2020 Days of Remembrance Commemoration
Join us as our nation comes together to remember the victims of the Holocaust, honor the survivors, and pay tribute to the liberators during Days of Remembrance on April 21. Please show your commitment to keeping the memory of the Holocaust alive by watching this virtual commemoration, featuring Holocaust survivors' tributes to family members they lost, a stirring message from Benjamin Ferencz (the last living Nuremberg prosecutor), and timeless words from the late Elie Wiesel.
#WeRemember
It is impossible to picture six million people at once; to read six million names; to know six million stories. But by reading one story, saying one name, sharing one person’s legacy, you keep a memory alive.
Join us today in remembrance of the stories of persecution, of survival, and of resilience as #WeRemember the Holocaust.
Ringelblum Archive Preservation
Diaries. Photographs. Poetry. Last will and testaments. Learn about the Warsaw ghetto inhabitants who risked their lives to write their own history. Seventy-seven years ago this week, they buried the last of their writings, detailing the inhumane conditions in the ghetto and its true, murderous purpose. Only three members of the secret society who chronicled daily life in the ghetto would survive. Learn about efforts to preserve this important archive of the Holocaust.
Ruth Cohen Remembers
Holocaust survivor Ruth Cohen remembers her younger brother, Aharon, who was killed at Auschwitz. Join us on Facebook on 4/21 at 11 a.m. ET, as #WeRemember the victims of the Holocaust and honor the survivors during our annual Days of Remembrance commemoration. ushmm.org/events/2020-dor?utm_medium=socialmedia&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=dor&utm_content=dorpromoandsurvivorstoryteaser:ruthcohen20200420
Halina Peabody Remembers
Holocaust survivor Halina Peabody remembers her mother who narrowly escaped capture with her two young daughters. "I don't know anybody who was as brave as my mother when it came to her children," said Halina. #WeRemember
Peter Gorog Remembers
“Millions of kisses to you,” Holocaust survivor Peter Gorog’s father wrote in postcards he sent to his wife and son from a forced labor camp. #WeRemember
Dora Klayman Remembers
Holocaust survivor Dora Klayman remembers her Aunt Giza, who sheltered Dora and her brother after their parents were deported to concentration camps in Croatia. Join us on Facebook on 4/21 at 11 a.m. ET, as #WeRemember the victims of the Holocaust and honor the survivors during our annual Days of Remembrance commemoration. ushmm.org/events/2020-dor?utm_medium=socialmedia&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=dor&utm_content=survivorstoryteaser:doraklayman20200417
Susan Warsinger Remembers
“She made us feel loved and important. She made us feel safe when antisemitism was rampant in Germany,” said Holocaust survivor Susan Warsinger, remembering her great-aunt Anna. #WeRemember
We Remember Munzer Family
Holocaust survivor Alfred Münzer was just a baby when his parents made the agonizing decision to place him in hiding. Family photographs and objects now link him to his father and sisters. #WeRemember
Days of Remembrance: Share Their Stories
It is impossible to picture six million people at once; to read six million names; to know six million stories. But by reading one story, saying one name, sharing one person’s legacy, you keep a memory alive.
This year, we ask you to share the stories of persecution, of survival, and of resilience as #WeRemember the Holocaust.
Resilience After Liberation
After liberation, Holocaust survivors faced new struggles but rebuilt their lives. They married, fueled a baby boom, and reclaimed their humanity—opening schools, celebrating holidays, and rekindling religious life.
Next Chapter: At the Heart of Antiquing
"Going antiquing, it just gives me an incredible feeling. My husband, Sidney, and I go to an antique fair. It's like a hobby—somebody else goes to a ballgame. It's a part of who we are."
When Louise Lawrence Israels and her family were in hiding during the Holocaust, her father leveraged his hobby of collecting as a means of survival. Today, antiquing still plays a meaningful role in Louise's life, and through her passion, she carries on her father's legacy. #NextChapterUSHMM
Courageous Acts Inspired by Faith
Courageous acts of kindness exist even in the most dire situations. During the Holocaust, some individuals boldly went against the grain and acted on behalf of European Jews. Inspired by their faith and a common sense of humanity, they aspired to make a difference. As millions around the world prepare to celebrate Easter and Passover this week and Ramadan later in the month, we invite you to join us live on Facebook to learn how faith motivated acts of courage to rescue European Jews when so many others ignored their plight.
Next Chapter: Fellowship Through Cinema
When he was seven years old, Albert Garih discovered a love for the cinema, especially for movies about justice.
"Immediately, I was mesmerized by the good guys and the bad guys. Having lived through the war, I was sensitive to injustice, because I had been submitted to injustice myself."
Watch as Albert describes why sharing his love of movies with others is important to him. #NextChapterUSHMM
Ringelblum Archive
Diaries. Photographs. Last wills and testaments. The Ringelblum Archive saved all of these and more as a legacy from the inhabitants of the Warsaw ghetto.
The creators of the archive eventually buried 60,000 pages in hopes that it would survive the war, even if they did not. We are still learning from their messages today.
How the Warsaw Zookeepers Risked their Lives to Shelter Jews
Inspiration can often be found in the most uncertain times. The Warsaw Zoo director, Jan Żabiński and his wife, Antonina, endangered their own lives to smuggle hundreds of Jews out of the Warsaw ghetto, hiding them in their home and on zoo grounds. Join us live on Facebook to learn the true story behind the movie, The Zookeeper’s Wife.
Next Chapter: Putting Down Roots
Everywhere Holocaust survivor Nat Shaffir has lived, he has put down roots—literally. Gardening isn't just a passion, it's a way to stay connected to his father's memory and the farm he grew up on in Romania.
Listen to Nat's story of how gardening is integral to his life. #NextChapterUSHMM
Martin Weiss Document Discoveries
For the first time in over 70 years, Holocaust survivor Martin Weiss saw documents about himself and his family from the Holocaust.
Marty's findings were only a handful in a trove of documents that contains information on roughly 17.5 million victims of Nazi persecution. Listen to what he discovered with the help of our colleague, Jo-Ellyn Decker.
(3/3) Lost & Found: A Grandson's Journey to Discover His Family's Story
(3/3) Picking up where his mom left off, Matthew Steinhart traveled to Germany to visit sites his grandparents had visited.
He made discoveries about his grandparents' past, explored the Arolsen Archives, and made a big decision about how to carry on his grandparents' legacy.
Listen to the rest of his story:
(2/3) Lost & Found: A Grandson's Journey to Discover His Family's Story
(2/3) “I'm just doing my best to fill in the blanks. I think we're always changing as people. But where we came from never changes."
For Matthew Steinhart, the journey of searching for more information about his family's past is leading to discoveries about their Holocaust experience.
(1/3) Lost & Found: A Grandson's Journey to Discover His Family's Story
(1/3) With the bustle of life, we don't often make time to explore our family history. But for Matthew Steinhart, finding time to carry on his mother's search, which began decades ago, became a priority after she passed away in 2012.
He picked up where she left off. Listen to his story:
John Lewis- Inspired
“If you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have a moral obligation to do something about it.”–Rep. John Lewis
Civil rights activist John Lewis is no stranger to taking a stand. His activism in the movement has extended from being a member of the “Big 6,” chairman of SNCC, one of the original Freedom Riders, and helping to organize the 1963 March on Washington.
Lewis became nationally known during his prominent role in the March 1965 “Bloody Sunday” marches. Lewis led more than 600 other marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. In 2016, Lewis was awarded the Museum's Elie Wiesel Award in recognition of his extraordinary moral and physical courage and his enduring commitment to promoting the human dignity of all people.
Curious George and the Holocaust Survivors Who Made Him
You know Curious George. But did you know that he was the creation of Holocaust survivors Hans and Margret Rey? On Read Across America Day, learn their story.
Rep. John Lewis on Humanity
"When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just—you have a moral obligation to speak up, to speak out, and find a way to get in the way." — Representative John Lewis, 2016 Elie Wiesel Award Recipient
Baker Family in Vienna
Ross Baker was an American chemist on sabbatical in Vienna in 1938. He, his wife Helen, and three of their sons were an ordinary family on a relaxing European adventure—until German troops entered the country in March 1938, and the city exploded with Nazi sentiment seemingly overnight.
Ross used the family’s home movie camera to take footage of the drastic changes happening around them, while Helen kept a detailed diary describing what they saw. Both are now in the Museum’s collection. They provide rare and invaluable windows into the beginnings of the Third Reich, seen through American eyes.
The Oscars and the Holocaust
Hollywood’s storytelling about the Holocaust evolved from films that initially sidestepped the treatment of Jews to Oscar-winning films, such as “Schindler's List,” that vividly depicted the Nazis’ terror against Jews and other victims. 2020 Oscar-winner Jojo Rabbit found humor in that dark period by mocking Nazis.
Limits of Justice
"I had to decide this question as to whether a 94-year-old man who did this terrible deed 70 years before was still guilty of the crime." Join us on Thursday, Feb. 6, at 7 pm at our Museum to consider the question: Is it ever too late to seek justice? http://ushmm.org/events/limits-of-justice
Dino Brugioni
After serving during World War II, Dino Brugioni joined the CIA. During his time in the CIA's National Photographic Interpretation Center, he began to wonder what photographs they might have of Auschwitz in 1944. Listen to his account:
International Holocaust Remembrance Day: Meet Survivor Agi Geva
Learn how a scarf and quick thinking on the part of her mother may have saved the life of 14-year-old Agi Geva when she arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau. We're live commemorating International #HolocaustRemembranceDay.
2020 International Holocaust Remembrance Day Commemoration
Holocaust Survivor Recalls Moment of Separation
In a grainy photograph that depicts a chilling scene outside the Auschwitz-Birkenau killing center, 13-year-old Irene Weiss is captured in crowd of people during the selection process. Listen as she describes the moment she was separated from her family
Fight Hate and Antisemitism Whenever You See It
We stand in solidarity with those marching in New York today to create a world in which we can all live with #NoHateNoFear. Let's #StandTogether to fight antisemitism and hate wherever we see it.
Thank You For Your Support
Thanks to our supporters, our Museum ended 2019 in a position of strength that will help us rise to the significant challenges of today.
We could not have done this without you. Our fundraising goal was ambitious, but the urgency of this moment is great. We must respond to rising hate and antisemitism around the world.
Holocaust Survivors Remind Us of the Dangers of Unchecked Hate
Holocaust survivors know better than most what it feels like to be targeted simply for who they are. They have seen the deadly consequences of antisemitism and unchecked hatred. But they also know that individuals have the power to stand up and do the right thing. #Monsey
Giving Tuesday: How Your Gifts Preserve Holocaust Memory
It's #GivingTuesday. We're live on Facebook, sharing diaries—firsthand accounts of the Holocaust—that your support helped us to digitize and publish.
Giving Tuesday
“I am living proof that [the Holocaust] is not ancient history, because I lived through it.” Holocaust survivor and Museum volunteer Albert Garih is committed to ensuring young people learn about the past and are inspired to stand up to hatred today. You can support him by learning more about his work and donating to the Museum this #GivingTuesday. Gifts up to $50,000 will be matched dollar for dollar, so your gift will go twice as far.
A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (www.ushmm.org) inspires citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity.
