I wanted my murdered great-grandparents to have a voice

Interview Levi Loïs Vermaning

The interactive game Onthecht (which means ‘Detached’, or ‘Disconnected’) tells the heartbreaking story of the Jewish couple Hartog and Sientje Witsenhuijsen, who were murdered in the extermination camp Sobibor. Levi Loïs Vermaning, alumna of HKU Games, wanted her project to give them a voice and keep the memory of her grandparents alive.

Can you tell us a bit about your production?

‘In the first chapter of the game, you get to know my grandparents very well. The war has not started yet at that moment. Hartog and Sientje are happy and in love. They live together and have a daughter, Ruby. But then the period starts of looming propaganda, with Jews becoming victims of violence, harassments and oppression. Not long after, their greatest fear becomes reality: the couple must give up their daughter and are deported to the Sobibor extermination camp, where they end in the gas chambers. The player of the game goes through each of these phases as they guide Hartog and Sientje towards their final days. This makes the experience all the more personal. Onthecht shows how a happy everyday life can suddenly turn into hell.’

Why did you want to make this game?

The goal behind the holocaust was to erase an entire group of people. Documents, photos, and personal possessions of the victims were destroyed or sold off. All to make it seem like they had never existed. I wanted to counter this, by giving a voice to my great grandparents; to make the memory of them tangible again. For myself as well, because I hardly had any idea about them. For me, it was in part also a processing of an intergenerational trauma.’

What did this trauma processing look like?

‘For this game, I partnered up with the Sobibor Foundation. This enabled me to watch lots of books, documentaries and reports. I learned every detail about the death of my great-grandparents. Horrible details: how they were murdered, how long it took and what the gas chambers looked like. It was quite a shock. Although I am personally the third generation of war victims, I had never considered myself to be an actual victim. Neither had I expected to be so strongly affected by the process. It might sound odd, but eventually my research did cause me to be able to cope with the facts. I was able to form a perspective and come to face with what really happened.’

What was most remarkable for you about the creation process?

By making this game, I learned a lot about my family history. I read a dossier about my grandmother Ruby and how she was forced into hiding. I also discovered that my grandmother’s cousin had children. I even met them, which truly was the highlight of the whole process. And the reactions to the game also meant a lot for me. I showed it to the young students that I teach. They are used to disturbing images, bit still it made them speechless. My presentation during HKU Exposure also garnered remarkable responses, with people lining up to play the game. This showed me that it truly means a lot for people. It’s hard to find the words to express how unique the whole experience was for me. The moment when my teacher said the names Hartog and Sientje oud loud during my graduation ceremony, truly felt like a victory.’

Can you tell us more about studying at HKU?

I not only met many friendly and inspiring people, but also learned a lot. Whether it’s about designing a boardgame or a game experience like I did, the assignments you get are very diverse. I liked that, because my interests lie more with educative games than with the regular entertainment games. Their design process is very different as well. You need to teach the player something, so the graphic design and language must adapt to that. I also appreciated the fact that HKU allowed me to work together with students from other courses. For example, a student from HKU Music and Technology also contributed to my game: he created the sound design for the gas chamber’.

What are you working on right now?

I am currently a guest teacher at Graphic Lyceum Rotterdam and working to take the next steps with my project. I’m talking with various foundations and museums to see if Onthecht can find a place there. That would mean a lot to me. It would also be great to get to work in a museum myself, as a curator for example, or to register old artworks and documents. But I could also happen to end up at a game designer that develops serious games. I’m fascinated by making games for hospitalised children or people with dementia, for example. I want to help people and hope that my work can contribute to a higher goal.’