Officer of the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust and Humanity Center. “The level of impact goes much deeper when visitors are able to connect face-to-face with a fellow Cincinnatian, see pieces of their life before and after the war, and reflect on the legacy they leave behind.”
The launch of Miller’s Dimensions in Testimony coincides with the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center will mark the occasion and the launch of this testimony at the Liberation Ball on Sept. 7 at Union Terminal. To purchase tickets to Liberation Ball or book your visit, head to holocaustandhumanity.org
About the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center
Located at Cincinnati’s historic Union Terminal, the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center exists to ensure the lessons of the Holocaust inspire action today. Through museum exhibitions, educational programs, and public events, the Center empowers individuals to become upstanders — people who stand up for others and create positive change.
