On March 21 in Warsaw, Cultural Attaché Dan Hastings attended the opening of an exhibit titled “It Is Deeds That Make The Man – Poles Who Helped Jews during The Holocaust in The Eastern Borderlands of The Second Polish Republic.” This event was organized by the Institute of National Memory (IPN). Jarosław Szarek, President of IPN, officially inaugurated the exhibit, which showcases photos and documents related to Poles who assisted Jews during the Holocaust in the eastern part of what was then the Second Republic of Poland.
The exhibit was prepared by IPN's branch in Rzeszów and includes photographs from before, during, and after World War II. It also features available photos of Jews who were aided by Poles. Attendees at the opening included individuals recognized as “The Righteous Among The Nations” by Yad Vashem Institute in Jerusalem. The exhibition contains photos and stories about these Polish heroes as well as others whose acts are less known for various reasons.
Materials for this exhibit were sourced from several collections including those of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, the Jewish Historical Institute, and private collections among others. According to organizers, some materials are being shown publicly for the first time. Visitors can view this exhibit at IPN’s History Station Educational Center located on Marszałkowska Street.
“The Righteous Among the Nations” is a title given to those who risked their lives to save Jews from extermination by Nazi Germany during World War II. Since its inception in 1963, Polish citizens have been awarded this honor more than any other nationality. Out of 26,973 awards conferred globally, 6,863 have been given to Poles who saved Jews during the Holocaust. The IPN exhibit highlights that at least 1,300 Polish Righteous were from Poland's eastern regions prior to World War II.