“Who saves one life, saves the whole world” – such a motto accompanies the new temporary exhibition dedicated to Przemyśl Righteous, the exhibition available from last Saturday to mid-July this year at the Museum of Poles Saving Jews in Markowa.

 

During the Second Polish Republic, Jews were the second social group after Polish that lived in a multicultural and multi-religious city of Przemyśl. This coexistence was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II. The first repressions and executions of Jews took place shortly after the German army entered the city in September 1939. In mid-July 1942 the Germans created a ghetto, where about 22,000 Jews were concentrated on a relatively small fragment of the city. Already at the end of that month the occupation forces began liquidation actions, such as mass executions in the Przemyśl Grochowce, and deportations to the Bełżec camp. Finally the Germans liquidated the ghetto in the autumn of 1943.

 

Only 500 Przemyśl Jews survived the Holocaust by hiding in nearby forests, finding shelter with local people or changing their identity thanks to false “Aryan” documents. They survived this terrible time thanks to the Righteous – Poles and Ukrainians who, despite the threat of losing the lives of their entire families, did not hesitate to help. Thanks to historical research, it was possible to reconstruct the list of names of several dozen residents of Przemyśl, whose determination and courage helped the members of the city’s Jewish community to survive.

 

The exhibition was created with the support of the National Museum of the Przemyśl Land in Przemyśl. Financial support was provided by the Marshal’s Office of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship.