Statement on the removal of Warsaw Ghetto artifacts from Poland

Written by: Jewish Historical Institute
Statement by Monika Krawczyk, director of the Emanuel Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute, Albert Stankowski, director of the Warsaw Ghetto Museum and Zygmunt Stępiński, director of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, regarding the removal of Warsaw Ghetto artifacts from Poland.
gmach_front.jpg

In connection with the information presented in the Israeli media about the removal of artifacts from the area of the former Warsaw ghetto, the Emanuel Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute, the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews and the Warsaw Ghetto Museum, as institutions established to protect and commemorate the history of Polish Jews, remind that if an archaeological object is discovered during construction or earth works, or accidentally, it should be secured and all works which would expose it to damage should be suspended. Such an occurrence should be immediately reported to the right institutions: offices of monument conservators and local government (in case of Warsaw – the City Office) or the police. Similarly, conducting archaeological research or searching for artifacts requires a permission of the provincial conservator of monuments, and the export of artifacts abroad is limited and strictly regulated by law.

We are outraged by the fact that historical objects related to the Holocaust may become the subject of illegal trade. Hence, we appeal to all people who have knowledge of this type of artifacts to provide information to institutions established for the purpose of their conservation and commemoration. This guarantees that they will be properly and professionally secured and thus saved. After conservation, the most valuable artifacts are made available to the general public in museums, so that every visitor can join in the preservation of the memory of the material and non-material heritage of Polish Jews.

We hope that the shocking situation described above will be resolved and that no similar incidents will happen in the future.

 

Monika Krawczyk Director of the Emanuel Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute

Albert Stankowski Director of the Warsaw Ghetto Museum

Zygmunt Stępiński Director of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Jewish Historical Institute  
< Back to list of articles

More articles from this category

okładka.jpg
07.08.2023
'Can you be wrong about the whole city?'. The 80th anniversary of the revolt in the Treblinka II extermination camp
On August 2, 2023, ceremonies were held to commemorate the Treblinka II extermination camp victims on the 80th anniversary of the camp's prisoners' revolt. Among the guests were Ada "Krysia" Willenberg, Holocaust Survivor, wife of Samuel Willenberg, a participant in the Treblinka uprising, Israeli Ambassador Yacov Livne, Dani Dayan, director of the Yad Vashem Institute in Jerusalem, as well as Holocaust Survivors, Righteous Among the Nations and representatives of the highest state and local government, diplomatic corps, cultural institutions, clergy and Jewish organizations from Poland and abroad.
ehri_logo.jpg
01.12.2021
Invitation to archivists and scholars to participate in EHRI expert groups
EHRI (European Holocaust Research Infrastructure) is one of the most important research projects on the history of Jews during World War II, in which the Jewish Historical Institute participates. We invite you to join the expert groups of the project.
budynek_blask.jpg
05.02.2021
Welcome back to JHI starting from February 9
A story about fear and hope, about civil resistance and heroism in the face of ultimate evil, and a journey to the world of religion and culture of Polish Jews. From February 9, 2021 the Emanuel Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute reopens to visitors.
More articles >