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A Changed World: The Continuing Impact of the Holocaust
The Holocaust was a watershed event in human history. In the aftermath of World War II, the world—from individual nations to the United Nations; from religious leaders to professionals in fields as diverse as law, medicine, and science; from presidents and prime ministers to private citizens—confronted its legacy.
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Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of Liberation
In 2015, the world marks the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Nazi concentration camps by Allied forces. Explore unique items in the Museum's collection that shed light on the experiences of liberators and survivors, and consider what this watershed moment means for us today.
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International Holocaust Remembrance Day
The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27—the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau—as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this annual day of commemoration, the UN urges every member state to honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazism and to develop educational programs to help prevent future genocides.
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Kristallnacht: The November 1938 Pogroms
On November 9–10, 1938, the Nazis staged vicious pogroms—state sanctioned, anti-Jewish riots—against the Jewish community of Germany. These came to be known as Kristallnacht (now commonly translated as “Night of Broken Glass”).
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Remembering the German Invasion of Poland
On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, initiating World War II. Britain and France responded by declaring war on Germany on September 3. Within a month, Poland was defeated by a combination of German and Soviet forces.
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The Liberation of Auschwitz
January 2015 marked seventy years since the liberation of Auschwitz, the largest camp established by the Germans. A complex of camps, Auschwitz included a concentration camp, killing center, and forced-labor camp.
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Theresienstadt: Spiritual Resistance and Historical Context
The “camp-ghetto” of Theresienstadt, located about 35 miles northwest of the Czech city of Prague, offered perhaps the most favorable environment for spiritual resistance in the Nazi camp system.
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World War I
2014 marked the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I, one of the most destructive wars in modern history. This massive conflict and its divisive peace would echo in the decades to come, giving rise to a second world war and genocide committed under its cover.
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