Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims Special Exhibition
"Children of Hiroshima: Testament of the Boys and Girls of Hiroshima"
◆ Period： January 1 (Wed.)－December 28 (Sun.), 2014
◆ Admission： Free
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At the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Victims, each year a special exhibition is held on a specific theme, displaying atomic bombing testimonies and other articles, with the aim of communicating the truth of the atomic bombing.
This year's special exhibition features 67 atomic bombing testimonies written by people who were children at the time of the bombing (from 4 years of age to 3rd year elementary school students), selected from "Children of Hiroshima: Testament of the Boys and Girls of Hiroshima", which was published 6 years after the bombing.
In these atomic bombing testimonies the children write about the tragedy of the war and the atomic bombing that they themselves experienced, and their desire for peace.
Below we have selected excerpts of two of the exhibited testimonies to share with you: those of Ms. Kiyoko Tanaka (3rd year elementary school student at the time) and Mr. Masatada Asaeda (3rd year elementary school student at the time).
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After the bombing, Ms. Tanaka was traveling on a boat with her mother to an aid station on Ninoshima Island, when she met with a young girl who was seriously injured.
......There was a girl about my age sitting in front of my mother.
She had burns and injuries all over her body, and was bleeding.
She weakly called "Mother..." a number of times, and then suddenly asked my mother "Is your child here?" She had lost her sight.
My mother replied, "Yes, she's here".
Then the girl held something out and said "Please give this to your daughter".
It was a lunch box......My mother said "Aren't you going to eat this?"
and the girl replied "There's no hope for me now. Give it to your daughter."......The boat traveled down the river for a while and reached the sea.
The girl then said, "I will tell you my name, so if you see my mother, please tell her that I'm here",
and with that she breathed her last breath and passed away......My mother and I wept together......
Mr. Asaeda was playing at a sports ground when the bomb was dropped.
He was taken to a temple in Kabe (Hiroshima City) by truck together with his mother and older sister.
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First edition of "Children of Hiroshima:
Testament of the Boys and Girls of
Hiroshima" (1951)
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......How should I describe life at the temple...I think that only those who were there can understand.
How to describe the sight of people covered in burns spent each day there, groaning, maggots festering in the bodies of those people with no-one to look after them, who then died mumbling something unintelligible.
Maybe this is what they call a "living hell".
With no knowledge of the fact that we lost the war, I think those people died with a hatred of war and a love of peace......Ultimately, what I want to write, what I want to say is, what is war?
What is peace?
Why do people say that we need those horrific atomic bombs to maintain peace?
Why don't humankind and science develop in harmony with each other?
These are the questions that I just cannot find the answers to, and that just won't go away......
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Book presentation ceremony (1952) / Photograph provided by: Ms. Yuriko Hayashi
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You can read the full texts of the testimonies in the Temporary Exhibition Area and the Library at the Memorial Hall.
The testimonies are also uploaded to the Memorial Hall homepage.
In addition to the testimonies, the displays at the Memorial Hall also include photographs taken immediately after the bombing, A-bomb pictures painted by citizens, and atomic bombing artifacts such as clothes of children who experienced the bombing.
The testimonies are also presented in audio and video format, using related photographs and pictures.
All videos, including those made for previous special exhibitions, may be viewed in the Library.
DVDs of the videos are also available for rental as peace study materials.
Please inquire at the Memorial Hall if you would like to borrow a DVD.
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【Inquiries】 Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims
TEL: 81-82-543-6271 / FAX: 81-82-543-6273
E-mail: info@hiro-tsuitokinenkan.go.jp
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