Poland launches global network to “keep the memory of Polish Jews alive”

Poland's foreign ministry and the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw have announced the creation of a global network dedicated to preserving and promoting the memory of Polish Jews.

The two organizations will seek to “jointly accentuate that a millennium-long heritage of Polish Jews forms an intrinsic part of the Polish history and culture”, wrote the foreign ministry after signing a letter of intent with the museum on Wednesday.

“It is crucial to curate the tragic memory of the Holocaust, which left the Jewish community forever changed,” they added. "Although marked by painful events, Polish-Jewish history yielded a heritage of dialogue and coexistence. The letter of intent reflects the need for it to be continued and fostered."

Poland was once home to the world's largest Jewish population. By the eve of the Second World War, over three million Jews lived there. However, around 90% of them were killed in the Holocaust, with many others fleeing during and after the war. By 2021, only 15,700 Jews remained in Poland .

POLIN notes that the new network launched with the foreign ministry will “bring together Jewish museums, cultural institutions, and non-governmental organizations from around the world to ensure that this rich heritage remains a vital part of our collective memory.”

“The newly formed international alliance is aimed at…keep[ing] the memory of Polish Jews alive, no matter where they are based,” adds the foreign ministry.

The planned network will share expertise and best practice among organizations, “build an interconnected resource network”, and “foster the next generation of individuals dedicated to the preservation of this history”. POLIN has invited interested organizations to join the alliance.

“Polish history is, inherently, Jewish history,” writes POLIN. “The preservation of the history of Polish Jews is crucial to the protection of Jewish history at large.”

Even when it comes to “the darker and more painful chapters, POLIN and the Polish foreign ministries remain committed to telling their story transparently”, added the museum.

The two institutions also noted the “global increase in the number of anti-Semitic crimes and incidents”, especially since Hamas' attack on Israel in October 2023.

“Amidst such events, educational activities targeted against prejudice and intolerance have become even more important,” writes the foreign ministry. POLIN says that the new network will “safeguard the heritage of Polish Jews against the rise of antisemitism and all other forms of racism and intolerance.”

Main image credit: MFA Poland/Flickr (under CC BY-ND 2.0 )