“SAVED-RESCUED” MONUMENT

, 16 November 2016
A “Saved-Rescued” monument is to be erected in memory of Poles who helped Jews during the Holocaust. The monument is to stand near the Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw.

The initiative for the monument came from a committee called together by American Jewish businessman and philanthropist, Sigmund Rolat. The first meeting of the committee took place on 15th November 2013. Its 27 members come from various countries. Poland is represented by Adam Rotfeld, Konstanty Gebert, Michael Schudrich, Elżbieta Ficowska, Feliks Tych and Leopold Kozłowski. From Israel, among others, are Szewach Weiss and Samuel Wilenberg, From the USA are Sigmund Rolat, Victor Markowicz and Lee Feinstein. Others on the committee include people from Canada, France and Australia.

According to the plan, the monument is to be erected near the Museum in the autumn of 2014. The entire cost will be met by private benefactors. The format of the monument is as yet unknown, but committee members wish it to commemorate all rescuers, even the anonymous ones who have not been recognised with the title of Righteous Among the Nations. For this reason, no names will appear on the monument. An international competition for the design of the monument is currently being organised as is the composition of the jury which will make the final decision.

This is the second such declaration, in recent times, of an intention to create a monument  dedicated to Poles who saved Jews during the Holocaust. The other monument is to be erected in 2015 in Grzybowski Square in Warsaw. The initiative for this came a few years ago from the Committee for the Remembrance of Poles Who Saved Jews. The Town Hall and the Council for the Protection of the Memory of Battle and Martyrdom, just this past week, announced a competition to design that monument.