"They risked their lives..." Exhibition at Essen’s Old Synagogue

KJ, 16 November 2016
The exhibition entitled They Risked Their Lives – Poles who Saved Jews During the Holocaust opened on 27th January 2015 at Essen’s Old Synagogue (Alte Synagoge), coinciding with International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The exhibition was prepared as part of our The Polish Righteous – Recalling Forgotten History project, in conjunction with the Polish Foreign Affairs Ministry. It will remain on display until 15th February 2015.

The German language version of the display was created in conjunction with the Polish Institute in Düsseldorf.

One week later, on 22nd February, the exhibition will be transferred to the State Museum (Stadt Museum) in Düsseldorf. It will remain there for one month as part of the Jüdische Kultur Tage festival. The official opening will take place on 26th February 2015.

The exhibition was prepared as part of our The Polish Righteous – Recalling Forgotten History project, in conjunction with the Polish Foreign Affairs Ministry. It tells the stories of Poles who risked their lives and the lives of their families by helping Jews. In contrast with the countries of Western Europe, extending help to Jews carried the death penalty in German-occupied Poland. Following the War, some of the rescuers were honoured, by the State of Israel, with the title of Righteous Among the Nations. The exhibition will feature the fates of the rescuers and those rescued in the historical context of occupied Poland, and will highlight the motivations which drove the Righteous.

The exhibition has been translated into five languages – English, German, Russian, Spanish and Lithuanian. To date, it has been displayed in Paris, Tallin, Warsaw, Szczecin and Toruń.